Anti-stress: 5 Strategies to reduce pressure

MF editorial team 23 Jun 2015 updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:02

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Burn stress hormones
With an increased heartbeat and breathing frequency, distribution of blood to the muscles becomes a priority. Stress creates an alert state. Everything is prepped for immediate energy release. Physical activity is the most appropriate response to restore the body to its normal state.
In fact, "muscles consume excess cortisol," says Dr. Philippe Rodet, much like they do for calories.
"Moderate-intense activity for twenty to forty minutes reduces anxiety generated by stress for two to four hours," said the Canadian Institute for Research on fitness. To get the highest decrease in stress and anxiety, the ideal way is a physical activity program which would last at least ten weeks or, preferably more than fifteen weeks. Walking thirty minutes a day is enough, and any exercise is always good.
A Canadian study states that the mere act of taking the stairs instead of the elevator has lowered cortisol levels detected in the saliva of employees.
In England, a study tracking 20 000 men and women showed that daily activity decreases anxiety and stress levels by 40%. Regardless of the type of activity, it is important that you enjoy it, otherwise it does not burn stress.
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Choose protective foods
Poor eating habits tire the body and reduce its resistance to stress, especially excess sugar and salt. The first damages the arterial vessels and the second promotes hypertension which is exactly the same effects as those suffering from repeated stress! Other false friends: dinners rich in fat are more difficult to digest, therefore they are likely to disrupt sleep. When the body goes to sleep, it rebalances its defenses and hormone levels. Consume food rich in antioxidants like tomatoes, olive oil, beetroot, blueberries, papaya and green tea, advises Dr Rodet. Antioxidants neutralise chemical stresses that attack the body's cells. Does magnesium help? Professor Chast says, "Scientific studies do not formally attest to its anti-stress power."

Still, this trace mineral plays a role in the balance of the nervous system, both mental and emotional. 20% of women do not cover their daily needs and stress accelerates the elimination of magnesium in the urine, hence supplement in preparation for stressful times can be beneficial.
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Stress relievers
"The brain retains bad news very well, but less on positive things that happen every day," says Dr Rodet. This creates a fertile ground for self-sustaining stress. To correct this natural bias, he prescribes this exercise to his patients: every evening, draw up a pros and cons list of what happened during the the day. Identify three good things. At bedtime and try to think of these things.
This will help you rest better. The result: serenity increases, the daily tension decreases, and somatic disorders subside. The method was proven to work in a few weeks. "The written part is essential, says the doctor. If you just do it in your head, it no longer works."
After the feeling of serenity is attained, address self-confidence, which protects you from the effects of stress. "We tend to dicredit our small successes. This gives an altered image of who we are and what we can accomplish, or even how we handle difficult situations. Stupidly we deprive ourselves of an asset. The Americans, who by nature have higher self-confidence, are subject to more stressful situations than Europeans, but do not suffer as much," says Dr Rodet. The solution: every day, force yourself to think and write about your small wins.
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Take medication, if needed
Curing stress? "No drug can change your boss, husband or children," laughs Prof. Chast.
The only available drugs are anxiolytics and sedatives to relieve pressure and reset a normal cycle. "They should not be the first option for treatment," warns Mario Sanchez, psychologist and addiction specialist, and deputy director of the Montevideo Clinic.
A study in the Nature journal, found that consumption of anxiolytics excites the brain. "If it is repeatedly taken, the brain will find it difficult to regulate itself to return to normal," says the addiction specialist.
See a doctor for stage examination a week after the first prescription of psychotropic drugs. You should see the doctor regularly afterwards. This will assess the patient's response to the chosen molecule dose, see if the problem persists.
A US study has shown that the best stress tolerance of some people is related to a hormone synthesised in the brain, neuropeptide Y. Over there, the brain is less sensitive to stress.
Work is underway to refine the knowledge of this molecule, its ideal rate by weight, gender, age of the patient, etc.
Another molecule of interest to researchers: oxytocin, the hormone for empathy. "When its rate increases, cortisol, the stress hormone, decreases," says Dr Rodet.
There are many oxytocin sprays on the Internet, but its use as an anti-stress agent is neither validated nor recommended.
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Make provisions for stress
Emotions are closely involved with stress as there are protective factors directly related to our behaviour. "With the same pathology, the most generous patients who turn to help others, block the effects of stress better than other patients," says Dr. Rodet, citing the work of Stefan Einhorn, Swedish oncologist, author of The Art of Being Good (Belfond).
Optimism, too, is an effective weapon against stress, because it resonates with the capacity to act. The action is precisely the best remedy against the ongoing stress. The definition of optimism gave academic Jacqueline
Romilly the inspiration: "Optimism is transforming worries into challenges. The first overwhelms us, the latter needs to be addressed." Scientific studies in support say optimism is a protective factor against cardiovascular mortality. Fun and relaxation are safeguards.
Proof is in the pudding with this study of US adults who had planned to go to the movies: "Seventy two hours before a source of pleasure that is expected (cinema, travel, concert ...), cortisol and adrenaline falls and the growth hormone increases and 'fixes' the immune system, "says Dr Rodet.
As for the impact of social status, the studies are unanimous: the more one is down the ladder, the more one is vulnerable.
Robert Sapolsky, a neurobiologist at Stanford, is an expert on social stress mechanisms, and states that there are several hierarchies (business circle, family ...) and that "the important thing is to be at the head a hierarchy that matters to us."

Stress can put our health at risk. Fortunately, there are solutions. Simple and effective, here are five methods to reduce the pressure.

Whether it’s an adult trying to escape danger or a nervous teen asking his parents to sign a catastrophic report, the body always reacts the same way. It produces cortisol and adrenaline which results in rapid breathing and heart rate.

Canadian researchers have found that our body can undergo five to seven daily stressful situations without any damage. But in reality, we are faced with stress at least fifty times a day. Over time, this pressure will impact our health, our neurons and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in arteries, the immune system – as well as premature aging.

Is there a cure for stress? “It is not a disease, nor a symptom but a feeling…” says Professor François Chast, Head of Pharmacy and Toxicology department at the Hotel Dieu hospital in Paris.

Moreover, even if we manage to block the hormonal process, this would not be compatible with life, as these hormones are essential for the proper functioning of the body. The only way to get rid of the influence that stress has on our lives and our bodies, is to protect it against its deleterious effects, and there are several ways to do so.

Mathieu Rached

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1 Commentaires

Andrew

If you are stressed i suggest you learn how to meditate because ever since I have started I have improved my life drastically. I have an overall sense of peace with myself and the world and have never been happier. My stress levels have gone to an all time low and It even helps me with my anxiety and panic attacks.

If you want to learn how to meditate I suggest you read this story.

http://anxiousreview.com/learnmeditation/

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Anti-stress: 5 Strategies to reduce pressure

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