Gardening for Stress Relief
How and Why Gardening is a Natural Stress Reliever
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com
Updated: November 06, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Planting a beautiful garden can be a great way to relive stress! Whether you have a small patio to decorate, or a vast amount of space to tend, the act of making your particular stretch of nature into a haven can be a stress reliever in itself, and the garden that you create can bring you even more peace. Here’s why:
* Sunlight: Just getting out in the sunlight can actually improve your mood! (In fact, there’s a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder that affects some people during Winter months when there is less sunlight.) Sunlight also provides an influx of vitamin D, and the fresh air that that goes with it is good for your health. Getting outdoors to work with your garden is a great excuse to get more of this good stuff.
* Getting In Touch With Nature: Being in touch with nature and the great outdoors can help you feel more removed from the stressors of daily life. With the amount of time we spend indoors (at work, watching t.v., etc) many people feel an urge to connect with nature that goes unfulfilled. While you may not have the time to go camping or take a nature hike each day, having your piece of nature right outside your back door can help you feel some of this connection.
* Creating Beauty: The beauty of nature is a great stress reliever in itself. (Just think of how many times relaxation has been connected with pictures of stunning landscapes or recordings of nature’s sounds.) Having your own bit of beauty available as a place for meditation, contemplation and relaxation can provide quite a bit of relief from stress. It’s all part of making your home a haven from stress.
Getting Started
Given the size of space you have to work with, your personal tastes and the amount of time and money you can devote to the worthwhile and fun project of fixing up your piece of the outdoors, you have many, many options to choose from. Getting started might seem a little intimidating, but finding a few good books or magazines on gardening can give you lots of information and ideas to work with. There’s also a great site on the About network devoted to gardening. It’s got plenty of wonderful information and free resources. Here are a few that can help you get going:
* Landscaping For Beginners: This thorough article lets you know the basics, and is a relatively quick read.
* Landscaping Design Ideas: A Photo Gallery: This gallery can give you ideas of what you like and what you don’t like in landscape design, so you can start envisioning what you want for your own home.
* Free Landscaping E-Course: This e-course has daily lessons that continue for several months, to teach you little-by-little about landscaping and transforming your own yard into your ideal haven.
Once you’ve started, you should find that the act of creating a garden can bring you peace, and the garden itself can bring you joy! Have fun.
MY THOUGHTS
I love plants. I love gardens. Unfortunately, it's not mutual. Give me a beautiful plant and for sure, I'll be left with the pot in a few weeks. But I agree that gardening can relive us of stress. If gardens can calm us down then gardeing can do more for our stress relief.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
laughing cure to stress
The Stress Management and Health Benefits of Laughter
The Laughing Cure
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com
Updated: April 22, 2008
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings to increasing one's threshold for pain. There's even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits.
Stress Management Benefits of Laughter:
* Hormones: Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
* Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.
* Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.
* Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
* Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.
* Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
How To Use Laughter:
Laughter is one of my all-time favorite stress management strategies because it's free, convenient, and beneficial in so many ways. You can get more laughter in your life with the following strategies:
* T.V. and Movies: There's no shortage of laughter opportunities from the entertainment, both at the theater and in the aisles of the video stores, as well as at home with T.V. comedies. While wasting your time watching something marginally funny may actually frustrate you, watching truly hilarious movies and shows is an easy way to get laughter into your life whenever you need it.
* Laugh With Friends: Going to a movie or comedy club with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. The contagious effects of laughter may mean you'll laugh more than you otherwise would have during the show, plus you'll have jokes to reference at later times. Having friends over for a party or game night is also a great setup for laughter and other good feelings.
* Find Humor In Your Life: Instead of complaining about life's frustrations, try to laugh about them. If something is so frustrating or depressing it's ridiculous, realize that you could 'look back on it and laugh.' Think of how it will sound as a story you could tell to your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now. With this attitude, you may also find yourself being more lighthearted and silly, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about. Approach life in a more mirthful way and you'll find you're less stressed about negative events, and you'll achieve the health benefits of laughter. (See this article on maintaining a sense of humor.
* 'Fake It Until You Make It': Just as studies show the positive effects of smiling occur whether the smile is fake or real, faked laughter also provides the benefits mentioned above. So smile more, and fake laughter; you'll still achieve positive effects, and the fake merriment may lead to real smiles and laughter.
* More on Having Fun: See these additional suggestions on laughing more and having fun in your life.
Sources:
Bennett MP, Lengacher C. Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: III. Laughter and Health Outcomes. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, March 2008.
Bennett MP, Zeller JM, Rosenberg L, McCann J. The Effect of Mirthful Laughter on Stress and Natural Killer Cell Activity.. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March-April 2003.
Berk LS, Felten DL, Tan SA, Bittman BB, Westengard J. Modulation of Neuroimmune Parameters During the Eustress of Humor-Associated Mirthful Laughter.. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March 2001.
