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Parents! Relieve Your Stress or Your Health Will Suffer!
By Sheilamarie Nellis
Do you sometimes feel as if you could explode? People today are more stressed than ever before. Not only do we feel the demands others place on us, we often have unreasonable expectations of ourselves, as well. And the tensions in the larger world, whether due to global warming or the economic downturn, also wear on us. No wonder we feel like time bombs! Although to avoid stress is impossible, ignoring it could damage your physical and mental health. And if you, as a parent, are not healthy, then the wellbeing of your children is certainly at risk. When you are stressed, your brain releases an excessive amount of the hormone cortisol. If your body is exposed to this stress hormone for long periods of time, your organs can become damaged. So to ignore your own stress or to shrug it off or swallow it down is not really an option if you want to be around to play with your grandchildren! Signs You Have Too Much Stress Too much stress over a long time may cause you to experience some of the following symptoms: Feeling physically exhausted
Lacking emotional strength
Losing one’s temper
Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight
Feeling depressed
Sleeplessness (even when the baby sleeps)
Feeling agitated
Withdrawal from friends and family If you have these symptoms, it is essential that you ask for help to reduce your stress level. Even if you find yourself in a situation that seems impossible to change, you can still use some of the strategies below to lower your stress in order to minimize the risk to your own and your baby’s health. Here Are Some Ways To Relieve Stress 1. Put your little one in a stroller and go out for a walk.
2. Take a nap while your baby is napping. Sleep needs to become a priority.
3. Eat regular and well-balanced, healthy meals.
4. Put on some music and dance around the room. Poof goes your frustration!
5. Take slow, deep breaths.
6. Find someone with whom you can talk about your feelings.
7. Visualize yourself somewhere you feel relaxed -- on the beach, in the mountains, by a river.
8. Starting with your head and face, tense and then relax the muscles in your body. Move down each muscle group, feeling the tension and the relaxation of each area. Breathe deeply.
9. Try to schedule time for doing something fun -- sport, art, music, reading, watching a movie, gardening, whatever it is that you most enjoy.
10. Prayer has been experienced as a great stress releaser.
11. Yoga and meditation work for some people, too.
12. Keep your sense of humor! Laughter really is the best medicine. When you laugh, endorphins are released that lower your stress level. By using these strategies, you can learn to mange the stress that each of us has to face daily. Even if the causes of your stress don’t go away, you can better deal with the negative effects that stress produces. Don't be afraid to ask others for help if you are having a hard time dealing with your stress. You may be surprised to learn that others share some of your frustrations and difficulties. You are not alone in this!
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Contributor's Note
Now that that's off my chest, I feel a lot less stressed!
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The Family Today
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 |  | frederick recommended this intel. May 21, 2011 |  | | recommended this intel. May 21, 2011 |  | | crawfish appreciated this intel. May 21, 2011 |  | | setterman29 agreed with this intel. May 21, 2011 |  | | Sid recommended this intel. May 21, 2011 | | | swexie recommended this intel. May 25, 2011 |  | | biblefreeorg liked this intel. Jun 4, 2011 |  | | nick recommended this intel. Aug 4, 2011 |  | | R Foreman liked this intel. Aug 4, 2011 |
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I enjoyed this insightful 5 star intel. In itself stress is not bad. It can gear us up to meet a challenge. In life-threatening situations, stress has enabled people to perform feats they would never have believed they were capable of. When you had an important assignment, stress may have generated a surge of adrenaline that enabled you to carry out the task on time. You are very correct though, problems result when stress becomes unrelenting and our bodies fail to relax.
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If you use this content according to the license specified, you must link to the following URL:
http://sheilamarie.qondio.com/
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