Stress Management

Does Laughter Relieve Stress?

May 28, 2020 by Martha Minniti

Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke

Does laughter relieve stress? Yes, you bet it does!

Think about it, when was the last time you laughed so hard you could hardly stop? The answer may be not so recently, however science shows that laughing not only relieves stress it also benefits our health in many ways.

So maybe you want to turn on a comedy show instead of watching a shoot em up after reading this article on the benefits of laughter and how it can help relieve stress.

According to an abstract published by the American Physiological Society scientific evidence supports the emotion-mind-body relationship and shows that mood, thoughts, and feelings have a profound impact on our immune system and general health.

When you laugh, it releases serotonin which is the same chemical found in most common types of antidepressants.

It’s not clear how long the effect of laughter sticks around…just think about how good you feel at least for a short time after you laugh.

The ability to laugh easily and frequently is a great way to surmount problems, enhance your relationships both of which go a long way to improve both your physical and emotional health.

And…laughter is fun, free and pretty easy to use.

Here are 3 short term benefits of laughter:

Increases and releases endorphins: When you laugh, you breathe more which in turn stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles. When you release endorphins, you naturally feel better.
Lowers your stress levels: Think about it…when you laugh hard, how do you feel afterwards? Most likely you still have a smile on your face and you feel more relaxed. This is because it fires up and then cools your stress levels along with decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
Soothe tension. That laugh also stimulates your circulation which then causes muscle relaxation which is often a physical symptom of stress.

Here are 3 longer term benefits of laughter:

Releases neuropeptides which benefit your immune system. When you think negative thoughts, they can create chemical reactions in the body and end up bringing more stress into your system which decreases your immunity. Laughter helps release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
Relieve your pain. When Norman Cousins was dying back in 1964 he made it a point to add laughter to his daily routine. He said “10 minutes of laughter gave me 2 hours of pain free sleep.” Many doctors and researchers now believe that laughter can ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
A great way to connect with others When you improve your mood, you feel better and attract more happiness into your life. Laughing can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations.

Here’s a few ways you can incorporate laughter into your life

Watch funny videos: Whether you choose tik-tok or youtube, seek out funny videos to watch daily instead of gravitating to the news…even a small dose of laughter will instantly make you feel better.

Tune into your favorite sitcom or watch a comedy show. Take the time to retreat from the pressures of the real world, put your feet up and relax and watch something that will get you laughing.

Write in a gratitude journal. When you start focusing on things you’re grateful for, this will raise your energy levels in a positive way and elevate your mood.

Spend time with a pet. If you don’t have one volunteer at a shelter or visit with the pet of a friend. If you can’t do that, find some cute dog or cat videos to watch. This will easily bring a smile to your face and make you start releasing those feel-good hormones.

Loosen up and do something really silly. Maybe you might have done when you were a child.

Here’s some fun ideas:

cartwheels
Skipping or jumping up and down
dance
talk in a funny accent
Share a silly joke with someone
sing really loud in the bathroom
embarrass yourself
roll down a hill, in the grass, leaves or the snow

The bottom line is that it’s good for your stress levels and your health to make it a practice to seek out more opportunities to add humor and laughter into your life.

By doing this, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and even add years to your life.

Deep Breathing Can Help You Relieve Stress

May 14, 2020 by Martha Minniti

The last two decades have witnessed a surge in breathing-related interventions for pain- and anxiety-related disorders, as well as for diseases of the gut, heart, and brain. The more doctors explore breathing as a form of illness prevention and therapy, the more they turn up evidence of its importance.

In 2018 Harvard published an article about the benefits of using breathing to combat stress.

Stress is a fact of life and when we experience normal levels of stress, the stress response helps us rise to many challenges.

However, when you experience constant stress (both low and high levels of stress) health problems can result.

A prime example is high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. Constant stress also suppresses your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and other more serious illnesses.

Continued stress can contribute to anxiety and depression.

Breathing is a way to develop healthier ways of responding to them. In the 1970s Harvard Medical School cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson developed the relaxation response.

The relaxation response is a state of rest that can be accomplished in many ways, including meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation. Breathing is a integral part of these practices.

