Stress is the only cause of ill-health. May I be so bold? Let me explain.
There are three main stressors in life: Physical, Chemical (or Nutritional), and Emotional. Now, we mostly think about emotional stress. That is true. But add emotional stress to the other two and you've got a wallop of a problem.
The body is designed to survive the onslaught of everyday living. Can you imagine what we do to ourselves? We don't eat well. We don't drink proper fluids. We don't exercise much at all. We sit/stand/walk incorrectly almost every day. We work long hours in jobs we don't necessarily enjoy. Then we add the weight of the world on our shoulders: relationship, marital, emotional scars from the past
No wonder we are stressed people. And is it getting any better? Stress affects health in almost every way possible. But what would you do if you understood this? Would you change your life to live less stressfully? Would you really change your habits of living? Let's look at each of these briefly.
PHYSICAL
The physical body needs movement and activity for proper health. Activity and motion are vital for body function. That is why breathing techniques, as simple as they are, can make a huge change in someone-they don't even breath well, so by improving their breathing function, their body works better. Try it. Take a deep breath in for a count of two, that's pretty fast, then hold it for a count of eight, and let it out for a count of four. If you're not breathing, you're in big trouble.
Next, do a little exercise and don't get hung up just quite yet on the type. Just do something. Walk, skip, take a run if you're so inclined. Get your blood pumping for some reason beyond emotional stress. Work your heart, vascular system, and lymphatic system. They will appreciate it.
CHEMICAL
This is what we put into our bodies that we call nourishment. Stop eating junk! You know exactly what I'm talking about. That drink you think works like water-try taking a bath in it. That's what you're doing to your body-bathing in the liquid you ingest. How does that sound now?
And the food! Why do you eat the white processed stuff they cram into a box and can? You surely can't sustain life with that. Live raw foods are the best source of nutrition for your body. Try some. And don't flavor them with artificial stuff. You need flavoring because your body can't handle the good food.
And for goodness sakes, stop ingesting the foreign chemicals. The ones your body has never seen and cannot process. They are building up in your system as we speak. Remember, anything man-made can never compare to what is found in nature, no matter what they say. They're just trying to sell you something, sweet, sour, hot, frothy...
EMOTIONAL
Here's the biggy. Emotional stress is the silent killer. We all know about it but we can't see it, can't feel it, and don't seem to do anything about it. Why is that? I know it's frightening and uncomfortable. But why do we let emotional stress run and ruin our lives? There are specific things we can do on an on-going basis to release these effects of stress from our lives.
Start by acknowledging there is stress and if you can't find something current, go into your past. There is something. Look at it and ask yourself if that sphere of emotional stress is worth the energy you are spending on it. That's what every kind of emotional stress is-energy. Is it a positive energy or a negative, destructive energy? The key is to turn every negative emotional stress into a positive charge in your life. And that is also the big challenge. But if you don't do it you will never be released from it.
There you have it, how stress affects health. You now have a little more idea about how to recognize these stresses and an idea about what to do with them. Right? Now go to it.
Although most of us have heard we need eight hours of sleep a night to maintain good health, we are seldom reminded that quality of sleep is just as important as quantity. Poor quality sleep can lead to poorer performance at work, accidents, and mood swings. Health problems also begin to develop if poor quality sleep persists for a number days or weeks. Understanding what symptoms may result from restless nights will help you understand and correct what might be contributing to mild or moderate insomnia. Sleepless nights can sometimes indicate an underlying condition such as thyroid disorders or depression, so check with your doctor if you are experiencing chronic sleeplessness.
How many hours of sleep do I need?
Some people claim to function optimally with as little three to five hours of sleep. However, for most people getting seven or eight hours is more optimal for maintaining good health. Because the number of hours necessary can vary from person to person, it is best to just pay attention to your own body and the changes in mood or attention span that may occur when you loose sleep. The loss of one hour of sleep in a night may produce subtle impairment of your cognitive abilities that you may not even notice. However, more than one hour of sleep loss in a night may lead to more noticeable changes such as drowsiness and nodding off. Sleep deprivation can also be dangerous. People suffering from sleep deprivation perform poorly when tested for coordination and reaction time. Changes such as these can lead to accidents and mistakes that may have serious consequences. Under conditions of sustained sleep deprivation, hallucinations and mood swings may also develop.
Can losing sleep make me sick?
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland at night. Melatonin makes us feel drowsy and contributes to helping us achieve a restful night's sleep. In addition to helping us sleep, melatonin is an antioxidant that aids in supporting our immune system. Sleep deprivation can weaken our immune system making us more vulnerable to diseases and disorders from the common cold to diabetes. When we sleep our immune systems are given a chance to replenish and attack any disease causing bacteria or viruses we may have encountered. The loss of sleep impairs the body's ability to sustain a properly functioning immune system. Sleep deprivation additionally leads to stress which weakens our immune system further.
Can a lack of sleep affect my mood?
Although experiencing stress or anxiety can lead to sleepless nights, the opposite is also true leading to a vicious cycle that can be difficult to break. The human body uses a chain of chemicals to indicate stress. Quality sleep blocks this chain reaction effectively preventing the chemicals that produce stress from being made. At least some studies have also shown that sleep deprivation can even boost the level of stress hormones the following day. Exhaustion can lead to moodiness of varying degrees such as crying easily and anger outbursts. Depending on the duration of sleep loss over time, such mood changes can affect our professional and personal life making us less able to face the normally occurring challenges of life.
Both Dr Peter Lind & B. Williams are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Dr Peter Lind has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dieting, Stress Management and Lose Weight. Dr Peter Lind is a practicing chiropractor utilizing newly developed procedures and protocols to remove the affects of stress on the body. He continues helping hundreds of people on his website. Dr Peter Lind's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
B. Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Modern and Contemporary Furniture, Antiques and Home Management. Want a stylish that still gives you a good night sleep? Introducing the first low-profile mattress that gives even better support and comfort then it's h. B. Williams's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.