Coping with Stress for Better Health

Stress is a mental condition that interrupts our health. Unfortunately, stress is not something that we can get rid of completely.  As a child, you became stressed for not finishing chores assigned to you and not finishing school assignments. Now as an adult, stress is part of your life from your workplace to your home. This is why you need to control your stress levels to manageable levels.

Stress affects your health through releasing some chemicals in the brain that affect your psychological and physical health. Stress has been linked to some diseases such as high blood pressure, ulcers and the weakening of the immune system. Learn to deal with your stress, and help improve your overall health and wellness.

A few helpful tips can include;

   • Identifying the "stressors"
To cope with stress, you have to know its roots. Most people often face stress from work and the pressure to meet their family’s needs. Once you identify the stressors, you can now know how to handle these situations while better keeping your cool. It helps one to master their stress and control the stress levels for a healthier and happier life.

   • Managing your time
Not meeting deadlines or not finishing your day’s work can cause major stress. The only way to avoid this is to more effectively manage your time. There are some things that cannot be achieved in a day and we should be okay with that. However, it will help if you prioritize the things you have to do. Finishing such jobs will reduce the amount of stress rather than overburdening yourself with a to-do list full of incomplete tasks.

   • Proper future planning
One can avoid stress by planning. If one is set to attend a certain event or produce a certain result in the future, it helps if there is a plan. A future plan assists to get you ready for what is to come and meet the expectations and thereby reducing stress. Planning provides a calm environment and easily identifies the given stressor to avoid.

   • It's ok to smile and laugh.
Laughter is truly the best medicine. Humorous people tend to be more healthy and happier when compared to moody people. Laughter drifts your mind from all the stressors and lowers the stress hormones.  Be the one to bring joy to others and most importantly to yourself in order to keep stress from consuming you.

   • Listening to music
Sometimes music is just what you need to deal with stress. If it is a tune one can dance to, it will engage the body in a physical activity that will help reduce stress. Music can uplift your soul whenever you are feeling down or overwhelmed by tough times.

   • Social connectivity
Socializing is a good way to help curb stress. It assists you to let some stressing thoughts out of your system and can also help find quick solutions. Direct contact (not via social media so much) with friends and family can help tremendously to be more centered and stress-free. Seeking help from a licensed therapist may also help in dealing with an abundance of stress and avoid negative thoughts.

Allowing stress to consume you only leads to diminished energy and slowly steals away your health. Through the above tips, you can better manage stress and live healthier and happier.

Remember to live life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Health and Wellness Tips

It is hard not to strive for a healthy lifestyle with all the health and wellness campaigns constantly around us. The health and wellness benefits are undeniable, as they help to improve our overall body functions.

There are many wellness programs that one can adopt or join to help keep them on the right path of good health (and happiness). Such programs reduce elevated health risks, improve productivity, build and sustain morale and improve the body’s immune system.  The health and wellness programs are aimed at improving the physical and mental health. This can be done through;

Health and wellness for physical health

Dozens of articles and online resources on health and wellness emphasize on keeping fit and avoiding unhealthy lifestyles. In order to achieve this, one has to endure and persevere regular exercises and controlled dietary choices, and in some cases restrictions by doctors for a healthy living. It may not be easy to maintain such conditions. It can take a toll on your body, and at some point may seem impossible to keep up with. However, with the support of family and friends, one can easily achieve great health. Try to develop and stick to a routine. This, alone, can help move an occasional healthy effort into a daily habit. 

Apart from healthy eating and exercising, avoiding drugs and substance abuse also leads to the greater wellness of the body. Smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and consumption of other toxic drugs can easily lead to failure of some vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.  Keeping away from such bad lifestyle influences will help increase your physical health and wellness.

Health and wellness for mental health

In order to maintain mental health, one has to avoid and effectively manage stress. Stress is not only destructive mentally and emotionally but also physically. There are those who seem to strive in stress, while the rest of us mere mortals are hindered by it. Stress can lead to the decline of both mental and physical health. A stressful person may incur mood swings, and may not enjoy life to its fullest. To achieve wellness for mental health, one has to avoid stressful situations and jobs that are beyond the stress limit. Daily exercise, proper eating, and meditation can be great stress-relievers. 

Another way to achieve mental health is to unplug from technology every once in awhile. People are spending too many hours on social media, playing video games and watching movies that they barely have time to let their brains relax. Unplugging from such activities and reconnecting with nature, friends, and family is good for your mental health. It will improve your social skills to associate with those close to you and meet new people.

Proper and Sufficient Sleep is also a good way to ensure health and wellness. It helps us regenerate lost energy during the day and also helps manage stress. Sleeping for few hours will affect your overall mental health, decreasing the wellness of the body. Get enough sleep for a healthy life.

Health and wellness should not be taken for granted as not maintaining it can lead to a chain of health issues. One can improve their health physically and mentally through the above tips for overall wellness.

Remember to live life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.