Skinner N, Brewer N. The Dynamics of Threat and Challenge Appraisals Prior to Stressful Achievement Events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, September 2002.
MY THOUGHTS
It's obvious - i like this article. It talks of one of my favorite topics - laughter. And it talks of how laughter can relieve stress. Laughter does take out tension. The more we laugh, the more we forget our stress.
The Laughing Cure
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com
Updated: April 22, 2008
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the immune system to reducing food cravings to increasing one's threshold for pain. There's even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits.
Stress Management Benefits of Laughter:
* Hormones: Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.
* Physical Release: Have you ever felt like you "have to laugh or I'll cry"? Have you experienced the cleansed feeling after a good laugh? Laughter provides a physical and emotional release.
* Internal Workout: A good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.
* Distraction: Laughter brings the focus away from anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions in a more beneficial way than other mere distractions.
* Perspective: Studies show that our response to stressful events can be altered by whether we view something as a 'threat' or a 'challenge'. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as 'challenges', thereby making them less threatening and more positive.
* Social Benefits of Laughter: Laughter connects us with others. Also, laughter is contagious, so if you bring more laughter into your life, you can most likely help others around you to laugh more, and realize these benefits as well. By elevating the mood of those around you, you can reduce their stress levels, and perhaps improve the quality of social interaction you experience with them, reducing your stress level even more!
How To Use Laughter:
Laughter is one of my all-time favorite stress management strategies because it's free, convenient, and beneficial in so many ways. You can get more laughter in your life with the following strategies:
* T.V. and Movies: There's no shortage of laughter opportunities from the entertainment, both at the theater and in the aisles of the video stores, as well as at home with T.V. comedies. While wasting your time watching something marginally funny may actually frustrate you, watching truly hilarious movies and shows is an easy way to get laughter into your life whenever you need it.
* Laugh With Friends: Going to a movie or comedy club with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. The contagious effects of laughter may mean you'll laugh more than you otherwise would have during the show, plus you'll have jokes to reference at later times. Having friends over for a party or game night is also a great setup for laughter and other good feelings.
* Find Humor In Your Life: Instead of complaining about life's frustrations, try to laugh about them. If something is so frustrating or depressing it's ridiculous, realize that you could 'look back on it and laugh.' Think of how it will sound as a story you could tell to your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now. With this attitude, you may also find yourself being more lighthearted and silly, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about. Approach life in a more mirthful way and you'll find you're less stressed about negative events, and you'll achieve the health benefits of laughter. (See this article on maintaining a sense of humor.
* 'Fake It Until You Make It': Just as studies show the positive effects of smiling occur whether the smile is fake or real, faked laughter also provides the benefits mentioned above. So smile more, and fake laughter; you'll still achieve positive effects, and the fake merriment may lead to real smiles and laughter.
* More on Having Fun: See these additional suggestions on laughing more and having fun in your life.
Sources:
Bennett MP, Lengacher C. Humor and Laughter May Influence Health: III. Laughter and Health Outcomes. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, March 2008.
Bennett MP, Zeller JM, Rosenberg L, McCann J. The Effect of Mirthful Laughter on Stress and Natural Killer Cell Activity.. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March-April 2003.
Berk LS, Felten DL, Tan SA, Bittman BB, Westengard J. Modulation of Neuroimmune Parameters During the Eustress of Humor-Associated Mirthful Laughter.. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, March 2001.
Skinner N, Brewer N. The Dynamics of Threat and Challenge Appraisals Prior to Stressful Achievement Events. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, September 2002.
MY THOUGHTS
It's obvious - i like this article. It talks of one of my favorite topics - laughter. And it talks of how laughter can relieve stress. Laughter does take out tension. The more we laugh, the more we forget our stress.
online games for stress relief
Top 5 Non-Addictive Online Games for Stress Relief
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com
Created: June 21, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
I’m a fan of online games for stress relief for those who enjoy them. They’re convenient, they can take your mind off of stress for a few minutes, and they’re generally free. The downside with some of them is that they can be addictive, taking up more time than they should and causing additional stress in the long run! If you need a quick distraction and would like to get into a more relaxed frame of mind but only want to spend a few minutes at it, I recommend the following ‘online toys’ from ZeFrank.
1. Meditation Flowers
This interesting game allows you to sing, chant, or drone your own sounds and, in response, interesting graphics appear on screen. It’s a great way to get into a different frame of mind in only a few minutes without risking being drawn into an addictive game that sucks up half your day, and it allows you to use the cathartic power of music and the benefits of deep breathing. (Note: you need to enable your microphone for it to work.)
2. Puppets
If you like (or at least can tolerate) vintage Beastie Boys, this one’s really cool. You’re presented with a puppet that dances to “Shake Your Rump”, and you get to alter how the dance goes. You can stay active in the dance, or just sit back and get into a near-meditative state with the music and visuals.
