Fight Stress and Improve Your Health

Everyone has the notion that stress is detrimental to our wellbeing, but do you know what you can do to help relieve this stress? You might have some ideas, but putting those ideas into motion is a bit more difficult. Exercise, fun activities, and even sleep can help reduce the stress you are facing. Fitting these things into your lifestyle can be tough though. For the elderly, however, fighting stress is an essential part of your healthy lifestyle. By having a stress fighting plan in place, you can improve your mental and physical health. For those at risk of getting sick-such as the elderly-beating stress becomes especially important.

Exercise is a great way to ward off the ill effects of stress. The hormones released by rigorous exercise do a lot for your physical health, but they also have a positive impact upon mental health. For example, exercise improves your brain's neurotransmitter numbers. These help your neurons (brain cells) function more efficiently and this can improve your mood. An improved mood is obviously a good way to deal with stress.

Cortisol levels can also be elevated by stress. Cortisol is a chemical that naturally occurs within our bodies, but it is closely linked to belly fat levels. In fact, cortisol is so closely related to stress that it has been dubbed the "stress hormone." While some cortisol is a necessity, too much can lead to weight gain-the bad kind. In the elderly, increased body fat can lead to chronic illnesses, such as diabetes. In addition to this, increased cortisol levels are linked to a decline in cognitive abilities, decreased bone density, decreased muscle mass, blood sugar imbalances, and high blood pressure. These things are all incredibly dangerous to the senior citizen population.

Stress can be relieved in other ways besides exercise. If you aren't getting enough sleep, stress might be the cause of this, but stress can also be relieved through sleep. This is a vicious cycle. Still, attempting to get around eight hours of sleep per night is important-even if you don't hit that number, trying is important. Resting is not as beneficial as sleep, but it is still important. Aim for eight hours of rest each night and you will see your stress melt away. Just make sure that you don't spend your sleepless hours tossing and turning. Try and use relaxation techniques or meditation to get your rest. A lack of sleep is connected to a weakened immune system-something that the elderly are already prone to. Getting sleep can keep you healthier as it lets the body repair itself.

Finally, have fun. Nothing relieves stress by unwinding and forgetting your troubles. This is a temporary fix, but it's extremely important. Fun pays off in a big way and it makes your life a lot more enjoyable. This, obviously, is a beneficial thing.

Matthew G. Young is a freelance writer who specializes in financial, sports, and health-related topics. To learn more about in home health care visit Paradise In Home Care

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