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Archive for the ‘Stress Management’ Category

Grab a Partner and Start Stretching with Partner Yoga!

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, Yoga, tagged , , , , , on December 2, 2009| 1 Comment »

Partner Yoga

Every day, clients ask us how often to stretch, why the stretching they do does not combat their neck and back pain and what are the best ways to stretch. The truth is, it’s tough to remember to stretch and it’s even more difficult to stretch often enough to combat the muscle tension we place on ourselves when sitting at computers all day. It’s also a challenge to find time to stretch without sacrificing time with loved ones.

So what are poor stressed out, tense muscled people to do? How about a few simple yoga poses?

One of the reason I like yoga is that is gives you a set of pre-designed poses that stretch the majority of muscles in your body. Once you know poses like “Downward Facing Dog,” “Sun Saluations” or “Tree Pose” you can do them virtually anywhere you have space and time to stretch out and extend your limbs. Simple yoga poses don’t require props and you can do them in a hotel room, or at home, or in a spare conference room at work if it’s allowed.

Even better yet, a great way to do yoga AND spend quality time with your partner or family, is to try Partner Yoga.

What is Partner Yoga?

The website, Partneryoga.com, defines partner yoga as a unique practice which combines powerful techniques and exercises from yoga, dance and martial arts. Partner Yoga use various movements and poses (asanas) to focus the mind and increase strength, stamina and flexibility. The physical poses are combined with potent breathing techniques (prananyams) which help release tension and promote the free flow of subtle energies (prana). All Partner Yoga exercises use the buddy system to dissolve tension and establish a natural state of harmony in body, mind, emotion, and spirit.

Partner Yoga postures like the “Cat/Cow” and the “Downward Facing Dog” are a fun and creative ways to for kids to learn about their bodies and the importance of physical exercise. Friends can use Partner Yoga to help each other stay motivated and committed to their wellness plan. Practicing yoga with a partner is uplifting and inspiring, and helps raise both people to new heights. The movements and poses in Partner Yoga require 100% participation from two people. Best of all, Partner Yoga requires no special equipment and can be done in any open space (the living room, gym, or park).

Benefits of Partner Yoga Poses

Working through a yoga sequence with someone else extends a number of benefits:

  • It’s non-competitive fitness in which two or more people can engage.
  • It builds intimacy, especially between love partners.
  • A deeper level of trust develops between two people who explore yoga together.
  • Partners can assist one another.
  • It’s a fun activity to share with children.

Where Can I Learn Partner Yoga Poses?

Here are some books and DVD’s on Partner Yoga.
• Partner Yoga: Making Contact for Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Growth on Amazon here

• Relaxation Fit Partner Yoga video  here from Divakar Yoga

• The Joy of Partner Yoga here

• Together: the Art of Partner Yoga here.

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Coping with Fibromyalgia Pain and Insomnia via Cognitive Therapy

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, tagged , , , on December 1, 2009| 2 Comments »

Fibromyalgia sufferers were once told their pain was all in their head. But in recent years, the medical community has found evidence that fibromyalgia is in fact a physiological disorder. However, that doesn’t mean that talk therapy has no place in treatment of fibromyalgia. In fact, cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, has been found to be useful in addressing insomnia and some of the side effects of fibromyalgia symptoms.

According to Dr. Dorothy McCoy from PsychNetUK:

In a recent study, CBT offered an alternative approach that demonstrated clinically significant improvement within six weeks (Edlinger, 2001). In another study, on chronic fatigue syndrome, the researchers compared standard treatment with cognitive therapy and standard treatment without cognitive therapy. “Seventy-three percent of the cognitive group were spending less time in bed and functioning normally after a year” (WebMD Health). Only 27% of the other group experienced the same gains. Flemming (1997) suggests amplifying standard treatments’ efficacy by including bodywork and relaxation. According to the eminent wellness physician, Dr. Andrew Weil, guided imagery tapes are useful in reducing pain and speeding the healing process. Patients are relieved to discover they have a legitimate medical disorder and the pain is not imaginary.

