Family Stress Archives - The American Institute of Stress

Stress significantly increases your dementia risk — here are 4 ways to fight back

William Heckman — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:26:14 +0000

Keeping your cool could be the key to keeping your mind.

Researchers have long known that dementia risk goes up with age, family history, poor diet, lack of exercise and even the loss of hearing, sight, smell and taste.

But a new paper says chronic stress is also a silent saboteur — one that can set the stage for long-term cognitive decline if left unchecked.

“It is hard to overstate the impact of stress on your cognitive health as you age,” Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland and Martin J. Sliwinski, healthy aging professors at Pennsylvania State University, wrote in The Conversation.

“This is in part because your psychological, behavioral and biological responses to everyday stressful events are closely intertwined and each can amplify and interact with the other.”

For example, chronic stress can keep you up at night, which can make you too tired to exercise, which can make it harder to eat healthy — and so on.

Here are the four ways these experts suggesting fighting back against stress-related cognitive decline:

Rethink your routine

A few lifestyle tweaks could go a long way. Regular exercise, balanced meals, quality sleep, and a little mindfulness each day can reduce stress levels and strengthen your brain.

It’s not about running marathons or eating kale by the pound — even small shifts in your day-to-day habits can help calm your nervous system and reduce long-term risk.

Mind your mind

Just like you’d treat a sore throat, mental health needs care too.

Therapy, meditation apps, breathing exercises — whatever helps you decompress is worth taking seriously.

Chronic anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand with stress and can amplify cognitive strain.

Call the doctor

Think stress is a problem for a therapist, rather than a PCP? Think again.

Primary care doctors can help spot physical signs of chronic stress, recommend next steps or refer you to a specialist.

Don’t wait until symptoms pile up — early intervention can make all the difference.

Socialize more

Strong social ties can reduce stress, improve mood and even slow cognitive decline.

Whether it’s dinner with friends, volunteering or just chatting with neighbors, regular interaction helps keep the brain sharp.

And it doesn’t have to take long.

“Research suggests that adding just one extra interaction a day — even if it’s a text message or a brief phone call — can be helpful and that even interactions with people you don’t know well, such as at a coffee shop or doctor’s office, can have meaningful benefits,” they wrote.

Bottom line: stress isn’t just a state of mind — it’s a health hazard.

But with a few mindful changes, you can help your brain stay cool, calm and collected for years to come.

By Diana Bruk for The New York Post

Image by ♡♡ Julita ♡♡ from Pixabay

Health and Wellness Google searches for ‘how to reduce stress’ are at an all-time high: A doctor explains why and what can actually help

William Heckman — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 16:22:53 +0000

Google searches for “how to reduce stress” are at an all-time high.

“I’m actually hearing from a lot of my own patients that they can’t remember the last time that they were this stressed and unable to see an end in sight,” says Dr. Neha Chaudhary, a double board-certified child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist.

“The spike in Google searches for how to manage stress isn’t just digital noise,” she says. “It’s a population-level cry for help.”

Chaudhary, who is the chief medical officer of Modern Health, says contributing factors include the economy, the political climate, climate change and feeling “bombarded by information with very little escape.”

People who feel overwhelmed by what’s happening nationally and globally still have to handle the daily responsibilities in their personal lives. Even positive life changes, like having a baby, getting a promotion or planning a wedding, can take a toll.

But Chaudhary says there is one positive takeaway from this trend: “The increase in searches today is also a sign that people might be more aware of their mental health, and are actively looking for ways to take control of it.”

Here are some practical ways that Chaudhary and Kathryn Smerling, a psychotherapist, suggest reducing stress and improving your overall mental health.

‘The best stress relief is the one you’ll actually do’

When it comes to lowering stress levels, both Chaudhary and Smerling suggest acknowledging what’s in your control and accepting what’s not. After all, “having stressors we can’t avoid is part of life. It’s never not going to be the case,” Chaudhary says.

The aspect you can best control is how you respond to and deal with the emotions you experience. In most cases, “if you make healthy choices, you will get through stress,” Smerling says.