Slow, deep breathing seems to counteract all of these stress-triggered events and makes it possible for us to start to relax…

While a single breath is helpful research shows that breathing at a rate of around five breaths per minute for anywhere from 30 seconds to 15 minutes is an effective way to calm down and turn off your stress.

Next time you feel overwhelmed, find a quiet spot, practice breathing and start paying attention to your breathing.

See how your body starts to change and experiment by modifying your breathing and how much of that can help you find more calm in your day.

Spending Time Outdoors for Greater Happiness and Health

December 31, 2019 by Martha Minniti

Research now shows that the outdoors, especially green spaces, have restorative properties. This means that spending some time outside can help you become healthier and happier. The effects of being outdoors on the body include lower blood pressure, improved heart rate, and increased physical activity. Being outside also positively affects mental health by lowering stress, elevating the mood, and even decreasing the risk of developing psychiatric disorders. More and more doctors are informing their patients of the possible benefits of spending time in green spaces.

One of the latest studies that support the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors is published in the International Journal of Environmental Research. The results of the study show that it takes very little time for a person to enjoy the positive effects of being outside. According to the research, spending just 20 minutes in a green space like the local park is enough to improve health and well-being. You can enjoy those benefits even if you don’t exercise in those few minutes.

The participants in the study consisted of 94 park visitors from three urban parks near Birmingham in Alabama. They completed a short questionnaire that measured their well-being immediately before and after their park visit. The questionnaire had two components to describe well-being: emotion and life satisfaction. The highest possible score a visitor could achieve was 55 which meant high level of well-being. Their level of physical activity was also tracked by wearing an accelerometer during the park visit. The visitors were not told what to do or how long to stay in the park.

The average amount of time visitors spent in the park was 32 minutes. There was a significant increase in the well-being score after the park visit. The average difference between the scores before and after the park visit was about 1.5 points (increasing from about 37 to 39). This means that spending time in the park led to more positive emotions and greater life satisfaction.

The researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham did not find any relationship between levels of physical activity and improved well-being in this study. Instead it was simply the amount of time spent in the park that improved well-being. The study recommended that visitors stay for at least 20 minutes to enjoy the benefits of green spaces.

The medical community has picked up on the physical and mental effects of spending time outdoors. With hundreds of studies now documenting the effect of green spaces on health and happiness, physicians are now prescribing nature exposure to patients.

These prescriptions that advise patients to spend time outdoors in green spaces are called “nature prescriptions.” More and more physicians, as well as the general public, are now appreciating parks as more than places of recreation. Local parks are now seen as readily-available, cheap, and low-risk solutions to improve physical and mental health. Many now view green spaces as free medicine, and who wouldn’t want free alternatives for achieving better health?

Specificity is a key in the writing of nature prescriptions. Physicians include in their prescriptions the activities to engage in outdoors, the length of time patients stay in the parks, and even the specific park that patients should go to (sometimes attaching a Google map link). Examples of this prescription script include advising patients to spend an hour each week playing outdoor tennis, or exploring all the soccer fields near their home.

By framing these recommendations as a medical prescription with specific details, patients are motivated to actually do them and stick with the treatment method. There are a number of factors that contribute to why patients have shown greater commitment to the nature prescriptions. As opposed to the experience of joining a gym, patients who bring their activities outdoors enjoy constantly changing scenery, social interaction with other people in the park or trail, and the absence of monthly fees.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the collaboration between different organizations to encourage contact with nature. Health care providers, local and national park administrators, insurance companies, and government agencies have come together to initiate system-wide strategies. The goal of these collaborative efforts is to develop programs, parks, and nature trails that better serve the wellness needs of the community.

Spending time in green spaces has been proven to help people suffering from diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other related diseases. It also improves mental health and benefits people suffering from anxiety, stress, and depression. Drawing from the restorative powers of nature is actually about making positive and meaningful choices in your life. There is just something very health-promoting about choosing to go out, stopping to smell a flower, appreciating beauty, and connecting with nature.