In a study on low back pain, researchers found that relaxation response training was effective in reducing pain severity. Twenty-eight of the patients also had fibromyalgia. Many of the study subjects reported reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, as well as “improved function and general health” (Millea, 2001). One panel of experts concluded that relaxation techniques were helpful in managing chronic pain. Furthermore, the techniques were valuable in managing the stress inherent in living with a chronic pain disorder. Yet anther study suggests that patients who believe they have little control over their symptoms report more severe and chronic fatigue. CBT is helping patients to change their inaccurate, self-defeating beliefs and regain a sense of control over their lives. A belief in one’s ability to manage one’s disorder frequently becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center website:

Studies show that fibromyalgia patients feel better when they deal with the consequences of their disorder on their lives. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) enhances a patient’s belief in their own abilities and helps them develop methods for dealing with stressful situations. CBT, also called cognitive therapy, is known to be an effective method for dealing with chronic pain from arthritic conditions. Evidence also suggests that cognitive-behavioral therapy can help some patients with fibromyalgia.

Although the effects of CBT and other non-medication treatments for fibromyalgia do not always last over the long-term, they may help certain groups of people, particularly those with a high level of psychological stress.

CBT may be particularly useful for addressing insomnia, one of the hallmark symptoms of fibromyalgia. In studies, patients who received CBT for insomnia woke up 50% less often at night, and had fewer symptoms of insomnia and improved mood.

The Goals of CBT. The primary goals of CBT are to change any unclear or mistaken ideas and self-defeating behaviors. Using specific tasks and self-observation, patients learn to think of pain as something other than a negative factor that controls their life. Over time, the idea that they are helpless goes away and they learn that they can manage the pain.

Cognitive therapy is particularly helpful for defining and setting limits, which is extremely important for these patients. Many fibromyalgia patients live their lives in extremes. They first become heroes or martyrs, pushing themselves too far until they collapse. This collapse reverses the way they view themselves, and they then think of themselves as complete failures, unable to cope with the simplest task. One important aim of cognitive therapy is to help such patients discover a middle route. Patients learn to prioritize their responsibilities and drop some of the less important tasks or delegate them to others. Learning these coping skills can eventually lead to a more manageable life. Patients learn to view themselves and others with a more flexible attitude.

The Procedure. Cognitive therapy usually does not last long. It typically consists of 6 – 20 one-hour sessions. Patients also receive homework, which usually includes keeping a diary and trying tasks they have avoided in the past because of negative attitudes.

A typical cognitive therapy program may involve the following measures:

  • Keep a Diary. Patients are usually asked to keep a diary, a key part of cognitive therapy. The diary serves as a general guide for setting limits and planning activities. Patients use the diary to track any stress factors, such as a job or a relationship that may be improving or worsening the pain.
  • Confront Negative or Discouraging Thoughts. Patients are taught to challenge and reverse negative beliefs. For example, “I’m not good enough to control this disease, so I’m a total failure” becomes the coping statement, “Where is the evidence that I can control this disease?”
  • Set Limits. Limits are designed to keep both mental and physical stress within manageable levels, so that patients do not become discouraged by getting in over their heads. For example, tasks are broken down into incremental steps, and patients focus on one step at a time.
  • Seek out Pleasurable Activities. Patients list a number of enjoyable low-energy activities that they can conveniently schedule.
  • Prioritize. Patients learn to drop some of the less critical tasks or delegate them to others.

Patients should learn to accept that relapses occur, and that over-coping and accomplishing too much too soon can often cause a relapse. Patients should respect these relapses and back off. They should not consider them a sign of failure.

Research also shows that patient education can be effective in treating fibromyalgia, especially when combined with CBT, exercise, and other therapies. Educational programs can take the form of group discussions, lectures, or printed materials, although there isn’t any clear evidence on which type of education works best.

Support Organizations and Group Therapy

Cognitive therapy may be expensive and not covered by insurance. Other effective approaches that are free or less costly include support groups or group psychotherapy. In one study, educational discussion groups were as effective, or even more so, than a cognitive therapy program. Such results are not typical in all centers. Therapeutic success varies widely depending on the skill of the therapist.

Resources

References

Abeles M, Solitar BM, Pillinger MH, Abeles AM. Update on fibromyalgia therapy. Am J Med. 2008;121:555-561.

Arnold LM, Goldenberg DL, Stanford SB, Lalonde JK, Sandhu HS, Keck PE, et al. Gabapentin in the treatment of fibromyalgia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2007;56:1336-1344.

Geisser ME, Glass JM, Rajcevska LD, Clauw DJ, Williams DA, Kileny PR. A psychophysical study of auditory and pressure sensitivity in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. J Pain. 2008;9:417-422.

Guedj E, Cammilleri S, Niboyet J, Dupont P, Vidal E, Dropinski JP, Mundler O. Clinical correlate of brain SPECT perfusion abnormalities in fibromyalgia. J Nucl Med. 2008;49:1798-1803.

Gusi N, Tomas-Carus P. Cost-utility of an 8-month aquatic training for women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008;10:R24.

