Can “Debt Stress” Affect Your Health?
I was interviewed by Natalie Rodriguez today (WIOD Radio, podcasts available) regarding this timely topic by Associated Press today. Facing the tough times our economy presents to us with foreclosures, gas prices, and lay-offs affects the young adult group with worries about affording their rents and paying for school as well as adults’ wondering about their mortgages and responsibilities to support their families and aging parents.
Can “debt stress” affect your health, though? Stress can wear different masks but, at the end of the day, the way we all face different life stressors will affect our sense of well-being and may trigger health-related problems in our individual vulnerable body areas. If we have a predisposition of being extremely anxious or depressed, then an enormous amount of stress may be a trigger for a panic attack. If our gastrointestinal system is the vulnerable one, then unresolved stressors may affect our system and we may experience reflux. If we continue to have high stress and have a hard time relaxing and our sleep becomes erratic, then we may end up with tension headaches or may experience increasing back pains and aches.
What to do? I’m an advocate of keeping The Four Pillars of Biological Health strong and routine on a daily basis:
1) Exercise regularly, particularly with a repetitive exercise. Thirty minutes is a must in those of us who face the exponentially increasing demands of the Twenty-First Century.
2) Eat well and schedule regular meals. Avoid more than two-caffeinated drinks over the course of the day and avoid more than one glass of wine or beer at night. Have dinner with your family in the evening.
3) Sleep 6-8 hours every night. Avoid taking hypnotics or alcohol to sleep at night.
4) Practice relaxation techniques every day. If thirty minutes of exercise does the trick for you, implement this strategy, otherwise, add regular progressive relaxation or meditation techniques to your routine.
Stress will continue to be a regular part of your life and can provide for a wonderful source of energy. The more you learn to stay ahead of the game, in control, and healthy, the more the stamina and the ability to perform and produce in the long run. To learn more about these lifestyle strategies and others, visit Leading Under Pressure.
