You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

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Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.

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Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.

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Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.

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Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.

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Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

By James Clapper, Graduate Level Intern, Loring Therapy . Loringtherapy.com

Adapted from:

http://www.anxietydepressionhealth.org/relaxation-stress-management.htm

Mind-Body Relaxation, Stress Management, and Meditation guide to overcome anxiety, depression, and addiction. For a more information please look at the book, I Want to Change My Life by Dr. Steven M. Melemis.

You can use Exercise to Improve your Mental Health

When you’re anxious or depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with anxiety or depression. (In fact, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue.)

Evidence suggests that physical activity triggers new cell growth in the brain, increases mood-enhancing neurotransmitters and endorphins, reduces stress, and relieves muscle tension—all things that can have a positive effect.

To gain the most benefits, aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. You can start small, though, as short 10-minute bursts of activity can have a positive effect on your mood. Here are a few easy ways to get moving:

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Take the stairs rather than the elevator

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Park your car in the farthest spot in the lot

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Take your dog for a walk

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Pair up with an exercise partner

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Walk while you’re talking on the phone

As a next step, try incorporating walks or some other enjoyable, easy form of exercise into your daily routine. The key is to pick an activity you enjoy, so you’re more likely to keep up with it.

The following exercise tips offer a powerful prescription for boosting mood:

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Exercise now…and again.  A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours. The key to sustaining mood benefits is to exercise regularly.

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Choose activities that are moderately intense. Aerobic exercise undoubtedly has mental health benefits, but you don't need to sweat strenuously to see results.

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Find exercises that are continuous and rhythmic (rather than intermittent). Walking, swimming, dancing, stationery biking, and yoga are good choices.

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Add a mind-body element. Activities such as yoga and tai chi rest your mind and increase your energy. You can also add a meditative element to walking or swimming by repeating a mantra (a word or phrase) as you move.

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Start slowly, and don't overdo it. More isn't better. Athletes who over train find their moods drop rather than lift.

If you have severe depression or anxiety and exercise does not seem to be enough to alleviate your symptoms, get in touch with a local Mental Health Therapist and/or psychiatrist.

Author: James Clapper, Masters level Intern at Loring Therap, LLC- www.loringtherapy.com

How you can reduce stress

How can you reduce stress?

Identify the causes – Look for the causes of stress in your life and try to find ways to reduce them, avoid people who stress you out or reduce contact with them, reduce activities that cause stress when possible, and do not take on more than you can handle at one time.

Find healthy ways to deal with stress – Spend time with friends, get proper amounts of sleep, take a walk or exercise to burn off the stress, or find a relaxing hobby.

Remove unhealthy habits that add to stress – reduce caffeine intake, stop smoking, reduce or eliminate alcohol intake, do not use drugs each of these may seem to reduce the stress but it is a temporary fix, not a solution and may even increase the stress.

Learn to manage your time – Time management can help you avoid being late or feeling overwhelmed, which will reduce stress.

Get organized – clean up clutter and organize your areas,it can help you find things faster, plus less clutter often reduces stress.

Find time for fun – Find time to relax and engage in relaxing activities.

By: James Clapper, graduate level intern, Loring Therapy, LLC

Adapted from:  http://www.anxietydepressionhealth.org/relaxation-stress-management.htm

Mind-Body Relaxation, Stress Management, and Meditation guide to overcome anxiety, depression, and addiction. For a more information please look at the book, I Want to Change My Life by Dr. Steven M. Melemis.