Harris RE, Clauw DJ, Scott DJ, McLean SA, Gracely RH, Zubieta JK. Decreased central u-opioid receptor availability in fibromyalgia. J Neurosci. 2007;27:10000-10006.

Lawrence RC, Felson DT, Helmick CG, Arnold LM, Choi H, Deyo RA, et al. Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and other rheumatic conditions in the United States. Part II. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;58:26-35.

Mannerkorpi K, Henriksson C. Non-pharmacological treatment of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2007;21:513-534.

Matsushita K, Masuda A, Tei C. Efficacy of Waon therapy for fibromyalgia. Intern Med. 2008;47:1473-1476.

McCabe CS, Cohen H, Blake DR. Somaesthetic disturbances in fibromyalgia are exaggerated by sensory-motor conflict: implications for chronicity of the disease? Rheumatology. 2007;46:1587-1592.

Rooks DS, Gautam S, Romeling M, Cross ML, Stratigakis D, Evans B, et al. Group exercise, education, and combination self-management in women with fibromyalgia. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167;2192-2200.

Schweinhardt P. Fibromyalgia: a disorder of the brain? Neuroscientist. 2008;14:415-421.

Targino RA, Imamura M, Kaziyama HH, Souza LP, Hsing WT, Furlan AD, et al. A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture added to usual treatment for fibromyalgia. J Rehabil Med. 2008;40:582-588.

Van Koulil S, Effting M, Kraaimaat FW, van Lankveld W, van Helmond T, Cats H, et al. Cognitive-behavioural therapies and exercise programmes for patients with fibromyalgia; state of the art and future directions. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007;66:571-581.

Verbunt JA, Pernot DH, Smeets RJ. Disability and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2008;6:8.

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Panic Attack? Attack Back with These Helpful Tools

Posted in Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , on November 30, 2009| 1 Comment »

The holidays can be stressful. Shopping, parties, family obligations, and of course, extra traffic, can all lead you to feel a little anxious. But what happens when that stress produces a full blown anxiety attack? Read on to find the latest treatments for panic disorders and some simple fixes you can do for stress and anxiety…even if you don’t have full blown panic attacks! (Hint: Cutting down caffeine really helps curb anxiety.)

Excerpted from High Anxiety by Joseph Hart in Experience Life

40 million Americans who have been derailed by what psychiatrists call “anxiety disorders.” It’s a broad medical diagnosis that includes several distinct categories:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, which consists of intrusive thoughts (obsessions) combined with repetitive behaviors (compulsions), such as excessive hand washing, that the sufferer performs to avoid the obsessive thoughts.

Panic disorder refers to recurring episodes of intense physical fear, without an obvious or immediate source of fear. These episodes, also called anxiety attacks, are commonly characterized by heart palpitations and may be accompanied by chest pains. It might also be difficult to breathe, and you may feel like you are choking (symptoms that can make the situation even more frightening and further ratchet up anxiety).

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) follows a severe traumatic event that threatens actual harm.

Social anxiety disorder describes the condition of people who suffer overwhelming anxiety when faced with everyday social interactions.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a catchall category that describes any chronic anxiety or exaggerated worry that lacks an obvious cause.

While these diagnoses, symptoms and distinctions sound clear-cut on paper, in practice they are anything but. In part, this is because separating the typical from the pathological isn’t always easy. The human brain, it seems, is hardwired to worry even under the best of conditions.

“Because we humans have prefrontal lobes, we can anticipate the future and make up a scenario that is harmful
to us,” says Melissa Blacker, MA, a psychotherapist and associate director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness.

Some degree of anxiety and fear are normal responses to life. “Healthy anxiety is part of our fight-or-flight response system,” says Jonathan Abramowitz, PhD, director of the Anxiety and Stress Disorder Clinic at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. “As a basic emotion, it is helpful. In fact, we would all be dead without it, because it protects us from harm.”

So where does a healthy emotional response to stress leave off and an anxiety disorder begin? “Anxiety is a response to the perception of threat,” Abramowitz explains. “When we’re talking about a real danger, that’s healthy stress and anxiety, but when the perception of threat is based on either a misinterpretation of the severity of the threat or the likelihood of harm, then we’re talking about a disorder.”

