Life is Healthy

Stress is a normal part of life. A little stress can be a good thing—helping maintain focus and logical thought processes. But too much stress can be overwhelming, and it can eventually lead to physical ailments, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and digestive disorders. "In fact, it's been estimated that as many as 90 percent of doctor's visits are for symptoms that are at least partially related to stress," says Elizabeth A. Scott, guide for stress.about.com. And stress has many sources.

Five Ways to Beat Stress 
Work, kids, finances, health, and, yes, even the weather are just a few of the reasons people experience stress. And most folks would prefer a little less—or at least some real ways to deal with it. Here are five proven ways to manage stress:

1. Play a musical instrument. For years we’ve known that listening to music can calm us when we’re upset. Now, however, according to a 2005 study at the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, PA, researchers have discovered that playing an instrument can reverse a multitude of components related to stress. More good news is that people don’t have to be musically inclined to benefit. Lead researcher Barry Bitman, M.D. noted that creative expression rather than performance or mastery reduced biological responses closely related to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases.

2. Exercise. Regular exercise such as walking, yoga, and Pilates relieve stress hormones like cortisol. It also releases endorphins, which are known to relieve pain and produce a runners’ high. “It's meditation in movement,” says the Mayo Clinic. “After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's dilemmas and irritations and concentrated only on your body's movement.”

3. Laugh. “We’ve known for years that laughter makes people feel better and feel more relaxed,” says Charles Raison, M.D., Director, Behavioral Immunology Program, Emory University School of Medicine in a February 2008 ABC online article. “There was recently a study done in Japan that showed that if you look at allergic children, when they listen to their mother laugh, they actually have less of an allergic response.” A good belly laugh lifts mood, immune response, and it’s contagious. Laugh and world laughs, too.

4. Write. Journaling about troubling issues can be liberating. “It may help to write about things that are bothering you,” says WebMD. “Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day about stressful events and how they made you feel. Or think about starting a stress journal. This helps you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. After you know, you can find better ways to cope.”

5. Meditate. One of the best ways to relax is to clear the mind of thoughts and focus on the things that are happening right now in the present moment. The idea is to note experiences without trying to change them. WebMD offers the following suggestions to help make meditation successful: