In this column:
At least once a day, I hear someone say, "I'm all stressed out." Feeling stressed has become an American way of life -- a national epidemic. But stress need not be tolerated or accepted -- in fact, it should not be accepted, since it is dangerous to our mental and physical health.
According to the American Psychological Association, 43 percent of adults suffer adverse side effects caused by stress. In most cases, stress is considered harmful. We don't have to accept that some degree of stress is healthy if we want to be happy, successful, or great at our jobs. Stress ruins relationships and keeps us unbalanced and discontent.
When we feel stress, we are reacting to conflicts that are painful and troubling to us. Symptoms of stress include a lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, an upset stomach or diarrhea. Stress will almost always make us feel worried, anxious, or depressed. Test Your Stress Level
At stressless.com, you can take a simple, free on-line test to find out if you are stressed.
There are many ways to reduce stress, including exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation techniques. Aerobic exercise is especially effective because it forces the body's large muscle groups to work in continuous, repetitive motions. Breathing and heart rates increase which, in turn, raise the levels of oxygen circulating throughout the body. As more and more oxygen is shuttled to the brain, the mind becomes peaceful and calm.
My favorite aerobic exercise is brisk walking. Any problems I might have as I'm lacing up my sneakers and heading out the door are usually gone, or at least muted, by the time I get back home. Walking has taught me how not to (with apologies to Richard Carlson) sweat the small stuff since almost everything really is small stuff.
Walking frees the mind from worry. During aerobic exercise, the body manufactures endorphins, a natural form of morphine. After prolonged exercise, endorphins flood the bloodstream and jolt the brain with an euphoric high. Tension and stress disappear. Plus, an hour of brisk walking burns up about 300 calories, and improves the health of your heart, lungs, and colon.
To get the greatest health benefits, the American Heart Association recommends walking 30 to 60 minutes, four to six times a week or 30 minutes every day. Before walking:
For an overview of healthy walking, visit Intelihealth.
The shoemaker Rockport has compiled some tips on maximizing your walk.
And for more on not sweating the small stuff, read this piece from the Center for Self Healing.
Once you're more relaxed, you'll feel less stressed. The deep worry lines etched across your forehead will gradually go away. A brisk walk, 30 minutes a day, four times a week, is a great first step in regaining control over your tension-filled life.
Jacqueline Tresl, RN, has worked as a coronary intensive care nurse and a nursing supervisor for over 20 years. For the past three years, she has written about health and happiness for numerous magazines and newspapers. Her first book, "Whoever Heard of a Horse In The House?" is scheduled for release in March 2000.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]