Humor as stress relief

Laughing your way out

Why Do We Laugh? Philosopher John Morreall believes that the first human laughter may have begun as a g­esture of shared relief at the passing of danger. Many researchers believe that the purpose of laughter is related to making and strengthening human connections. "Laughter occurs when people are comfortable with one another, when they feel open and free. And the more laughter [there is], the more bonding [occurs] within the group," says cultural anthropologist Mahadev Apte. In an embarrassing or threatening situation, laughter may serve as a conciliatory gesture or as a way to deflect anger. If the threatening person joins the laughter, the risk of confrontation may lessen.

Your ability to laugh at yourself and attempting to laugh at situations (or at least to see it from a different perspective) will help reduce your stress level and make life more enjoyable. Mental health professionals are suggesting "laughter therapy," which teaches people how to laugh -- openly -- at things that aren't usually funny and to cope in difficult situations by using humor.

As you know - laughter is contagious and it will help improve your disposition and the disposition of those around you. People naturally respond to the smiles and good cheer of those around them.

Beside that humor and laughter have other benefits too: "Laughter is the best medicine." There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease. Laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones. In doing this, laughter provides a safety valve that shuts off the flow of stress hormones. What may surprise you even more is the fact that researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Laughing can be a total body workout! Blood pressure is lowered, and there is an increase in vascular blood flow and in oxygenation of the blood, which further assists healing. Laughter also gives your diaphragm and abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg and back muscles a workout. That's why you often feel exhausted after a long bout of laughter -- you've just had an aerobic workout!

Tips for adding more humor & laughter in your life

- Remind yourself to have fun.

- Spend time with those who help you see the bright side.

- Get regular doses of humor from various sources such as television sitcoms, movies, plays, or books.

- Develop your own sense of humor. Be funny every chance you get -- as long as it's not at someone else's expense!

Enjoy life!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXXm696UbKY

Stress Relief

Stress relief with relaxation

The stress response floods your body with chemicals that prepare you for “fight or flight” reactions. But, while the stress response is helpful in true emergency situations where you must be alert, it wears your body down when constantly activated leading to chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, illness,..

You can’t avoid all stressfull events, but you can neutralise negative effects of stress by learning how to relax and achieve a state of deep rest (relaxation response) that is the polar opposite of the stress response.

Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, and yoga can help you reduce stress levels in your everyday life.

When practiced regularly, these tehniques bring your system back into balance: deepening your breathing, reducing stress hormones, slowing down your heart rate and blood pressure, and relaxing your muscles.
Research shows that evoking relaxation response also increases energy and focus, help your body fight illness, relieves aches and pains, heightens problem-solving abilities, and boosts motivation and productivity.

Remember - evoking relaxation response is not:
*laying on the couch
*sleeping
*being lazy
The evoking relaxation response is a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed an is best done in an awake state.

Stress & Work

Stress at work

A lot of jobs have a certain amount of stress associated with them, and my job as a project manager is no different. Stress comes from change and conflict, which is expected in a project environment, and that’s why stress management is an important part of project management. Of course some stress at work is normal.

It gives me the energy and motivation to meet daily challenges and achieve goals such as making deadlines or meeting budgets. But at the same time it’s important to cope and manage stress in order to avoid headaches, ulcers, or anxiety. For effective stress management I had to understand what stress really was, how and why it’s created and then how to manage it.

If stress affects you, try to find ways to maintain a positive attitude and cultivate a positive approach during your revision. You could keep fit by

- taking some exercise you enjoy
- relax, perhaps by sitting quietly or meditating
- eat well, but healthily
- get sufficient sleep
- take some planned time away from study, rather than feel you’re avoiding revision
- be pleased with your achievements as you revise
- reward yourself with an occasional treat.

Managing stress

What is stress....

Stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.
It's almost impossible to live without some stress. And most of us wouldn't want to, because it gives life some spice and excitement. But if stress gets out of control, it may harm your health, your relationships, and your enjoyment of life.

Think about the times in your life when you've felt stress: maybe while giving a presentation at work, worrying about your children, racing to meet a deadline or arguing with your spouse. Remember how your heart was pounding and you were breathing harder?

So what is the solution that will allow you to deal with your stress effectively every day?

…just think about those words about healthy lifestyle….

* You Are What You Eat
* Managing Your Weight
* Exercise & Fitness
* Kids and a Healthy Lifestyle