"Stress" is usually defined as the body's failure to adapt to changes or to its environment.
When a person's body cannot cope with its surroundings, the results can range from mild to catastrophic.
Symptoms of stress include chronic headaches, migraines, muscle and joint fatigue, nausea, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, fatigue, insomnia and sleep disruptions.
Severe stress may even result in heart attacks or dangerously high blood pressure.
Stress management should be a part of every person's life for these reasons.
Even those with low-pressure occupations and easygoing personalities should engage in some form of deliberate stress management activities.
In fact, say most experts, activity is the key to stress management.
Sometimes this is easier said than done.
Frequently the tendency is to become sedentary or to engage in erratic sleep patterns when overwhelmed by stress.
Naturally, sleep is important in maintaining good mental and physical health.
However, too much or too little sleep or inconsistent sleep patterns are detrimental to a person's health.
These can and often do lead to even more stress.
Instead, experts recommend engaging in regular physical activity to manage stress.
This does not mean everyone should run a marathon.
Nor does it mean a rigorous regimen of weight lifting.
Instead, it means finding the right level of activity for an individual's physical condition and doing it on a regular basis.
Regular exercise is an effective stress management tool for several reasons.
First, exercise increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
Extra oxygen means more brain power, better problem-solving skills and the ability to think rationally under pressure.
Exercise also releases endorphins.
These are the chemicals that the body produces and that create feelings of well-being.
During exercise, even gentle ones, these endorphins flood the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body.
This natural high results in a sense of happiness and relaxation.
The feeling can last for hours after exercise and may be enough to get a person through a tough workday.
Even people who are not particularly athletic or prone to enjoy exercise can make gentle, stress-relieving exercise a routine.
Those who are just beginning a routine of stress management exercise should consider the following activities: * Walking.
One of the best things about walking is that it's free; no monthly gym membership fees to pay.
Walking can take place anywhere, anytime.
Start slowly: walk 10-15 minutes at a brisk pace four to five times per week.
Work up from there.
Eventually, set a goal of walking 20-30 minutes four to five times per week.
This is the amount recommended for maximum stress management plus a gentle heart workout.
* Yoga.
This practice has been around for thousands of years and for good reason.
Yoga is the perfect solution for the stressed-out.
It requires no fancy equipment and can even be done at home.
Yoga targets both the body and the mind.
Those who engage in yoga 2-3 times per week on a regular basis report increased ability to deal with daily stress.
Yoga also results in greater muscle tone and flexibility.
* Pilates.
These exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and flexibility without building bulk.
They improve blood flow and coordination and help strengthen the body's core.
Like yoga, Pilates participants report the ability the cope more easily with day-to-day stress.
Even people who are normally inactive find these exercises appealing and easy to get into.
Some go on to tougher workouts, weight-training or distance running.
Others remain happy to continue with walking, yoga or pilates (or a combination of them).
Either way, the result is a stress management routine that is highly effective and easy to maintain.
For more tips, books and resources, visit http://www.
paramounttransitions.
com.
When a person's body cannot cope with its surroundings, the results can range from mild to catastrophic.
Symptoms of stress include chronic headaches, migraines, muscle and joint fatigue, nausea, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, fatigue, insomnia and sleep disruptions.
Severe stress may even result in heart attacks or dangerously high blood pressure.
Stress management should be a part of every person's life for these reasons.
Even those with low-pressure occupations and easygoing personalities should engage in some form of deliberate stress management activities.
In fact, say most experts, activity is the key to stress management.
Sometimes this is easier said than done.
Frequently the tendency is to become sedentary or to engage in erratic sleep patterns when overwhelmed by stress.
Naturally, sleep is important in maintaining good mental and physical health.
However, too much or too little sleep or inconsistent sleep patterns are detrimental to a person's health.
These can and often do lead to even more stress.
Instead, experts recommend engaging in regular physical activity to manage stress.
This does not mean everyone should run a marathon.
Nor does it mean a rigorous regimen of weight lifting.
Instead, it means finding the right level of activity for an individual's physical condition and doing it on a regular basis.
Regular exercise is an effective stress management tool for several reasons.
First, exercise increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.
Extra oxygen means more brain power, better problem-solving skills and the ability to think rationally under pressure.
Exercise also releases endorphins.
These are the chemicals that the body produces and that create feelings of well-being.
During exercise, even gentle ones, these endorphins flood the bloodstream and are carried throughout the body.
This natural high results in a sense of happiness and relaxation.
The feeling can last for hours after exercise and may be enough to get a person through a tough workday.
Even people who are not particularly athletic or prone to enjoy exercise can make gentle, stress-relieving exercise a routine.
Those who are just beginning a routine of stress management exercise should consider the following activities: * Walking.
One of the best things about walking is that it's free; no monthly gym membership fees to pay.
Walking can take place anywhere, anytime.
Start slowly: walk 10-15 minutes at a brisk pace four to five times per week.
Work up from there.
Eventually, set a goal of walking 20-30 minutes four to five times per week.
This is the amount recommended for maximum stress management plus a gentle heart workout.
* Yoga.
This practice has been around for thousands of years and for good reason.
Yoga is the perfect solution for the stressed-out.
It requires no fancy equipment and can even be done at home.
Yoga targets both the body and the mind.
Those who engage in yoga 2-3 times per week on a regular basis report increased ability to deal with daily stress.
Yoga also results in greater muscle tone and flexibility.
* Pilates.
These exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and flexibility without building bulk.
They improve blood flow and coordination and help strengthen the body's core.
Like yoga, Pilates participants report the ability the cope more easily with day-to-day stress.
Even people who are normally inactive find these exercises appealing and easy to get into.
Some go on to tougher workouts, weight-training or distance running.
Others remain happy to continue with walking, yoga or pilates (or a combination of them).
Either way, the result is a stress management routine that is highly effective and easy to maintain.
For more tips, books and resources, visit http://www.
paramounttransitions.
com.
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