Achieving Wellness through Mindfulness and Meditation: 11 Tips

December 9, 2019 by Martha Minniti

Meditation has long been held to promote well-being and even help end suffering. More recent clinical studies now back that up by suggesting that mindfulness may cure anxiety, depression, and a whole host of other health problems. The goal of meditation is to ultimately bring awareness to every moment of one’s life, not just time one spends formally meditating. Here are some tips that will help bring present-moment awareness to all your daily activities:

Practice daily meditation for at least 20 minutes.

The benefits of meditation can only be enjoyed if it is practiced every day. Twenty minutes a day is a good general guideline. During meditation strive for awareness and focus on your breathing and be mindful of your own thoughts.

Exercise mindfulness even in your eating.

Meditation allows us to be more aware and present in whatever we are doing at the moment. It has a beneficial impact on every aspect of daily life. Because eating is such a big part of our lives, learn to eat mindfully. Pay attention to the food, how it looks, how it tastes, how it smells like. Also, maintain a heightened sense of awareness that you are eating.

Choose food that encourages wellness.

Mindfulness changes more than the way you eat food. It should inform you on what kind of food you should eat as well. Choose food that will truly feed your body such as fresh-picked, locally grown food and produce. Health food will nourish your body and your mind.

Take life one task at a time.

It will be difficult to be fully present in the present moment if you are thinking about too many things and tasks to accomplish. Take life one task at a time. Meditation will help you become more focused, creative, resourceful, efficient, and holistically balanced. This applies whether you’re driving, watching television, working in front of a computer, or doing domestic tasks at home.

Engage in meaningful conversations.

You can achieve present-moment awareness in all of your daily activities. You can even practice this while engaged in conversation. Focus on the people you are talking with, on what they are saying, how they are feeling, and even try to be aware of things that remain unsaid. Meditation will help us develop unconditional love that springs from a deep sense of peace and serenity. This will help strengthen relationships.

Reconnect with nature.

Natural environments have restorative effects. They help restore the body and the mind. Be mindful of your surroundings. Take a walk in a garden or in the woods. Enjoy the beach. Stare at the stars. Stop and smell the flowers. Use your senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling to open up to the world around you.

Take the time to just breathe.

The first meditation technique that most people will learn is to watch their breath. This is very important as it promotes serenity and focus. Focusing on your breath continues as you develop into a state of heightened awareness. Take the time to stop and breathe deeply frequently throughout the day.

Steady the self and be still.

With so many things going on around us, it is easy to feel like life is spinning out of control. The only way to steady the self is by setting aside time to be still. Seek for moments of silence. You should also learn, however, to practice meditative awareness anytime, anywhere. Use any experience or activity for reflection.

Be grateful.

We have talked about being aware of yourself, of the people around you, and of your surroundings. Being grateful will invite you to be aware of positive life events, experiences, and opportunities. Keep a journal where you can regularly record things that you are grateful for. Being mindful of the past and the future will also help you truly live in the present. Being grateful is also a sure and easy way to feel good.

Develop a sleep routine.

Having a regular sleep routine trains the brain that it’s almost time to hit the bed for some shut-eye. This will really improve the quality of your sleep. And having better sleep means having a better life. Break out your essential oils and experiment with aromatherapy. Log off of your electronics one to two hours before retiring to bed. Yoga and meditation exercises also prep the body and brain for sleep.

Use mindfulness and guided meditation apps.

Your smartphone or tablet are now incredibly effective tools for mindfulness and meditation. Make the most of technological advances that will help you with your well-being. There are now many sleep improvement apps, yoga options, and guided meditations that are easily accessible (and basically free) for everyone.

Developing a Better Sleep Routine for Better Sleep and Rejuvenated Mornings

November 4, 2019 by Martha Minniti

Research now supports what we’ve always known and felt — that bad quality or even an outright lack of sleep negatively impacts our health. Clinical studies report that poor sleep may contribute to a host of health problems including depression, anxiety, diabetes, and obesity.

This is especially frightening for those of you who regularly sacrifice sleep to juggle your many responsibilities. But now that we know that sleep plays a crucial role in the normal functioning of the mind and body, the question is what can a busy person do to encourage better sleep?