Mind-Body Connections

The biological processes triggered by anxiety — sweaty hands, shallow breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness — are hardwired human responses to stressful situations. Most of these responses serve some biological purpose, such as preparing our bodies to react (fight or flee), or they are the byproduct of the chemicals, such as cortisol and adrenaline, that such a reaction might require. It’s when we perceive a major threat in situations where, objectively speaking, there is little or none — for example, in a crowded elevator (claustrophobia), crossing a bridge (fear of heights), leaving the house (agoraphobia) or at an office mixer (social anxiety) — that anxiety is classified as a disorder.

The more frequently or dramatically an unwarranted response occurs, and the more it interferes with a person’s daily life, the more severe that classification is likely to be.

Although pharmaceutical drugs can help moderate our bodies’ physical response to stressful thoughts or stimuli, nonpharmaceutical treatments — like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — are beginning to replace drugs as the preferred treatment for anxiety disorders.

Unlike medications that attempt to suppress our physiological responses to perceived threats, CBT is aimed at correcting our perception of those threats, and thus encouraging a self-moderating response.

The first goal of CBT is simply education, says Abramowitz. “We teach people about their symptoms,” he explains. “We explain that when you feel nauseated, it’s not because you’re going to throw up; when your heart races, it’s not because you’re having a heart attack.” For many, just recognizing the symptoms of anxiety for what they are — and realizing that they do not represent an immediate danger — can prevent an attack from worsening.

The second phase of CBT focuses on exposure and response protection. Some CBT therapists actually place the sufferer in the situation that causes him or her fear — whether that situation is external, like playing with a large dog, or internal, like experiencing an accelerated heart rate. “When a person repeatedly confronts their fears, they learn that the outcomes they worry about aren’t nearly as likely as they think,” Abramowitz explains.

Moreover, they learn that the initial fight-or-flight response is transitory; anxiety eases when you’re able to stay in a situation and your fears aren’t realized.

It can take 10 to 15 sessions of CBT to produce lasting results, says Abramowitz, and the success rate is fairly high — as many as 70 percent of patients conquer their anxieties. (To find a cognitive-behavioral therapist near you, visit the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists at http://nacbt.org/searchfortherapists.asp.)

Anxiety as a Physical Condition

The physical aspects of anxiety — our fight-or-flight response — are governed by the sympathetic nervous system. CBT works by essentially reprogramming our involuntary activation of this system. But other treatment approaches focus on the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates the healing, recharging part of the nervous system and helps shut off the fight-or-flight response.

Patricia Gerbarg, PhD, MD, a clinical psychiatrist at the New York Medical College and coauthor of How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care (Norton, 2009), is studying how to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to quiet anxiety. She and her colleagues have discovered that some ancient practices are highly effective.

In particular, yoga breathing induces a very calm, clear-minded state — the opposite of the anxious fight-or-flight state of the sympathetic nervous system. “When you change the pattern of breathing,” explains Gerbarg, “it changes what happens in your emotion centers and thinking centers,” slowing the fight-or-flight actions of the amygdala and quieting the areas of the cortex that process worry.

Gerbarg and her colleagues have been able to quantify the effects of breathing techniques on the parasympathetic nervous system, and they are using what they’ve learned to train patients to interrupt anxiety with breathing. “We have seen some very rapid effects,” she says. “In five minutes, people may go from severe anxiety to complete relaxation.”

Psychotherapist Kathryn Templeton, who spent 20 years working with soldiers suffering from PTSD at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and now works with abused children, uses breathing and yoga extensively in her treatments. She has her patients begin by inhaling slowly for three counts and exhaling for six counts, a practice that cultivates awareness of their breathing patterns. “Breathing creates resiliency and releases tension,” she explains. It is physically impossible to breathe deeply and feel anxious at the same time.

The power of breath to reduce symptoms of anxiety helps illustrate how anxiety lives in both brain and body. Because anxiety is as much a physical condition as a mental one, a variety of physical activities can offer relief.  Exercise in particular, writes Edward Hallowell in Worry: Hope and Help for a Common Condition (Random House, 1998), “is a terrific antidote for worry.”

Exercise quiets the anxiety response, not by changing the situation that is causing anxiety, he explains, but by changing “the vessel of your worry, the physical state of your body and brain.” He notes that exercise produces a variety of chemicals, such as endorphins, corticosteroids and neurotrophins, as well as various neurotransmitters like serotonin that can help soothe the worried mind.

If you start to feel anxiety welling up and you have even just a few free minutes, a couple treks up and down the stairs or a brisk walk around the block can work wonders, says Hallowell. You won’t always have the opportunity to break into a sprint when you feel your anxiety spiking, but, he continues, “A regular exercise program — exercise three or four times a week — will almost always cut down on worry. Exercise should be incorporated into any plan to reduce anxiety and control worry.”

