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Dress to Impress -- or Not
Nervous about making a bad impression at a holiday
party? Don't be. Far fewer people than you think will even perceive
if you make a social flub.
At least that's what a study revealed when college
students were asked to don a Barry Manilow T-shirt before entering
a room full of people. Here's how many people actually noticed.
Attention Getter?
Despite the college students' worst fears, only about half the people
they expected to actually did notice the famed "Copacabana"
singer emblazoned across their chests. Researchers dub this situation
the "spotlight effect." What it means is that in social
situations, people tend to grossly overestimate how much others
are paying attention to their actions or appearance. (Are you always
anxious? Answer these questions to see if you worry too much.)
The takeaway lesson? Whether you're having a bad hair
day, living with a little coffee stain on your shirt, or feeling
like a lackluster conversationalist, don't stress! All eyes aren't
upon you.
3 More Stress-Less Social Tips for the Holidays
# 1 Laugh It Up
Giggle, snort, and laugh till it hurts. You -- and
everyone around you -- will be healthier.
In a recent study, sounds of laughter or cheering
triggered strong brain activity in listeners, particularly the brain
areas that control the muscles of the face -- which means listeners
were primed to smile or laugh, too. The response was automatic --
and contagious. Here's how laughter helps your health.
Laughter is good for both body and soul. It can thwart
stress, boost the immune system, and help protect against the flu
and even cancer. In a study, men who watched a favorite funny video
had lower levels of stress hormones and higher amounts of growth
hormone, both of which bolster the immune response. And study participants
had more of the natural killer cells that target tumors and viruses.
Just anticipating a chuckle or guffaw can keep you
healthy and reduce stress. In another study, people who knew in
advance that they would be watching a funny movie had elevated levels
of growth hormone and more beta-endorphins (feel-good brain chemicals
that block pain and help you relax). And these levels held steady
throughout the hour of viewing as well as afterwards, for up to
24 hours. A mere 30 minutes of comic relief may be all you need
for similar health benefits.
So go ahead, laugh often and out loud. It's your --
and your friends', family's, and cronies' -- best medicine.
Do lots of this at every get together -- you'll be
healthier and happier.
Spend a few minutes each day doing this easy stress-reduction
strategy.
Take these six steps whenever something stresses you
out.
Why does too much stress make you old before your
time? It's all about your telomeres!
#2 Meditation Tool
Meditation may help control your vagus nerve, and
controlling that sucker can help improve everything from your memory
to your immune system.
So carve out a little time each day to meditate. Before
bed is a good time, or when you feel stress is starting to get the
better of you.
How to Meditate
The goal here is to clear your mind of all thoughts.
Yep, all of ‘em.
The first step: Silence. Find a quiet place where
you can sit comfortably without being disturbed.
Step two: Close your eyes. You don’t have to
do this to meditate -- some people like to focus on an object --
but closing your eyes may help you stay focused, especially when
you’re just beginning.
To help clear your mind, pick a simple word (om really
is a good one) and repeat it to yourself over and over. Slowly --
there’s no rush. Savor the word until it fills your mind.
Why? Focusing on one word helps keep distracting thoughts -- like
your to-do list -- from seeping into your gray matter and stressing
you out.
Over time, you’ll develop your own personal
focus and style of meditating, so try to figure out what works best
for you. Remember the objective is to search for a path that gives
you comfort and offers an opening that allows you to find deeper
meaning in life. So whether you focus on breathing, a prayer, or
the inside of your eyelids, try to squirrel away at least 5 minutes
of silence every day.
Shhhhhhhhh . . .
# 3 Stress Management Tool
Stress doesn’t have to sideline you from life
or send you straight to the ice cream tub. Here are some tricks
to avoid letting your worries burden -- or bury -- you.
1. ID the source of your stress. Some sources of stress
are easy to point the finger at, but are they really what’s
bothering you? Lashing out at your kids, for example, may be a reaction
not to what your kids just did but to an extra assignment piled
on at work. The first step to managing stress: pinpointing the true
culprit.
2. Focus on the moment. Being mindful -- really paying
attention to the present, not the past or the future -- can help
you manage stress. Spend some time every day noticing the things
most people tend to ignore -- like breathing, bodily sensations,
and emotions.
This "body scan" can help you practice living
in the moment:
Lie down.
Close your eyes and notice your posture. Keep your
mind on your body -- nothing else.
Focus on the natural flow of your breath as air fills
your lungs and leaves your lungs, fills your lungs and leaves your
lungs.
Notice your toes -- any tension, tingling, or temperature
changes?
Think about your feet, heels, and ankles, and then
your knees, thighs, and pelvis. Don’t rush. Take your time.
Continue working your way up your body, finishing
with your throat, jaw, tongue, face, and brow.
3. Look after your health. Stress is much more manageable
when the other aspects of your life -- from general health to sleep
patterns to eating habits -- are in good order. When you don’t
get enough sleep, for instance, your body produces more stress hormones,
making you more vulnerable to the damaging effects of stress. Evaluate
what areas in your life need attention, and work on fixes.
4. Do the YOU2 Workout. Or walk for 30 minutes, stretch,
do yoga -- just get up and move! Exercise is one of life’s
greatest stress relievers. Try it.
5. Do the opposite. Every emotion has an "urge
to act" that goes with it. When we feel afraid or anxious,
we avoid things; when we’re depressed or sad, we withdraw;
when we’re angry, we’re tempted to lash out or yell.
Unfortunately, each of these behaviors actually makes things worse.
But if you can do the opposite action, you may make things better.
Worried about something? Tackle it instead of ignoring it. Angry
at someone? Don’t lash out, be empathetic. Depressed? Go out
rather than shutting yourself in.
6. Focus on your muscles. By tensing and relaxing
your muscles, you can help relieve some of the physical stress that’s
stored in your body. Start at the bottom: Tense the muscles of your
feet and then relax them. Tense and relax the different muscle groups
of your body one at a time -- your legs, stomach, back, neck, arms,
face, and head. And breathe.
RealAge Tip December, 2007
http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/18680
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