Managing Stress
By Shirley Long, Parkview in Frisco, Collin LIVING WELL Magazine
The medical profession has recognized that stress can cause numerous health issues to develop or can exacerbate existing ones. So how do we prevent stress from occurring? Well, unfortunately, the answer is “we can’t.” Though we can’t avoid stress, we can certainly take steps to decrease stressful incidents and our negative reactions to them. Learning to manage stress is vital to our overall health.
Though the list of stress management techniques can be quite long, I feel that the most important and the most controllable is lifestyle change. We need mental, physical, spiritual, social and financial balance in order to keep stress under control. Because some lifestyle choices directly affect your level of stress, consider the following:
- Social Support
Research has provided evidence that there is a strong relationship between social support and better health, both physically and mentally. This is the positive support we receive from friends, family and community. It is the knowledge that you are valued, loved, and cared for. Social support is a major factor in how we experience and manage stress.
- Have a sense of purpose in life
Find something to look forward to.
- Eat nutritious foods and include a balanced diet
It has been proven that good nutrition enables our bodies to fight off infections and illnesses. Our energy level also improves when providing our bodies with regular, balanced meals.
- Get enough sleep
Our bodies require adequate sleep in order to repair and rejuvenate.
- Don’t smoke
- Exercise
Even occasional moderate exercise increases blood flow, builds muscle and stronger bones.
- Limit alcohol consumption
Living alone can sometimes make it difficult to achieve some of the above techniques to control stress. Maybe it is time to consider moving into a senior community where many of your needs can be met in order to help achieve that stress-free balance in your life.
To find out more about independent senior living, contact Shirley Long––marketing manager at Parkview in Frisco located at 7450 Stonebrook Pkwy, Frisco, TX. 75034. She can be reached at 972-377-6744 or shirley.long@parkviewinfrisco.com. Visit their website at www.parkviewinfrisco.com.