Finally, no approach to anxiety management can be optimally successful unless it is supported by proper nutrition. Our brains require certain fats, proteins and nutrients to function normally and regulate mood — and no amount of yogic breathing or CBT can compensate for a mineral or omega-3-fat deficiency. (To learn more about what to eat to reduce anxiety and stabilize mood, see “Comfort Food for Your Brain.”) It is also important to limit your intake of stimulants such as caffeine, which prime the body and brain for heightened anxiety.

Mix Your Own Cure

Ultimately, regardless of whether or not you choose to treat your anxiety with medication, it makes sense to avail yourself of the full spectrum of other interventions, too — from good nutrition and regular exercise, to yoga, deep breathing and psychological approaches like CBT.

“Not every person will use every [approach],” writes Hallowell. “But every [approach] should at least be considered in order to achieve the best results.” That’s because, he notes, in almost all cases, no single approach alone will provide optimal results. Every individual has to find his or her own right mix.

In any life, anxiety is bound to come and go. But when it comes on strong enough to impede our health and happiness, it’s comforting to know that the remedies of modern science, ancient wisdom and simple self-care can all offer relief — and smart ways to keep future anxieties at bay.

The Big Chill-Out

Common signs of an anxiety attack include rapid heart rate, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, numbness in limbs or face, difficulty thinking clearly, and fear of losing control.

Whether or not you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms, here are some top techniques for quickly and effectively reducing anxiety when it rears its ugly head:

Take a deep breath: Perhaps the single most effective way you can get your anxiety under control quickly is to breathe deeply and slowly into your diaphragm. Start simply by closing your eyes, breathing in deeply for a count of three and then exhaling for a count of four. Do it for a minute or two at a time, repeating until you feel calmer.

Pay Attention: Worries and anxieties tend to grow more powerful when we allow them to accumulate in our subconscious. You can interrupt the accumulation of anxieties by bringing them into the forefront of your mind and acknowledging their presence. Don’t worry about trying to talk yourself out of your worries. Just take a minute to step back and observe yourself being anxious. Note any physical symptoms (clenched muscles, shallow breathing, racing heartbeat) and ask yourself: Are my fears appropriate to my current actual level of danger? Simply taking stock of your anxiety and consciously seeing uncomfortable sensations for what they are (vs. indications that you are in physical danger) can make them feel less intense.

Get a Move On: If you feel anxiety rising, quit what you’re doing and take a quick walk, do some pushups, or climb a few flights of stairs. It may be enough to clear your body of accumulating stress chemicals and give your mind a chance to reframe troubling thoughts. Going forward, build some exercise time into your schedule. Regular exercise (most experts recommend vigorous activity three to four times a week to help keep anxiety symptoms at bay) helps your body balance its supply of neurochemicals and hormones and also helps increase your overall resilience. Many people find that yoga provides special anxiety- quelling benefits.

Connect With Nature: If you can step outside, or even focus on a tree, cloud or horizon line you can see from your window, do it. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to natural scenes and environments, even painted views of landscapes, measurably lowers anxiety and reduces perceptions of pain. Spending time in nature also improves mood and reduces reactivity in many people. So make a point of regularly getting outdoors, allowing images, scents and sensations of nature to help you calm your jangled nerves before they get out of control.

For more suggestions on managing anxiety, and a more complete list of symptoms and their causes, check out the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, online at www.adaa.org/GettingHelp/AnxietyDisorders/PanicAttack.asp.

Resources
WEB
Anxiety Disorders Association of America (www.adaa.org) provides information about anxiety disorders, treatments, how to choose a therapist, self-tests and more.

The National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists (www.nacbt.org) provides information about CBT and how it works.

The Midwest Center (www.stresscenter.com/mwc) is a leading provider of self-care and coaching programs for people who suffer from stress, anxiety and depression.

BOOKS
Natural Relief for Anxiety: Complementary Strategies for Easing Fear, Panic & Worry by Edmund J. Bourne, Arlen Brownstein and Lorna Garano (New Harbinger, 2004)

When Panic Attacks: The New, Drug-Free Anxiety Therapy That Can Change Your Life by David D. Burns, MD (Broadway, 2007)

Living Well With Anxiety: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You That You Need to Know by Carolyn Chambers Clark (HarperCollins, 2006)

Worry: Hope and Help for a Common Condition by Edward Hallowell, MD (Random House, 1998)

The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook by Martha Davis, Matthew McKay and Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman (New Harbinger, 2008)

Panic Attacks Workbook: A Guided Program for Beating the Panic Trick by David Carbonell, PhD (Ulysses Press, 2004)

Excerpted from High Anxiety by Joseph Hart in Experience Life

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Daytime Naps Can Be Good for Your Health!

