Yesterday my friend’s great grandfather turned 94 and he blessed my friend, “May you live to be a 101”. But can we even imagine a healthy life till 101? According to a recent study, the average lifespan of our generation has spanned down to nearly 60. All thanks to our westernization of food and lifestyles. One of the major factors contributing to our shortening lifespan is ‘stress’.
It’s high time we take a break from our busy schedule to look into our body and listen to what it has to say, for otherwise it would be too late. What if we told you that you have the power to stop stress before it even starts? Here are a few tips to make your body feel as much as alive as you do.
- Sweat to protect.We know exercise reduces stress in the moment and for a period afterward, but new research from Princeton University suggests that working out may actually build new super brain cells that are more resistant to stressors. That means hitting the gym now could help keep you smiling no matter what problems pile on later.
- Relive what's good. When a friend asks you how you're doing, resist the temptation to download that awful commute; instead, try to recall something pleasant, like the great deal you just scored on a new dress. Recounting stressful events actually makes us—and our bodies—stressed. Be positive yourself. What you feel on the inside is what reflects on our outside and vice versa.
- Take a joy break.When we're crazy-busy, our natural inclination is to cut back on pleasurable activities—as if fun is a luxury. However, research suggests that this is a mistake. One study found that people who engaged in enjoyable leisure activities had lower blood pressure and cortisol scores (two measures of stress) than those who didn't. They were also more resilient in the face of stressful life events. Do not over stress out yourself and push your body as fast as your mind does. Just don’t! Take a break. That doesn’t hurt.
- Slow yourself way down.One of the most powerful ways to savor is to share feelings and events with others as they unfold. Whether you're out with friends, on vacation, or just having lunch with a colleague, stop and ask: What do we want to remember about this day/time/occasion? "By focusing on the experience as it happens," says Bryant, "you can intensify your appreciation of it." Think it over, not over-think it. Just concentrate on that which brings you happiness and calms your mind down.
- Pretend it's about to end. Studies show that people find greater pleasure in things and activities that they believe are scarce or about to end. Imagine that just as you're about to call your best friend, you're told this will be the last time you'll ever talk to her. It may sound morbid, but the effect is the opposite. It’s just a human psychology; we never realize its value until it runs out.
Hope you’ll like our few on-the-go-routine tips to lead a better and healthy life. For more interesting stuffs, log on to http://www.themakeoverz.com/
