Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Tips to manage stressful jobs

By Bruce Stubblefield


Stress can play havoc on your physical as well as mental health. And if you are working at a job that involves tight deadlines, long working hours, quick decision-making, keeping you constantly on your feet, you end up taking this stress to your home as well. Constant exhaustion, sleepiness, low energy, difficulties in concentrating, headaches, and muscular spasms are but only some of the symptoms of working in a highly-stressful job.

Just by relaxing and taking some time off on a daily basis allows your body and mind to deal with this daily work stress in a much better manner. Eating a balanced and nutritious diet is also important if you want your body to be supplied with the proper energy and fuel to carry out its functioning.

It is true that a good diet will make it easier for you to handle a highly stressed out work environment. However, you may still not be getting enough of some of the nutrient that you require. This is because stress tends to deplete the presence as well as the absorption of these nutrients into the bloodstream, making you constantly exhausted and prone to illnesses.

Herbal supplements such as kava can be quite useful in such a situation since they help in reducing stress levels and in reducing its negative effects on the body and mind. Kava is usually taken in the form of a beverage by grinding the root of a shrub called Piper methysticum. This brownish powder is then mixed with water. You can also take kava in the form of supplements in which the extract of the root is placed in capsules.

Another very popular herbal supplement for relieving stress and depression is St. John's wort. The herb is known to elevate levels of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the brain, thus alleviating symptoms such as sleeplessness, anxiety, stress, and depression.

A good stress-reducing mineral is magnesium. High levels of stress deplete levels of magnesium in the body and intake of this mineral actually counteracts the effects of stress. Low levels of magnesium causes problems in the nervous system and the nerve cells are not able to give or receive messages properly. This makes them excitable and reactive making you feel irritable, nervous, and unable to relax. By taking magnesium supplements, you can expect yourself to feel more relaxed since your nervous system will be in balance.




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