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , on November 19, 2009| 1 Comment »

Harvard Health Publications has the latest word on napping and your health. Read the article below from Harvard Health Letter to find out why short daytime naps may be good for business’ bottom line!

Napping may not be such a no-no

Research is showing that the daytime snooze may have benefits and not interfere with nighttime sleep.

At work, if you get caught napping, it could get you into trouble or, more mildly, sully your reputation for diligence. In studies, naps have been linked to ill health, although usually as a consequence, not a cause. And in sleep recommendations, naps have taken a back seat — or been cast as a threat to nighttime sleep.

But lately, naps have been shedding some of their bad-for-you image. Researchers are finding benefits. A few employers have become accommodating of the quick snooze. And some research suggests that instead of fretting about napping more as we get older, we should plan on adding daytime sleep to our schedule as a way to make up for the normal, age-related decay in the quality of our nighttime sleep.

Getting over the hump

Naps, of course, can be an antidote to daytime sleepiness, and we get sleepy during the day for a wide variety of reasons. There is, in fact, a biological clock located in a cluster of cells in the hypothalamus of the brain. Those cells orchestrate the circadian (that is, daily) ups and downs of many physiological processes (body temperature, blood pressure, secretion of digestive juices), including sleep and wakefulness. As you might expect, the usual circadian pattern is wakefulness during the day followed by gradually increasing sleepiness in the evening, but it’s also common to have a little “hump” of midafternoon sleepiness programmed into the circadian schedule. An afternoon nap is one way to accommodate that hump.

In 2008, British researchers reported results of a study that compared getting more nighttime sleep, taking a nap, and using caffeine as ways to cope with the afternoon hump. The nap was the most effective.

Another factor in daytime sleepiness is the number of hours you’ve been awake. After about 16 consecutive hours without sleep, most of us will start to feel tired. Ideally, this homeostatic sleep drive, as it is called, is in sync with the one set by our circadian rhythm, so they’re mutually reinforcing. But if you work a night shift, or have problems sleeping at night, your 16-hour allotment of wakefulness may begin — and end — earlier, which can set you up for grogginess in the late afternoon or early evening. A short nap won’t completely reset the timer, but it can buy you some time before the grogginess sets in again.

How to take a good nap

Keep it short. The 20- to 30-minute nap may be the ideal pick-me-up. Even just napping for a few minutes has benefits. Longer naps can lead to sleep inertia — the post-sleep grogginess that can be difficult to shake off.

Find a dark, quiet, cool place. You don’t want to waste a lot of time getting to sleep. Reducing light and noise helps most people nod off faster. Cool temperatures are helpful, too.

Plan on it. Waiting till daytime sleepiness gets so bad that you have to take a nap can be uncomfortable and dangerous if, say, you’re driving. A regular nap time may also help you get to sleep faster and wake up quicker.

Time your caffeine. Caffeine takes some time to kick in. A small Japanese study published several years ago found that drinking a caffeinated beverage and then taking a short nap immediately afterward was the most restful combination because the sleep occurred just before the caffeine took effect. We’re not so sure about that approach — the mere suggestion of caffeine, in the form of coffee taste or smell, wakes us up. Regardless of the exact timing, you need to coordinate caffeine intake with your nap.

Don’t feel guilty! The well-timed nap can make you more productive at work and at home.

On the job

Since 2000 or so, researchers at Harvard and elsewhere have conducted dozens of experiments that have shown that sleep improves learning, memory, and creative thinking. In many cases, the edifying sleep has come in the form of a nap. For example, several studies have shown that if people are asked to memorize something — say, a list of words — and then take a nap, they’ll remember more of it than they would have if they hadn’t taken the nap. Even catnaps of six minutes (not counting the five minutes it takes to fall asleep on average) have been shown to make a difference in how well people retain information.

Robert Stickgold, a Harvard sleep researcher, says napping makes people more effective problem solvers. His research group has shown that taking a nap seems to help people separate important information from extraneous details. If the nap includes REM sleep — the phase during which dreaming occurs — people become better at making connections between seemingly unrelated words.

Stickgold says his and others’ findings argue for employer policies that actively encourage napping, especially in today’s knowledge-based economy. Some companies have set up nap rooms, and Google has “nap pods” that block out light and sound.

