Atlanta, GA – March 28 2008
This press release was originally published on Earth Times. You can view a PDF of the original posting here.
Stress. These days stress is an ugly word on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Everyone knows about it. Money and work are the biggest stressors for almost three-quarters (73% and 74% respectively) of Americans. That’s up from 59%. And over 70% of all doctor’s visits are stress related.
Stress wreaks havoc on your mind and body. It can cause:
- Insomnia. Stress disturbs your sleep and affects your immune, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems.
- Memory. Scientific research tells us that chronic stress directly affects our memory and the brain.
- Anger and Worry. Constant worry and anger can cause stress hormones to be released that increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension and other diseases.
- Weight Gain. Chronic stress produces the hormone cortisol in your body causing you to not only gain weight, but it is more difficult to lose weight.
- Disease and Conditions. Stress is the driver for most diseases and conditions we develop.
For the 16th year in a row April has been designated National Stress Awareness Month. Dr. Kathleen Hall, internationally recognized lifestyle expert in stress and work-life balance, and founder and CEO of The Stress Institute, knows that we are stressed out like never before. She offers these tips to help you understand and battle stress that affects you, your family and your work:
- Your SELF: Research shows 90% of visits to a primary care physician are stress related. Stress is the driver of diseases and we must learn how to de-stress with researched simple stress reduction tools. Meditate, take walks and enjoy nature, eat well and spend time with loved ones.
- Your Marriage/ Relationships: Roughly half of all Americans (45 percent) report that stress has a negative impact on their relationship with a spouse or partner.
- Studies also show that isolation decreases immune functioning and increases mortality risk. Text, call or email a friend at a few times a week to keep bonds strong.
- Your Children/ Family: Children in families facing chronic stress such as conflict between parents or violence in the home become sick more often than children under less stress. Teach your family healthy stress reduction techniques and set the example by applying them in your own life.
- Your Career: Nearly 75 percent of people attribute their worst stress to money and work. New research has produced strong evidence of how work stress is linked to the biological mechanisms involved in the onset of heart disease. Take a few minutes at work to play an online game or read a chapter of a really good book.
During National Stress Awareness Month (April), talk with Dr. Kathleen Hall about the solution for your stress and the blueprint for your happiness and balance.