The simple answer is to develop a sleep routine. There are many factors in life that interfere with your sleep that you have no control over. But there are simple habits that you can adopt to encourage better sleep.

Here are some of these easy practices from experts that will help you get started on a routine for better sleep. Developing these habits and a routine will not only help you get a good night’s sleep but will also help you feel more energized and rejuvenated in the morning. Here’s the secret to feel ready to take on the world.

Turn your bedroom into a cool, restful environment.

One of the things that you do have control over is the place where you sleep — your bedroom! Create a sleep-inducing bedroom. Experts agree that a cool environment is the most ideal for sound sleep.

Maintain your room temperature comfortably cool. 60° to 75° F (15° to 24° C) is the ideal temperature for the onset of sleep. To achieve this, keep your room well ventilated. Taking a hot bath is another natural way to help the body feel cooler. The Harvard Medical School Healthy Sleep program explains that when you take a bath “the rise, then fall in body temperature promotes drowsiness.”

The Harvard Healthy Sleep program also adds that it is helpful “to make sure your bedroom is equipped with a comfortable mattress and pillows.” You may consider investing in temperature-controlled bedding.

Be mindful of lights and sounds around you.

In addition to being cool, a sleep-inducing environment should also be dark and quiet. Your tech devices emit blue light that affects your sleep. “Avoid prolonged use of light-emitting screens just before bedtime,” suggests the Mayo Clinic. Use room-darkening shades, heavy curtains, or an eye mask. Blocking the light will promote a sound slumber.

You also need to lower the volume of outside noise to achieve a quiet environment. Consider using earplugs, a fan, or other “white noise” devices that suit your needs. There are now countless “white noise” apps that can mask the noises that wake you up.

Try out essential oils therapy.

The use of essential oils to improve health, also known as aromatherapy, has long been known to have beneficial effects on sleep. As part of your sleep routine, break out your essential oil collection and experiment with aromatherapy.

You now have a wide range of products available such as diffusers, inhalers, bathing salts, body oils, creams, and lotions. You have options available to you for your different needs and your preferred style.

In addition to the wide range of products, you also have hundreds of essential oils to choose from. But don’t let this overwhelm you. You can start with the more popular oils. Lavender is known to relax the mind, improve your breathing, and influence your feelings about your surroundings. This is helpful in transforming your bedroom into a restful environment.

Whichever product and essential oil you choose, aromatherapy is an inexpensive and uncomplicated way to improve sleep quality.

Pay attention to food and fluid intake.

What you eat and drink throughout the day can affect the quality of your sleep. The key here — for both food and fluid intake — is balance. Avoid going to bed feeling too hungry or too full. Eat lighter meals during the evening. Stay away from food that can cause indigestion.

Similarly, the Harvard Healthy Sleep program recommends that you drink “enough fluid at night to keep from waking up thirsty—but not so much and so close to bedtime that you will be awakened by the need for a trip to the bathroom.”

Paying attention to food and fluid intake also means avoiding stimulants, especially in the later hours of the day. The Mayo Clinic reports that “Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can wreak havoc on quality sleep.” This means avoiding substances like coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco products for a few hours before bedtime.

Make use of mindfulness and guided meditation apps.

The key to a good sleep routine is establishing a “wind down schedule before going to bed,” explained Dr. Susheel Patil, a sleep expert of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Center. Doing relaxing activities before bedtime promotes better sleep because it helps you transition from wake time to sleep time. These calming activities include meditation, mindfulness exercises, and yoga.

Fortunately, technology is now a powerful tool that can help us with these relaxing activities. There are now dozens of options readily accessible and free for everyone. These include sleep improvement, bedtime yoga, and guided meditations apps. Using these apps and online options will surely help prepare your mind and body for good sleep.

Caring for an Elderly Parent? 4 Ways To Reduce The Stress

June 20, 2019 by Martha Minniti

One day your parent seems fine and then the next day it seems like they’ve aged tremendously.

It’s sad when you realize that your once young and vibrant parent has become an elderly person needing your help.

