Stressful jobs and tense working conditions are unhealthy. The strain and stress of your job can lead to a lowered immune system, sleep loss, anxiety, depression and weight gain. According to an article in WebMD ( page 12 ), the physical impact of a stressful, competitive and ungrateful work environment raises blood pressure, increases weight, especially around the mid-abdominal area, and even causes earlier mortality rates. Rising stress levels increase inflammation in your body and raise the hormone cortisol. Cortisol causes weight gain, elevated diastolic blood pressures and bone loss. High blood pressure is an important indicator of health because it contributes to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
When your co-workers increase your anxiety and unease, you can try to overcome it or move on to escape it. When all you hear is rumbling and grumbling, it is time to leave. Your decision is clearer if you focus on finding others who share your healthier views on life, and not to surround yourself with emotional and mental turmoil.
If you decide to stay at your current job, think about using supplements that are anti-stress and anxiety, such as omega – 3 oils. Fish oil or hemp oil are good examples. Also, it is a good idea to use supplements that are anti-inflammatory. These include green tea, dandelion tea, vitamin C and curcumin.
There are other healthful coping mechanisms out there for combating chronic stress. Consider adding a mind/body practice to your daily routine. This practices include: yoga, meditation, writing a journal, devotional practices, such as prayer, guided imagery, creative visualization and breathing exercises.
Adding aerobic exercise is also anti-inflammatory. Keep track of your progress with the app Runkeeper
Here are 10 meditation apps to focus your mind and body. The app Aura is personalized and focuses on gratitude.
And finally, if you want to manage the stress in your life, the Harvard Health Blog suggests finding the time to provide volunteer work or engage in some sort of community service. When you do, your body produces the hormone oxytocin that, in your brain, boosts trust and empathy, while decreasing stress and anxiety.
Sharon Stone, actress and survivor of brain hemorrhage with stroke, is co-creator of Planet Hope, a foundation for homeless and abused mothers and children. She continues to raise money for amFar, the global Foundation for Aids Research, using her fame and a knack for auctioning off ingenious items, including kisses from herself and George Clooney, to raise $300 million for the organization. She learned her philanthropic instincts form her parents.