3. Flowers
If you like flowers but aren’t able to do any gardening at the moment, this page presents you with three great options: create your own flower, create a garden (and send to a friend), or browse the community garden and see what others have come up with. (I recommend the flower-creating option; it’s great for creativity.) It provides a few of the joys of gardening in a venue you can enjoy at work: your computer.
4. Build Your Own Kaleidoscope
I love this one! You can create a kaleidoscope by dragging colorful shapes into a circle. The images cycle automatically, and can be very relaxing to watch. I’m not sure which is more fun: creating the kaleidoscope, or viewing it as you go. Either way, it’s relaxing and fun, and takes your mind off of your stress for a few minutes.
5. Quotes
Inspirational quotes can help you remember to operate from a place of strength and wisdom, especially under stress. This game allows you to view inspirational quotes and watch them turn into designs that fill your screen. You also have the opportunity to provide your own favorite quotes and watch the designs they create. (If you’re looking for quotes, this thread from the Stress Management Forum has many great ones.)
MY THOUGHTS
Never tried online games. Maybe I should to avoid stress or even for stress relief . This article sounds so convincing I will try the "Build your Own Kaleidoscope". One of these days.
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com
Created: June 21, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
I’m a fan of online games for stress relief for those who enjoy them. They’re convenient, they can take your mind off of stress for a few minutes, and they’re generally free. The downside with some of them is that they can be addictive, taking up more time than they should and causing additional stress in the long run! If you need a quick distraction and would like to get into a more relaxed frame of mind but only want to spend a few minutes at it, I recommend the following ‘online toys’ from ZeFrank.
1. Meditation Flowers
This interesting game allows you to sing, chant, or drone your own sounds and, in response, interesting graphics appear on screen. It’s a great way to get into a different frame of mind in only a few minutes without risking being drawn into an addictive game that sucks up half your day, and it allows you to use the cathartic power of music and the benefits of deep breathing. (Note: you need to enable your microphone for it to work.)
2. Puppets
If you like (or at least can tolerate) vintage Beastie Boys, this one’s really cool. You’re presented with a puppet that dances to “Shake Your Rump”, and you get to alter how the dance goes. You can stay active in the dance, or just sit back and get into a near-meditative state with the music and visuals.
3. Flowers
If you like flowers but aren’t able to do any gardening at the moment, this page presents you with three great options: create your own flower, create a garden (and send to a friend), or browse the community garden and see what others have come up with. (I recommend the flower-creating option; it’s great for creativity.) It provides a few of the joys of gardening in a venue you can enjoy at work: your computer.
4. Build Your Own Kaleidoscope
I love this one! You can create a kaleidoscope by dragging colorful shapes into a circle. The images cycle automatically, and can be very relaxing to watch. I’m not sure which is more fun: creating the kaleidoscope, or viewing it as you go. Either way, it’s relaxing and fun, and takes your mind off of your stress for a few minutes.
5. Quotes
Inspirational quotes can help you remember to operate from a place of strength and wisdom, especially under stress. This game allows you to view inspirational quotes and watch them turn into designs that fill your screen. You also have the opportunity to provide your own favorite quotes and watch the designs they create. (If you’re looking for quotes, this thread from the Stress Management Forum has many great ones.)
MY THOUGHTS
Never tried online games. Maybe I should to avoid stress or even for stress relief . This article sounds so convincing I will try the "Build your Own Kaleidoscope". One of these days.
fun ways to relieve stress
Top 8 Fun Stress Relievers
From Your Guide, Elizabeth Scott, for About.com
Created: June 21, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
There are many great stress relievers out there, but it's not always easy to stick with them. However, the fun stress relievers do seem to be easier to practice on a regular basis--you look forward to them! So for those of us who like a little fun with our stress relief, I've compiled a list of fun stress relievers, along with explanations of their other benefits as well. Enjoy!
1. Stress Relieving Games
Sometimes playing a fun game on your computer is just what you need to keep your mind off of stress in the office or at home. You don't have to go anywhere, you can play for just a few minutes, and you can return to the tasks at hand with a fresh frame of mind. These stress relieving games can help you relieve stress in just a few minutes, without being addictive.
2. Stress Relieving Books
Nothing takes your mind off of stress like a good book. And these stress relieving books can provide just the right distraction and escape from stress, as well as teaching you something new you can use to relieve stress. With a book, you can also take as much or as little time as you have available for stress relief.
3. Laughter
A good laugh can be a great stress reliever: it releases endorphins and other healthy hormones, takes your mind off of stress, and can even provide a decent physical workout if you really get going. It also leaves you in a more positive frame of mind, and can bond you to those with whom you share a good laugh. Learn more about laughter as a stress reliever, and see how you can incorporate more humor into your life.