Sometimes it feels like they’ve gone from taking care of you and then in the next moment they’re suddenly relying upon you to look after them.

Or, in the case of some elderly parents they’re hiding the fact that they need you to care for them in order that they can keep their independence. Then a major event happens that brings this need to be cared for to the forefront.

Making this transition into caring for an elderly parent can take a toll on your emotional well-being and theirs as well.

We care for our parents out of love and we don’t want them to end up in a place or situation where they are not cared for. Sometimes it’s impossible for us to properly care for them so we have to look into facilities or on-site help to keep them in their home as they make this transition from independent living.

If you find yourself in this situation, having to take more care of your elderly parent or being more involved in their affairs here are four ways that you can ensure that you care for them without compromising your own health and well-being.

Make Lists of What They Need

It’s helpful to make a list of all the things that your parent needs help with right now. When you’re thinking about that list includes all of the daily activities that you need to assist with as part of their normal health and care routine.

Then make a second list of all the things you think they will need to have help with in the future.

Some of the things on this second list are:

What will happen when there are not able to drive anymore?
What normal daily care and health routine will they need help with in th future?
What kind of access do they have to get help if they need it?
What financial resources do they have?

Making these two separate lists will help you visualize and think about what they need now and also in the future so that you are prepared.

It’s better to make these lists and kind of have a plan of action in place for the future rather than waiting until it becomes more urgent.

If you have siblings, you definitely want to make sure that everyone is pitching in to help and understands the situation of your parents. Keep in mind that in most situations research shows that in 90% of families one sibling takes on the majority of care. This can happen because of proximity to the parent or because of parent-child relationships.

Everyone has a different idea of what their role should be in caring for an elderly parent and at times it can be hard to coordinate all of these expectations and desires.

Just understand that it is normal that caring for an elderly parent is not usually split evenly between siblings.

2. Take time to Educate Yourself

Take the time to educate yourself because you need to know about what facilities there are in plans that you can use to help care for your parents. Think of it this way knowledge is not just power it is also a way to lower your stress levels because you’re taking care of things in the best way possible.

Here are a couple of examples for you to consider

Do you know the local respite facilities?
Do you have back-up to help you while you help them?
Do you know how to best take care of medical bills and facility bills?

Don’t take on the role of a caretaker so that the whole rest of your life gets taken over by this and everything seems to fall apart, including your health and well-being.

Understand that you cannot do it all alone and that nobody should expect you to.

3. Setting Boundaries is important

Setting proper boundaries can be tricky at times. You love your parents but you need to have good boundaries in place so that you don’t become resentful.

Yes you’re going to feel pressure and stress at times after all you’re worried about your parents’ well-being comfort and health while also feeling like it’s a burden. these emotions can feel very stressful.

especially if you are managing everything all by yourself with no help from your family. you need to set good boundaries and find a way to feel okay about saying no or taking a time out for yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

4. Find Safe People To Talk With

When you’re feeling overwhelmed it’s a good idea to have someone that you can discuss your situation with that is understanding and supportive to your situation.

Speaking openly Like this will help release tension and work to manage your emotional health and well-being. It’s important to find someone who is empathetic and a good listener like a spouse a friend or even a professional.

Resist the temptation to keep it all inside and not share your emotions and feelings. honestly it’s hard enough to care for elderly parents and don’t add to the stress by keeping all of those feelings pent up inside of you.

Getting things off your chest and talked out will help you feel so much better

And while you’re at it, take a moment to step back and appreciate yourself for all of the effort you’re putting into caring for your elderly parents.

And also while you’re in this stage of life with your elderly parents it’s also good to find time to lovingly bond with them as best you can. Especially if you know that you are getting close to their end-of-life you want to make sure that you have closure.

Getting help to deal with this aspect of your relationship with your parents is a very smart choice and will help you to navigate this particular phase in both of your lives.

To sum it all up, I suggest that you start with making the list and educating yourself. don’t forget those all-important boundaries and finding someone support that you can talk with as you navigate caring for an elderly parent

Caring for your elderly parent or parents does not need to be an all-consuming and stressful situation.