Here are some coping mechanisms that Chaudhary and Smerling recommend:

Taking a walk outside and getting some sun
Practicing meditation and mindfulness
Having face-to-face interactions with friends and family
Putting together a playlist of your favorite songs and blasting it
Calling a friend to vent or chat
Focusing on developing healthy habits like exercising, getting better sleep or eating nutritious foods
Working with a trained mental health professional

“The key is to find a way to manage stress that realistically fits into your life without adding more stress,” Chaudhary says. “The best stress relief is the one you’ll actually do. It doesn’t have to be perfect, [it] just has to be doable.”

Both experts suggest seeking help if the stress management tactics that usually work aren’t helping anymore. Struggling to get out of bed, having trouble functioning, feeling very depressed or avoiding social interactions, for example, can be signs that you’d benefit from connecting with a therapist or another trained professional.

Sometimes your loved ones will notice the signs before you do, Smerling says.

“Start small, do what feels attainable, and make a habit out of it if you want to consistently bring your stress levels down,” Chaudhary says. “You can get very big mental health gains from very small, repeatable habits.”

Visit stress.org

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

By Renée Onque for CNBC

Stress Awareness

William Heckman — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:28:14 +0000

The mental health foundation says its study of stress showed 74 percent of us felt so stressed this past year, we were overwhelmed or unable to cope.

So, the Pablo Foundation hosted this stress management event to help teach us to pause, reset, and learn practical ways to handle stress, from educational sessions to mental health screenings.

A church member invited Jennifer Neal, and she says the experience taught her a lot.

“There’s a community of people and a wealth of people that have a wealth of knowledge out here. Sometimes you have to ask for help,” said Jennifer Neal.

The American Institute of Stress reports 73 percent of people experience stress that affects mental health, and 77 percent say it impacts physical health and also interferes with essential vitamins.

Health provider Audrey Landrum says it’s important for everyone to take mental health seriously.

“There’s a stigma we don’t talk about. It’s like it’s not okay—but it is okay to not be okay. Before you walk out the door, you need to check in with your mental health,” said Audrey Landrum.

Aside from discussions about stress management and mental health, the event offered suicide and alcohol prevention tips, and information on child protective services.

Organizer Eleasicia Jenkins lost her son to suicide and wanted to help others manage that kind of pain by talking to other people.

“Not necessarily going to a counselor or anything but me going to public events and community events help me a lot to help someone else,” said Eleasicia Jenkins

That support helped Neal open up about the stress of dealing with her mother’s dementia.

“A soft spot in my heart. I really enjoyed this program. The speaker Mrs. T.O Holmes was great, and I want to say kudos to everyone over the program. I learned a lot,” said Jennifer Neal.

She encourages others not to face challenges alone, but to reach out for support.

By De’Nautis Liddell for Delta News

Phot by Vecteezy.com

Tips to manage workday stress

William Heckman — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:25:32 +0000

Work-related stress is a significant issue for millions of professionals. Recent research from the management system experts at Moodle found that 66 percent of American employees are experiencing a form of burnout in 2025.

Stress also is an issue for professionals working north of the United States border, as data from Gallup indicates 49 percent of Canadian workers report feeling daily work-related stress.

Stress is sometimes considered a good thing, and medical professionals even note that acute stress can help to sharpen focus and compel some to fulfill their full professional potential. However, the Mayo Clinic reports chronic stress bas been linked to a host of serious health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive issues, and heart disease.

The American Institute of Stress notes that work-related stress is a major stressor for professionals. Embracing strategies to manage work-related stress can help professionals reduce their risk for the serious health conditions that can be brought on by chronic stress.

Monitor your stressors — The American Psychological Association advises professionals to maintain a journal for a week or two in which they document situations that are triggering stress. When documenting stressors, also jot down your responses, feelings and details about the environment, including the people around you, when stress kicked in. Keeping a journal can help identify the sources of stress and determine if there are any patterns that trigger it.

Embrace healthy responses to stress — The APA notes that exercise, yoga or any other form of physical activity are helpful and healthy responses to stress. Too often individuals lean into unhealthy responses, such as drinking alcohol and/or eating unhealthy foods after a stressful workday. But the Cleveland Clinic notes that relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress only exacerbates the feelings of depression and anxiety that stress can trigger.

Establish boundaries between your professional and personal life — The APA notes that the digital era has led many professionals to feel pressured to be available around-the-clock. But work-life boundaries can be vital to combatting career-related stress. Turning off notifications from your work email account at the end of the workday can help to establish a work-life boundary. In addition, resist any temptation to check emails before going to bed, as doing so might trigger stress that makes it hard to fall asleep.

