Manage Your Stress at Work to Prevent Depression

Depression is a tough thing to deal with. It steals your motivation and your energy. By making it hard to choose a course of action and then follow through, it creates its own downward spiral. You know you need help, but it seems to take so much effort to find it.

A growing understanding of depression means that it’s easier to take steps to prevent it in the first place. Like with any disease, prevention of depression is certainly better than treating it once it sets it.

Work place stress can trigger episodes of depression. Researchers found that people who experience ongoing stress at work are nearly twice as likely to battle depression than people who are faced with workplace stress and find ways to reduce it.

That means if you’re dealing with a stressful workplace, you’ll do yourself a favor by finding ways to reduce the stress.

The first step is to identify the source of your stress. Do you have to deal with a hostile boss or coworker? Are you constantly struggling with high-pressure deadlines? Do you just hate what you do?

Understanding the source of your stress can guide you in the best ways to deal with it. Finding a working compromise with hostile coworkers or taking a project management class to help you better deal with deadlines are two ideas.

There are also things you can do in the course of your day that can help to reduce the stress you are feeling.

First, recognize and accept that things take time to complete. Trying to force yourself to complete an hour-long task in a half hour will only frustrate you and negatively impact the quality of your work.

Next, make sure you set clear boundaries with your coworkers and your boss. If somebody speaks to you in a way that’s abusive, let them know that it’s not okay. If you have a full schedule and are given another project that makes your deadlines impossible, ask for priorities from your boss and be clear about when things can reasonably be done.

Finally, take time each hour to breathe properly. When you get stressed, you tend to take shallow breaths. This puts more stress on your body. At the top of each hour, pause and focus on breathing deeply for a minute.

Reducing work place stress takes planning and it might even require that you stretch your comfort zone a little bit. But it’s well worth it in the end. You’ll do better work and enjoy better mental health.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn

That Pain in Your Neck Could be Telling You Something

Muscle aches and neck pain might mean more than you think. Many people live with chronic pain in their necks. Neck pain is a common ailment that can point to other health problems.

If you suffer from regular neck pain and you’ve seen a chiropractor and visited your doctor with little to no relief, it might be time to schedule an appointment with your therapist.

That’s because neck pain can be a symptom of depression and anxiety. The mainstream medical industry has resisted the notion that psychological factors can cause real pain. How many times have you heard, “It’s all in your head?”

Well, it turns out it may be, but that doesn’t make the pain any less real or any less disruptive.

Fortunately, with this knowledge you can take steps to find relief both to your physical and your emotional symptoms.

When it comes to depression and anxiety, there are three drug-free things you can do that have good results for most people.
• First, make time to exercise and then work out hard. Strenuous exercise helps to relieve depression and anxiety. When you exercise it helps your body to balance the chemicals that affect your mood, and it can make a world of difference.
• Schedule a regular appointment with a therapist you trust. I know, most people still don’t like the idea of being “in therapy,” but talking things through with someone you trust—someone objective—can really help reduce depression and anxiety. And it’s better than turning to prescription “cures” that come with dangerous side effects.
• Try an herbal supplement. I recommend omega-3 fatty acids, but 5HTP, SAM-e, and St. John’s Wort can all help. Try them one at a time for two weeks to see if you notice an improvement. Omega-3s you can take on an ongoing basis. For the others, limit your use to three or four weeks at a time.

Depression and anxiety are difficult and they can put you in real, physical pain. Try these strategies to relieve both your emotional and physical symptoms.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell

Stress Can Make You Hungry

In recent research, scientists have been examining the relationship between certain hormones your body produces under stress and how big your appetite is. What they've found gives added support to the theory that stress can cause you to gain weight.

When you feel depressed or anxious, your body releases more of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin helps to combat anxiety and depression, but it also helps to regulate your appetite. More ghrelin makes you feel like you need to eat. It follows that in many people stress can lead to overeating because it triggers production of this hormone that makes you hungry.

Researchers are considering ways of suppressing ghrelin that might help with weight loss. However, this is a risky strategy. If levels of ghrelin get too low, you could become depressed or suffer from higher levels of anxiety.

A better strategy is to learn to cope better with stress. Here are a few ideas.

Exercise is an excellent coping mechanism when it comes to stress. People who exercise help to regulate their hormone levels and their mood. Exercise works as well as prescription drugs when it comes to treating moderate depression. It's an all around good way to beat stress.

Meditation is another great option. You can rent guided meditations at your local video store. Or you can do you own meditation. Just sit quietly in a relaxed position. Choose a focal point such as your breathing and try to clear your mind of thoughts by focusing gently on that one thing. When a stray thought does enter your mind simply acknowledge it and then bring yourself back to your focal point.

Journaling is another option when it comes to coping with stress. Writing down the things that bother you can help you to put them into perspective and even find solutions. Sometimes by writing something down you give yourself permission not to worry about it constantly, and that's very helpful, too.

Finding healthy ways to deal with stress is important both to your quality of life and to your health.

Stay well,
Heather Robwell

Eye Care and Depression—How a Pair of Glasses Can Boost Your Mood

As you age, it isn't unusual for your eyes to, how do I put it… age with you. This means poorer vision as you get older. But it isn't all it means.

I'm sure you know you rely on your eyes for a lot of things, but you might not realize the importance of your vision to your day-to-day mood and your overall psychological health. Without good vision, you tend to do less of the things you enjoy. From ballroom dancing to settling down with a good book—failing eyesight makes most hobbies a chore.

Many adults are good about having their eyes checked and wearing glasses or contacts if they need them. But some people are stubborn about it. You know who you are.

That's why I think a recent study conducted by a research team from the University of Alabama is so interesting. They found that when people over the age of 55 with symptoms of depression received a proper eyewear prescription, within two months their depression had eased.

Depression can stem from many causes. One of them is loneliness. Another is frustration. Poor vision can cause both of these emotions. By making sure you can see as well as you should be able to, you'll not only improve how the world looks, you'll improve your own outlook, too.

Stay well,
Danny Wallace

Men, Are you aware of how hostility can make you very sick?

Just recently I read about a new study that was released showing that negative feelings have a powerful negative impact on men's health. If you frequently feel angry, depressed, or hostile you compromise your immune system and up your risk of a number of chronic diseases.

The researchers found that men who feel negative emotions on a chronic basis have high levels of systemic inflammation. Inflammation has been tied to heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and arthritis.

Honestly, this isn't really surprising. Stress has long been known to depress the immune system, damage to the body, and contribute to chronic diseases. Certainly anger, depression, and hostility generate stress.

If you find you struggle with negative emotions, the time to take action is now.

Often negative emotions are a result of out-of-control thoughts that keep bringing you back to a negative moment. It takes practice, but it's possible to begin recognizing those thoughts when they occur. Once you do that, you can shift your thinking to something more positive.

Meditation, regular stretching, classical music, and a hobby you enjoy are all other good ways to beat stress and negative emotions.

When all else fails, make an appointment with a therapist. You may find that a professional is very helpful. If not, you don't have to continue.

Take control of your mental and emotional health today.


Heather Robwell