Health

How to Make Each Day a Little Less Stressful

August 25th 2016

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Americans need to relax. We’re too stressed out.

Eighty percent of American workers report being stressed, citing low pay, long commutes, and large workloads as some of the top stressors.

This affects us in many negative ways. A 2014 study conducted by Harvard and NPR found that stress harms our family life, our health, our work, and our social life.

And we're not doing much to fix it. We work 47 hours a week and have trouble sleeping. One-third of us overeat because of stress, and we're not taking vacations. The American Psychological Association reported in a 2015 study that Americans “struggle to achieve their health and lifestyle goals, and manage stress in ineffective ways.”

But Americans can manage stress, we just don't. In fact, 20 percent of us never engage in activities to relieve stress.

The reality is that many stress relievers are free and easy to access. One is meditation, which soothes the nervous system. But only 8 percent of American adults meditate, despite research that shows meditation reduces burnout, enhances relaxation, and improves life satisfaction.

A 2014 John Hopkins University study found that mindfulness meditation decreases our levels of anxiety, depression, and pain. Harvard neuroscientist Sara Lazar echoes these claims, finding that meditation literally changes the brain. The changes affected multiple parts of the brain, including the left hippocampus, which helps with learning and memory, and the amygdala, which manages anxiety, stress, and fear. She also found those effects on the brain can happen in just eight weeks.

If you want to get serious about stress relief, you're in luck. Headspace is an app that puts meditation and mindfulness in the palm of your hand. Through guided meditations suited for various mindsets, Headspace helps you reduce stress and anxiety through brief, meditative reprieves—and it only takes ten minutes a day, minimum. Ready to enjoy the benefits of meditation? Visit headspace.com by Sept. 8 to get three months off a yearly Headspace subscription.

Americans are too stressed, but there's a lot we can do. It's just a matter of picking up our phones and taking a breather.

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Would you consider meditating to improve your health?

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