Use your personal/vacation time — The 2024 Sorbet PTO (Paid Time Off) Report found that 62 percent of professionals did not use all of their PTO in 2023, which marked a 5 percent increase in unused PTO from the year prior. The APA notes that time off is linked to reduced stress as well as lower rates of heart disease, depression and anxiety. In addition, professionals may or may not be surprised to learn that time off has been linked to improved productivity.

Work is a significant source of stress for millions of professionals. Embracing healthy ways to combat work-related stress can benefit your personal and professional life.

Did You Know?

According to the 2024 Work in America Survey from the American Psychological Association, 43% of workers feel tense or stressed during their workday. That stress is not being left behind at the office, either. In fact, 76 percent of employees indicate work-related stress is affecting their sleep. Though workplace stress does not discriminate based on age, the APA survey found more than half (51 percent) of workers between the ages of 26 and 43 report feeling workplace stress. By comparison, 42 percent of employees between the ages of 44 and 57 report feeling stressed at work while three in 10 workers between the ages of 58 and 64 indicate they feel tense or stressed at work. Burnout is a notable issue many workers are now facing, and 20 percent of those experiencing burnout report that their employers are not doing enough to prevent employee burnout.

To learn more about stress, go to stress.org.

Original Post

Photo by Yan Krukau

Parenting stress alters the link between attachment avoidance and sexual satisfaction in couples with children

William Heckman — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:34:58 +0000

Higher levels of attachment avoidance in both mothers and fathers were associated with lower sexual satisfaction in themselves, as reported in The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.

Romantic attachment and sexual satisfaction are closely interconnected, with attachment security fostering intimacy and satisfaction, while attachment insecurity (anxiety or avoidance) undermines these outcomes. Parenting stress, a chronic stressor tied to the demands of child-rearing, often results in decreased attention to romantic relationships. Mariève Vandervoort and colleagues examined parents with school-aged children to explore how parenting stress moderates the link between attachment orientations and sexual satisfaction.

This study included 103 mixed-sex couples from two Canadian provinces, all of whom had at least one child between the ages of 6-11 years. Participants were recruited through community advertisements, and data were collected during a home visit, where both parents completed self-report questionnaires independently. The study drew on data from the second wave of a longitudinal project, conducted approximately 4.5 years after the first wave.

Romantic attachment was assessed using the short-form Experiences in Close Relationships scale (ECR-12), which measures attachment anxiety (e.g., fear of rejection, excessive reassurance-seeking) and attachment avoidance (e.g., reluctance to depend on others, emotional withdrawal). Sexual satisfaction was measured using the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSEX), which evaluates the overall quality of sexual experiences on dimensions such as pleasure, fulfillment, and positivity.

Parenting stress was assessed with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), which measures stress related to parenting responsibilities, including perceived difficulty in managing child-related demands. By analyzing responses from both partners, the study examined how each parent’s attachment style and stress levels influenced their own and their partner’s sexual satisfaction.

Higher attachment avoidance in both mothers and fathers was linked to lower sexual satisfaction in themselves. Fathers’ attachment avoidance also negatively affected mothers’ sexual satisfaction, suggesting that emotional withdrawal may undermine intimacy and fulfillment for their partners. However, attachment anxiety in either parent was not significantly associated with sexual satisfaction, contrasting with some previous research findings.

A key finding was that fathers’ parenting stress moderated the link between their attachment avoidance and their partner’s sexual satisfaction. Surprisingly, as fathers’ parenting stress increased, the negative effect of their attachment avoidance on mothers’ sexual satisfaction weakened. This suggests that, in higher-stress situations, fathers’ avoidant tendencies may become less relevant, either because stress elicits greater empathy from their partners or because parenting demands overshadow the influence of attachment styles.

Of note is that the sample consisted primarily of well-functioning, high-income, heterosexual couples, limiting generalizability to diverse populations.

The study, “The moderating role of parenting stress when it comes to romantic attachment and sexual satisfaction,” was authored by Mariève Vandervoort, Michelle Lonergan, Marie-France Lafontaine, and Jean-François Bureau.