Understandably, employers are concerned about abuse: employees catching up on sleep they should be getting on their own time. But there may be a place for “strategic napping,” especially among people who work a night shift. Results from a New Zealand study published in 2009 showed that air traffic controllers working the night shift scored better on tests of alertness and performance if they took advantage of a planned nap period of 40 minutes. Researchers in the Harvard Division of Sleep Medicine are working with fire departments to improve sleep policies. One of their recommendations is that firefighters on the night shift take a nap in the late afternoon before their shift starts.

Read entire article in Harvard Health Letter here.

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Indoor Plants Rated as Top Indoor Air Cleaners by University of Georgia

Posted in Health and Wellness, Stress Management, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on November 18, 2009| 5 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

We know that nature has a stress relieving effect. Read more about the effects of nature on stress in our post, “A Cure For Burnout and Stress–As Simple as a Walk In The Woods!” here. But working indoors and living in cold climates like Chicago often means a lack of contact with nature. How can we help reduce our stress, interact more with nature and still work to pay our bills?

Add indoor plants to the workplace and home!

Not only can it help with stress relief, but indoor plants have been shown to improve indoor air quality too. Read more about the study of indoor plants and air quality from United Press International via EcoWorld in the   article that follows.


Top Indoor Air Cleaner Plants


ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 5, 2009 (UPI) — U.S. scientists say they have come up with five ornamental plants that do a superior job of removing indoor air pollutants.

The study of 28 types of plants, published in HortScience, found Hemigraphis alternata known as purple waffle plant; Hedera helix or English ivy; Hoya carnosa or variegated wax plant; and Asparagus densiflorus or Asparagus fern had the highest removal rates for all five volatile organic compounds introduced.

Tradescantia pallida or Purple heart plant was rated superior for its ability to remove four of the volatile organic compounds.

Study leader Stanley J. Kays of the University of Georgia in Athens placed plants in gas-tight glass jars, exposing them to benzene, octane, toluene and alpha-pinene. The researchers analyzed air samples and then classified plants as superior, intermediate and poor in their ability to remove the five volatile organic compounds from the air.

“The volatile organic compounds tested in this study can adversely affect indoor air quality

and have a potential to seriously compromise the health of exposed individuals,” Kays said in a statement.

Kays said benzene and toluene are known to originate from petroleum-based indoor coatings, cleaning solutions, plastics, environmental tobacco smoke and exterior exhaust fumes seeping into buildings; octane from paint, adhesives and building materials; TCE from tap water, cleaning agents, insecticides and plastic products; and alpha-pinene from synthetic paints and odorants.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International

Find original article in EcoWorld here.


Caring for your Indoor Plants


• Purple waffle plant-care instructions here.

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Purple Waffle Plant from joeysplanting's photostream on Flickr

• English ivy-most effective plant for removing formaldehyde,  the most common indoor air pollutant, from your indoor atmosphere. English Ivy care instructions here.

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English Ivy. Image from Loghome.com

• Variegated wax plant-care instructions here.

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Hoya-varigeated wax plant. Image from plant-care.com

• Asparagus fern-care instructions here.

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Asparagus Fern (Asparagus densiflorus. Image from Pandorea's photostream on Flickr.

• Purple heart plant-care instructions here.

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Purple Heart or Purple Heart Wandering Jew. Image from University of Wisconsin Horticulture

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Get Prairie Fever–And Find 60 Hikes in the Chicago area

Posted in Fitness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , on November 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles

If you’re looking for the lowdown on where you can stretch your legs and escape the urban grid, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Chicago will help you find your way.

Focusing on urban and rural areas and everything in between, the book features classic hikes at places such as Starved Rock State Park, as well as undiscovered gems like the LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area in northwestern Indiana.

The author, Ted Villaire, also writes a blog, Prairie Fever here, with great insights into hiking, biking camping and kayaking in the Chicago area.

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Ted Villaire

Who is Ted Villaire?

Ted Villaire received a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and received his master’s of arts in writing from DePaul University in Chicago. He is author of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Chicago, published in 2005 by Menasha Ridge Press, and is currently working on four more regional outdoor guidebooks that focus on bicycling and camping within the Chicago region and throughout Illinois. A Chicago resident for the past 10 years, Ted has worked for various daily and weekly newspapers, and has had freelance articles appear in The Chicago Tribune and the Des Moines Register. Recently, Ted worked for seven years as a publications editor for a large non-profit organization headquartered in Chicago.

Note: Working Well Resources is not affiliated with Ted Villaire in any manner. We just enjoy his blog and book and want to share them with you!