4. Gardening
Planting a garden (or even tending to a houseplant) can be a great way to reconnect with nature, beautify your space, and enjoy other stress relieving benefits. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of gardening, and see if this is the stress reliever for you!
5. Drawing
Rediscovering your artistic side with anything from doodling to serious sketching can be a good stress reliever for several reasons: it's a good distraction, it helps you express and process emotions, and it leaves you with something beautiful to enjoy when you're finished. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of drawing and how to incorporate them into your life.
6. Music
Music is a great stress reliever for many reasons, and it can also improve health to the point that it's being used in hospitals to promote health! As a stress reliever, it provides distraction, inspiration, can speed you up or calm you down, and more. And you can use it durning your commute, while exercising, or at any time as you go about your daily activities. Learn more about the benefits of music, and find out how to incorporate it into your life to relieve stress.
7. Sports
Enjoying sports, from karate to mountain biking to tennis and more, can be a fun way to get exercise and relieve stress, providing endorphins, a social outlet, a way to release frustration, and more, and leave you healthier and happier in the end. Find ideas on what types of stres relieving activities to try in this section.
8. Mini-Vacations
Vacations are a wonderfully fun and sadly under-used stress relief resource. If you find yourself longing for a vacation but don't have the time or the funds to go on the trip you deserve, you can still treat yourself to a stress relieving mini vacation and get similar stress relieving benefits without expending as much!
MY THOUGHTS
The title itself takes out the stress - fun stress relievers. And these are quite easy - and cheap!!! Laughter, for example is free. I should know. When I was born and the midwife (yes! midwife pa - haha) slapped my butt, I didn't holler and cry. I hooted with laughter. I guess that's why although I get into the brink of stress I never got to the point of killing my self or killing someone else. I do manage to kill stress.
From Your Guide, Elizabeth Scott, for About.com
Created: June 21, 2007
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
There are many great stress relievers out there, but it's not always easy to stick with them. However, the fun stress relievers do seem to be easier to practice on a regular basis--you look forward to them! So for those of us who like a little fun with our stress relief, I've compiled a list of fun stress relievers, along with explanations of their other benefits as well. Enjoy!
1. Stress Relieving Games
Sometimes playing a fun game on your computer is just what you need to keep your mind off of stress in the office or at home. You don't have to go anywhere, you can play for just a few minutes, and you can return to the tasks at hand with a fresh frame of mind. These stress relieving games can help you relieve stress in just a few minutes, without being addictive.
2. Stress Relieving Books
Nothing takes your mind off of stress like a good book. And these stress relieving books can provide just the right distraction and escape from stress, as well as teaching you something new you can use to relieve stress. With a book, you can also take as much or as little time as you have available for stress relief.
3. Laughter
A good laugh can be a great stress reliever: it releases endorphins and other healthy hormones, takes your mind off of stress, and can even provide a decent physical workout if you really get going. It also leaves you in a more positive frame of mind, and can bond you to those with whom you share a good laugh. Learn more about laughter as a stress reliever, and see how you can incorporate more humor into your life.
4. Gardening
Planting a garden (or even tending to a houseplant) can be a great way to reconnect with nature, beautify your space, and enjoy other stress relieving benefits. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of gardening, and see if this is the stress reliever for you!
5. Drawing
Rediscovering your artistic side with anything from doodling to serious sketching can be a good stress reliever for several reasons: it's a good distraction, it helps you express and process emotions, and it leaves you with something beautiful to enjoy when you're finished. Learn more about the stress relief benefits of drawing and how to incorporate them into your life.
6. Music
Music is a great stress reliever for many reasons, and it can also improve health to the point that it's being used in hospitals to promote health! As a stress reliever, it provides distraction, inspiration, can speed you up or calm you down, and more. And you can use it durning your commute, while exercising, or at any time as you go about your daily activities. Learn more about the benefits of music, and find out how to incorporate it into your life to relieve stress.
7. Sports
Enjoying sports, from karate to mountain biking to tennis and more, can be a fun way to get exercise and relieve stress, providing endorphins, a social outlet, a way to release frustration, and more, and leave you healthier and happier in the end. Find ideas on what types of stres relieving activities to try in this section.
8. Mini-Vacations
Vacations are a wonderfully fun and sadly under-used stress relief resource. If you find yourself longing for a vacation but don't have the time or the funds to go on the trip you deserve, you can still treat yourself to a stress relieving mini vacation and get similar stress relieving benefits without expending as much!
MY THOUGHTS
The title itself takes out the stress - fun stress relievers. And these are quite easy - and cheap!!! Laughter, for example is free. I should know. When I was born and the midwife (yes! midwife pa - haha) slapped my butt, I didn't holler and cry. I hooted with laughter. I guess that's why although I get into the brink of stress I never got to the point of killing my self or killing someone else. I do manage to kill stress.
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