To learn more about stress, go to stress.org

by Mane Kara-Yakoubian

Photo by Gustavo Fring

OP- Parenting, Relationships and Sexual Health

Teen stress drags down U.S. economy, study concludes

William Heckman — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 16:22:54 +0000

Teenagers suffering from anxiety or depression are less likely to enter the workforce as young adults, and more likely to earn lower pay when they do, researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal, PLOS Medicine. Adobe stock/HealthDay

Stressed-out teenagers appear to be dragging down the U.S. economy, a new study says.Teenagers suffering from anxiety or depression are less likely to enter the workforce as young adults, and more likely to earn lower pay when they do, researchers reported in a study published Thursday in the journal, PLOS Medicine.

The economic impact is so great that $52 billion in U.S. budget savings could occur over 10 years if efforts are made to help even 10% of teens at risk for stress, researchers estimate.

“Our new research finds that, at the scale of the United States economy, improvements in adolescent mental health may bring many billions of dollars of federal budget benefits over ten years, potentially offsetting the costs of policy change that could cover critical services for young people,” lead researcher Nathaniel Counts, chief policy officer for The Kennedy Forum in Brigantine, N.J., said in a news release.

For the new study, researchers analyzed data on more than 3,300 participants in an ongoing Bureau of Labor Statistics study that is following children as they progress into adulthood.

The research team analyzed data gathered in 2000, when participants were 15 to 17, to check their mental health as teenagers. They looked specifically at questions that assessed anxiety and depression among the teens.

Researchers then looked at data gathered a decade later, in 2010, to see how the teens’ earlier mental health affected their job prospects as young adults.

Results show that 6% fewer people were holding down a job as a young adult if they suffered from clinically significant anxiety or depression as a teenager.

Young adults who were stressed as teens also earned nearly $5,700 less in annual wages, researchers found.

The researchers then estimated the potential impact on the U.S. budget if a hypothetical policy extended mental health preventive care to 10% of teens at risk of stress.

The added productivity from those teens who avoided stress amounted to $52 billion in additional federal revenue over 10 years.

The results support efforts like a 2023 law passed by Congress investing $60 million annually in U.S. mental health care, researchers said. That policy aims to expand access to mental health care at a rate of about 500 people for every $1 million spent.

“To reach 5 million people (roughly 25% of the adolescent population), the legislature would need to expand this program and invest at least $10 billion,” the research team wrote.

“Given the estimated savings of $52 billion over 10 years if the interventions can reach 10% of adolescents who would otherwise go on to develop depression, investments in adolescent mental health at scale will plausibly provide significant offsetting returns,” they concluded.

To learn more about stress go to stress.org.

Photo by RDNE Stock project

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News Original Post-

Aging Matters: Managing stress for family caregivers and the rest of us

William Heckman — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:47 +0000

A few months ago, Dr. Lori Yancura from UH Mānoa’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences was a guest author in the Aging Matters column. In that article she focused on learning from kūpuna about how they have navigated tough times.

If you missed it, search for her Sept. 16 article, “Wisdom from Tough Times: Talking Story with Kupuna.” Feedback from that article was positive so she is back this month to share stress management strategies for family caregivers, particularly during the busy holiday season.

Thank you to Dr. Yancura for sharing more of your expertise! Before beginning her section of this month’s column, find a notebook and pen or pencil as she will ask you to think about and write your thoughts.

The 4 As of Stress Management

My grandma used to say, “bad events come in threes,” and I was so glad when the third one happened. It meant our bad luck was over! As a young adult, I often wondered about that rule. Does it mean that caregivers and their family have to wait for three, six, or more bad events in order to get a break?

Fortunately, I have also learned more about stress since then. It is more complicated than the rule of three. Stressors take different forms. Traumatic events come at you from seemingly nowhere and may change your life. They usually create a trail of ripple effect stressors. Some of these are daily hassles, small events that become stressful as they add up. Others are chronic stressors, continue for years, and deplete emotional, physical and even financial resources.

Each step of the 4 As of Stress Management can guide you in dealing with different types of stressors. Managing stress in positive ways can combat feelings of helplessness and calm our minds so we can develop strategies to manage stress in healthy ways.

The first step is AVOID. It works well for daily hassles and means taking steps ahead of time to eliminate them. For example, if your loved one becomes nervous or agitated when you walk or drive on a certain street, avoid that street. What is one hassle you could avoid this week? When you decide on the hassle, write it down along with how you will avoid it.

