We have such good time too ponder over life that we become stressed by it, says a U.S. researcher.
Are you staying up late at night and pondering over problems with your colleagues? Or do you worry about how your dinner with your in-laws will go this weekend?
The cause of stress may simply be that we are so organized and also have few external threats to relate to. This gives us good time to think and to create stress, according to Robert Sapolsky of Stanford University.
Neurologist and biology professor has studied baboons in Kenya. He recognized the number of stress factors and health problems in bavian society from our Western society.
“Fighters Fight” stress less
- We are ecologically privileged enough that we invent our own social and physical stress. Baboons are privileged in the same way. They get ulcers because of the social challenges, says Sapolsky.
Now baboons can give us an indication on how we could take the least possible damage of this stressful life that we live.
Sapolsky discovered, among other things, that the baboons were able to distinguish a real threat from a dangerous situation, and was less stressful than the others. Baboons that took hold of a dangerous situation by starting a fight, was also less stressed than those who sat back and waited for the fight to break out.
According to Sapolsky, there is a special group of baboons that do not handle stress very good. Probably some people can be placed in a similar group, he said.
Unwind!
Under stress? Good advice on how to cope with a busy life:
Moderate drinking. It might be easy to resort to alcohol and smoking in stressful situations. But if you stress a lot, both should be taken in moderation.
Hobby. Turn your attention to a hobby. Then your focus is put onto something else. It can be anything from a drawing course to work in a voluntary organization.
Drink water. If you are stressed out it perhaps sounds more tempting with a large glass of wine than a glass of water. But it is very important that you drink water. Because if you get dehydrated you will become sleepy, and it makes it difficult to cope with stressful situations.
Massage. Relaxation is the key to reducing stress. Massage calms the body, provides muscle relaxation and increase blood circulation.
Meditation. 15 minutes of meditation can provide deeper peace than an hour’s sleep. To begin the day with a two-minute meditation session can also be good. Sit with your back straight and repeat a word in your head. Or follow your breath. Learn a Meditation that releases stress Here!
Healthy diet. If you are stressed out, it is natural to crave more food, especially fast food. But even if the fast carbohydrates will give you a quick rush of insulin, you’ll rapidly get tired again. It is better to eat healthy and eat regularly. A stable blood sugar can reduce the stress level.
Sex. Maby you already know that sex can make you less stressed out: You can release a lot of anger, aggression and bad energy, that are associated with stress trough sex.
Sleep. It is important not to feel tired. Lack of sleep is a big influence on your day, and your problems may seem more serious than they really are.
Training. It is important to combine a stressful day with training. Exercise increases blood circulation, among other things in the body and opens the lungs so that you get more oxygen. Moreover, the body will produce more endorphins, the body’s own morphine.
Therapy. Sometimes it may help to talk to a therapist or a coach, who can advise on how to relax and tell you how you can get a more positive outlook on the situation you are in.
