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Stress Is Not Good For You

14 healthy stress breaks

Are you on stress overload? To help keep stress under control, try some of these ideas.

• Go to bed 30 minutes earlier at night
• Read a good book
• Seek out positive people. Limit your activities with negative people
• Meditate or pray
• Delay or delegate an optional work project
• Do volunteer work
• Go to a humorous or uplifting movie
• Write in a journal. Record the best things that happen to you
• Tackle unpleasant tasks early in the day and get them over with
• Eat properly and exercise regularly
• Go with the flow. Not every battle has to be won – or even fought
• Deal with only one thing at a time
• Ask a co-worker, friend, or partner for help when you feel overwhelmed
• Create a change of pace. Make no plans for an entire day
• Do something you love to do but haven't done it for awhile
• If you stress level is out of control, you may be asking too much of yourself. Be realistic about how much you can accomplish

How much is too much?

Ongoing stress can be bad for your health. Signs you may have more stress than you can handle include:

• Increased irritability
• Sleep problems
• Loss of appetite or overeating
• Inability to enjoy life
• Relationship problems
• A cynical attitude

If stress is making it difficult to cope, you may want to talk with a doctor or mental health counselor. Here from the National Mental Health Organization are eight areas to review before talking with a professional.

• List the things that cause stress
• How does this stress affect you, your family and your job?
• Can you identify the stressors in your life as long- or short-term?
• Do you have a support system to help you make positive changes?
• What are your biggest obstacles to reducing stress?
• What are you willing to change for a less stressful life?
• What have you tried that didn’t work?
• If you don’t have control of a situation, can you accept it and move on?

(Used with permission by HealthQuest)