The second step is ALTER. It works well for chronic stressors and means changing the situation to be less stressful. For example, if a physician rushes through instructions, ask them to slow down, giving you a chance to take notes and ask questions. Think about something that has caused you stress this week. What is one action you could take in this next week to alter the situation to decrease feelings of stress? Write it in your notebook.

The third step is ACCEPT. It works well for past events and means coming to terms with the situation so you can focus on thoughts or actions within your power. For example, if your family member has graduated to full-time use of a walker or wheelchair, you can help them to master its use or ask for a referral to a physical therapist who can help them build their strength and maneuvering skills. Acceptance can be difficult, especially if the changing situation means your family member is becoming less independent. In times like this a counselor, spiritual leader, or mental health professional can help you identify and take steps toward acceptance. Write down an action you can make this week to move closer to acceptance in one aspect of caregiving.

The fourth step is ADAPT. This is a long-term approach that works well for traumatic or chronic stressors and means making internal changes. As a caregiver you have probably adapted to caregiving situations by learning new skills, connecting with organizations in the community, asking for help, or learning to appreciate the small things in life. Think about and write down ways you have adapted to changes then give yourself credit for all you have done to keep your family member safe and supported.

It may take time to remember to slow down and use the four As, but they can help get through tough times and eventually lead to positive growth in many aspects of your life. Celebrate this holiday season by practicing the four A’s of stress management!

To learn more about stress go to stress.org

Photo by Nam Phong Bùi

This weekend’s “Aging Matters” column was written by guest author Dr. Lori Yancura, professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. The “Aging Matters”articles cover topics of interest to older adults and their families in Maui County and appears on the third Sunday of each month.

Managing Stress and Anxiety During the Holidays: Tips for Parents and Kids

William Heckman — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:05:36 +0000

The holiday season can be an exciting time of year. Cooler air, festive decorations, holiday music and the comforting flavors of hot chocolate and apple cider makes it feel magical. However, for parents and kids it can bring stress, especially when life circumstances add extra pressure.

Common stressors during the holidays can be related to:

Changes in routine
Traveling
Missing family members and loved one
Pressures to create meaningful experiences
Family dynamics
Holiday shopping and gift giving

So what can parents do? How can we help our children process pressures to protect their mental health and emotional well-being?

Communicate Expectations
Planning ahead and explaining arrangements can help prepare kids for traveling, adjusting routines, meeting new people and more.

“Kids love to know what to expect,” Ashley Pagenkopf, MS, CCLS, child life specialist in Cook Children’s Emergency Department, said. “Establishing realistic expectations is the most practical tip I would offer to families. Kids thrive with boundaries and expectations.”

When visiting family and friends or even hosting a holiday reunion at home, communicating with kids about who they may meet is important.

“A huge help for kids is to have video chats with family members and friends they will see in advance,” Lisa Elliott, Ph.D., psychologist and manager of Cook Children’s Behavioral Health Clinic in Denton, suggests. “For littles, even reading books to them over video chat is a great way to engage them.”

Let your children know that feeling anxious around unfamiliar people is normal. Staying together as a family can help kids feel safe, and it’s important to remind them they can speak up if they feel uncomfortable or need a break from social gatherings.

Practice Self-Care
Managing family anxiety often begins with parents addressing their own stress.

“Kids are very good at reading adult emotions even if they are not verbally expressed, so if you are stressed out, it’s likely your child is anxious as well,” Cook Children’s psychiatrist Akemi Watkins, M.D., said. “It’s like the safety message on airplanes where you have to put the oxygen mask on yourself first before your child.”

Simple self-care practices can significantly enhance parents’ well-being. Prioritizing sleep, nutritious meals and regular exercise can make a big difference. For more information about self-care for parents, Cook Children’s has a guide of resources listed here.

Focus on Connection
One of the best ways to reduce holiday stress is to focus on connection. Finding ways to bring family and friends together can be fun and meaningful.

“I’ve had multiple kids share their favorite family traditions,” Dr. Elliot said. “Experiences like taking baked goods, lotions or other treats to a nursing home, helping in a soup kitchen serving holiday meals and even adopting a family and going shopping together for them.”

The holiday season presents an opportunity to teach children about generosity – a concept that studies show actually improves mental health. Doing things for others makes you feel good – emotionally and physically.

