Stress is the biggest villain in the modern day lifestyle. How to identify it, cope with it and manage it is a big challenge. Here is something we need to know.

Learn to recognize the symptoms and then work at finding solutions to deal with them.

Mala’s day began at 6.00 a.m. After supervising the maids, she would get her son ready for school and leave for work. As an ad manager, her day involved meetings and setting new targets. She ended up working 16 hours a day with endless cups of tea, a sandwich at lunch and be exhausted by the time she got home. Dinner was a bowl of soup from a packet. Is Mala’s life heading towards a disaster? » Continue reading “Let go of stress Stress: identify, acknowledge & manage”

It is always said that if a women is allowed to talk, half her ailment reduces. This seems true since a study shows gossiping relieves stress.

Women love a good gossip, and now we don’t need to feel guilty as scientists claim idle chit-chat benefits both the gossiper and society.The team from the University of California, Berkeley say gossiping can help control bad behaviour, prevent someone being exploited and even lower stress levels. » Continue reading “Gossiping lowers stress levels your way to destress.”

Care giving comes in all shapes and sizes for the 60 million Americans providing care for a relative, but it seems that there is one common thread: stress.

Caregiver burnout can have serious, even fatal, consequences. Here are tips for helping prevent burnout:

• Breathe deeply and relax. When we feel stressed, we tense our bodies and our breathing becomes quick and shallow. This makes us more stressed and anxious, causing us to tighten up even more. Deep breaths will help you relax and break this cycle of tension.
• Divide the issues into manageable pieces. If your responsibilities feel overwhelming, it can help to break them down into smaller chunks. Dealing with the pieces individually won’t seem so difficult. Make a list of the issues and tasks, and think about them one at a time.
• Give yourself treats. Do things that replenish your inner resources, both mentally and physically. They do not have to be expensive or time-consuming. Take 10 minutes to do something you enjoy, something that is just for you. It will help you avoid feeling resentful.
• Keep your sense of humor. Even in tough situations, do what you can to see the lighter side. It is worth setting aside time to do something just because it is fun — especially if it makes you laugh. Laughter is not a luxury; it is a remedy for stress and overload. » Continue reading “Care of the cCaregiver”

Choosing foods which has natural calming effects is a way to reduce holiday stress and anxiety according to U.S. food expert.As per a food industry analyst, trend watcher and creator of the Web site, certain combinations of food leaves a person feeling blissful, as well as satisfied and nourished. » Continue reading “From the experts – How certain foods reduce stress”

Thanks to technology we have more means of communicating and staying in touch today, yet it is ironic that we don’t seem to have enough time to do just that – ‘stay in touch with loved ones’.  Call it the perils of urban life or simply a problem of plenty but it cannot be ignored that loneliness is a large contributor to depression, especially amongst senior citizens.

While senior citizens are slowly getting accustomed to the spare time that comes with retirement and grown-up children and their families busy with their own lives and often living in different parts of the world, what often has an irreversible impact on this second-life that they painstakingly create is the death of a partner or spouse.  Often, this loss leads to depression and severely impairs the senior person’s ability to lead a fulfilling life.   » Continue reading “22 Feb 10, Monday: Mumbai Mirror, page 3, Sunday, 21 Feb 10 – ‘knot for seniors’”