It also promotes empathy and resilience, which are important building blocks to emotional and mental strength and coping skills that help children deal with challenges.

To learn more about stress-related issues go to stress.org

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva

OP-

A ‘yoga pill’ to end anxiety? Neuroscientists discover a brain circuit that instantly deflates stress

William Heckman — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:03:59 +0000

Researchers have identified a brain pathway that regulates breathing and calms the mind.
It could pave the way for new medications, like a so-called “yoga pill,” to ease anxiety.
The discovery also grounds ancient wellness practices, such as yoga and breath work, in science.

Your heart is racing, your arms are tingling and your breathing is shallow. You’re having an anxiety attack. And you’re in a public place, to boot. A crowded restaurant, say, or at the office. Not a space where you can comfortably lie on the ground and do some deep breathing exercises to calm yourself.

What if there were a pill that would instead induce that kind of calm breathing for you? That scenario might be possible after a new scientific breakthrough.

Neuroscientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla have identified a brain pathway that instantly deflates anxiety. The new study, which published earlier this week in the scientific journal Nature Neuroscience, lays out how the aforementioned brain circuit regulates voluntary breathing — meaning conscious breathing as opposed to automatic breathing that happens without your having to think about it — allowing us to slow our breath and calm our mind.

The discovery opens up the potential for the creation of new drugs that would mimic the relaxed state common during breath work, meditation or yoga. Sung Han, senior author of the study, says he’d like to one day see a “yoga pill,” as he calls it, on the market to ease anxiety. It would likely be useful for the more than 40 million adults in the U.S, who, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Han says the new discovery is a real scientific breakthrough.

“As a scientist, finding something never known before is always exciting,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “This top-down breathing circuit has been a longstanding question in the neuroscience field. It’s exciting to find the neural mechanism to explain how the slowing down of breathing can control negative emotions, like anxiety and fear.”

We’ve long known that we can control our breathing patterns to alter our state of mind — when we get stressed, we might take a deep, slow breath to feel calmer. But scientists didn’t understand how that worked — which parts of the brain were actually slowing our breath and why that activity makes us calmer. Now they know that there is a group of cells in the cortex, the higher part of the brain responsible for more conscious, complex thought, that send messages to the brain stem, which in turn sends information to the lungs. That’s the aforementioned “circuit.”

The discovery validates soothing behavioral practices such as yoga, mindfulness and even “box breathing” — the latter a technique that involves repeatedly breathing in, then holding your breath, for four-second counts in order to relieve stress — because it grounds these behavioral practices in science.

But the practical applications is what makes the Salk discovery so important, Han says.

“It can, potentially, create a whole new class of drugs that can more specifically target anxiety disorder,” he says.

These would differ from common anti-anxiety medications by more specifically targeting areas of the brain. Common anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax and Lexapro target multiple areas of the brain that control multiple brain processes and behaviors. It’s why these drugs don’t work for everyone in the same way and may create unwanted side effects. More precisely targeting an individual brain circuit makes a medication more effective and reduces potential side effects. And, in extreme cases, such a pill might be more efficient for targeting anxiety than doing breathing exercises.

“If you’re in panic, breathing techniques alone may not be sufficient to suppress anxiety,” Han says.

Han’s team is now trying to find the opposite circuit — a fast breathing circuit — that increases anxiety.

“To target the slow breathing circuit, we need to understand the opposite circuit, so we can avoid targeting it,” Han says. “To relieve the anxiety.”

While Han hopes his findings will lead to a “yoga pill,” that’s likely a long ways off. The research, and ensuing clinical trials, could take as much as 10 years, he says. And nothing is for certain.

“I cannot say that this discovery is directly connected to the discovery of the new medication,” Han says. “But I can say it’s a stepping stone. We now know the pathway. That’s exciting. That is the first step.”

For more information about stress and stress management go to stress.org.

Photo by JESHOOTS.com

By Deborah VankinStaff Writer

OP- LA Times

8 Ways to Feel Happier, Healthier and Less Stressed This Holiday Season

William Heckman — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:11:03 +0000

The holidays can be exciting and fun, but the hustle and bustle can also lead to stress. Learn eight ways you can manage stress and enjoy the season this year.

The holidays can be full of treasured traditions, time with loved ones and delicious meals. But the season can also bring about stressors, such as tense family dynamics, the spread of illnesses like the flu, RSV and COVID-19, financial pressures, travel snafus and unmet expectations, especially when looking through the lens of social media.

“I think we all know stress can be quite detrimental to one’s health,” says Jennifer Gonzales, PA,at Atrium Health Primary Care Waxhaw Family Medicine. “It often compounds. When we are busy and stressed, we don’t take care of ourselves. Sleep and exercise are usually the first to go. Then, we tend not to eat in a supportive way, we may buffer with things like junk food, alcohol and social media, and the problem compounds. This also coincides with cold and flu season, and stress can increase your risk of illness.”

Read on to learn Gonzales’ tips and tricks for navigating the holidays with less stress and more joy, health and ease.

Prioritize sleep

A lack of sleep can sabotage even the best-laid exercise and meal plans. Not getting enough rest has been shown to increase the hunger hormone, called ghrelin, and decrease the fullness hormone, called leptin, making it more challenging to make healthy food choices. And if you’re tired, you may naturally be less active and more susceptible to stress and illness.

Focus on consistency over perfection

If you want to manage stress and make healthy choices during the holidays and beyond, it’s time to nix the all-or-nothing mindset. Instead, Gonzales recommends determining the minimum effort you can make consistently to improve your health, both mentally and physically.

“Good sleep, a bare-minimum exercise routine and trying to eat a well-balanced diet are mainstays for me,” says Gonzales. “I am a much nicer, happier and more pleasant person to be around when I exercise regularly, so I try to block out some form of exercise most days, even if it’s only 15 to 20 minutes.”

For example, maybe you don’t have time to walk every day for 30 minutes like you typically do, but you can walk for 15 minutes most days.

“Focus on what you can do when your life gets hectic,” she says. “Something is always better than nothing.”

Multitask in a fun, healthy way

Gonzales suggests combining activities, like socializing and exercise or errands, to make the most of your time.

“Instead of yet another event revolving around food and alcohol, invite a group of friends to go for a walk on a greenway or run errands together while you can catch up and chat,” she says. “Or rather than completing all of your shopping online, consider hitting the mall a little early before the crowds and also get your steps in.”

Fill your cup

You’ve heard the saying before: You can’t pour from an empty cup. To show up as your best self this holiday season, take time for self-care, whether it’s a manicure, lunch with a friend, five minutes to write in a gratitude journal or a few moments to sip your hot coffee in the morning.

“In my family, we recently started a new tradition where every day, each person picks one or two things they are grateful for and we write it on a decorative pumpkin,” says Gonzales. “It’s really helpful to think of the simple joys in life when things are chaotic and stressful.”

Set limits on social media

Setting limits on your social media time can help you avoid comparing your life, (and holiday experience), to others. You’ll also have more time for the activities that improve your life, such as exercise, meal prep, game night with your family or driving around to look at holiday lights.

Eat mindfully

Try these tips to eat more mindfully and feel better during the holidays:

Prioritize protein, fat and fiber to stay full and keep your blood sugar balanced throughout the day.
Eat a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast to feel energized in the mornings.
Focus on the foods you enjoy most. If you don’t like something on the buffet, skip it. If you start to eat something and you don’t like the taste of it, you can stop eating it.
Bring a healthy appetizer or side dish to a gathering so you know you’ll have something healthy to eat with the rest of the meal.
Enjoy yourself and eat what you like while paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues.
Plan ahead before a party and decide how many alcoholic beverages you’ll drink, if any. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to stay hydrated.

Focus on what matters most to you

You can make your own traditions and set boundaries this holiday season.

“There are no rules,” says Gonzales. “There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy the holidays. Think about what is most important to you and your family and focus on those things. You don’t have to sign up for three bake sales, decorate cookies with kids, make a gingerbread house, decorate ornaments, attend every Santa showing, attend every holiday event you are invited to, decorate the tree and house, or host a holiday party. Lose the ‘have-tos” and focus on what’s important to you.”

Seek support

The holidays can be a time of anxiety, depression and grief for many people. If you notice stress, depression or anxiety is impacting your daily life for two weeks or more, talk to your primary care provider or a licensed mental health professional for support.

For more information about stress, go to stress.org

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com

Reposted from Primary Care, News