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A Cure For Burnout and Stress–As Simple as a Walk In The Woods!

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 15, 2009| 4 Comments »

Aside from achieving better Fitness by hiking and exercising in the Forest, there is ample evidence that exercising or interacting with nature (even having live plants in your work environment) helps combat burnout, reduces mental stress and reduces mental fatigue. Read on for more about this research and it’s implications for our daily lives.

A Walk in the Woods

By John Lofy in Michigan Today, a publication of the University of Michigan

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University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. Photo from JM Olsen Corporation

Professor Rachel Kaplan’s office at U-M’s School of Natural Resources and Environment looks out over a large oak tree. Potted plants crowd her window sill. Beyond these small patches of nature loom the buildings of central campus. But, she says, a little bit of nature goes a long way.

She would know. Kaplan and her husband, professor Stephen Kaplan, were among the first academics to study the psychological benefits of nature. Colleagues and collaborators for decades, they have shown that natural settings—trees, grass, gardens, and the like—have a profound, positive impact on both mental and physical health.

Both Kaplans hold joint appointments: Rachel in SNRE and Psychology, Stephen in Psychology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. They both take particular pride in graduate students they have mentored over the years. Students working with the Kaplans have made some striking discoveries:

• Studies by Bernadine Cimprich showed that the psychological health of cancer patients “improved dramatically” after they spent 20 minutes a day, three days a week, doing restorative activities such as gardening or walking in the woods. A control group that did not do the activities showed notably less improvement.

• Studies by Frances Kuo and William Sullivan found that residents of public housing projects who live near trees “showed all kinds of benefits,” says Stephen. “More civility, less aggression—and girls were more likely to study” their schoolwork.

• A study of AIDS caregivers by Lisa Canin found that the single most powerful factor in avoiding stress-related burnout was “locomotion in nature”—such as walking, running, biking, or canoeing. (The quickest route to burnout was watching television.)

Better yet, says Rachel, the natural setting “doesn’t have to be big or pristine” to have a positive effect. “Most of all, it has to be nearby.” A study by Ernest Moore of prisoners in Milan, Michigan, showed that simply having a view of farmland from a prison cell reduced inmates’ need for health care.

What’s so powerful about nature? Stephen theorizes that it comes down to brain function. The source of much mental distress, he says, is overuse of “directed attention”—such as concentrating on work. “Sustained directed attention is difficult and fatiguing. When people talk about mental fatigue, what is actually fatigued is not their mind as a whole, but their capacity to direct attention.” And it can make people “distractible and irritable.”

To escape the discomforts of mental fatigue, people often turn to activities that “capture” their attention. They find external events to distract them, so they don’t have to concentrate so hard. Watching TV, for instance, requires little willpower: the programs do the work, and the brain follows along.

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Watching t.v. doesn't allow for mental rest. Image from salviaforme

Similarly, says Stephen, “many people find an auto race fascinating.” Fast motion, loud noises, and smells captivate the brain.

The Kaplans refer to activities like watching TV or sporting events as “hard fascination.” The stimuli are loud, bright, and commanding. The activities are engaging and fun, but they don’t allow for mental rest.

Soft fascination, on the other hand, is the kind of stimulation one finds on, say, a stroll along the beach or in the woods. Nothing overwhelms the attention, says Stephen, “and the beauty provides pleasure that complements the gentle stimulation.” The brain can soak up pleasing images, but it can also wander, reflect, and recuperate.

Most people, say the Kaplans, intuitively know this. But often, they either don’t do it, or they may not have opportunities to get out in nature. That’s too bad, because the Kaplans have shown that if you’re upset, frazzled, or suffering, an easygoing walk in the woods or even along a tree-lined street is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Read more about the Kaplans and their research here.

Ways You Can Increase Your Interaction with Nature

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Gardening for stress relief. Photo from IVPeaceFest.com

• Plant a garden. Even in the city if you have an outdoor porch you can plant a small garden in pots and window boxes. Weeding the garden,  “playing” in the dirt, and taking the time to nurture your plants, nurtures your own nervous system and allows you some peaceful moments free from everyday stress.

• Bring live plants into your workspace. Live plants help clean the air and make your environment naturally beautiful and less stressful.

• Go for regular walks in nearby forest preserves or parks.

• Make after dinner walks around your neighborhood part of your family routine. This is a great way to spend quality time with friends and family, get regular exercise and get away from the stress of the TV, telephone and temptations of junk food.

• Volunteer in a nearby community garden.

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Cabrini-Green Community Vegetable Garden (taken by Strannik45).

• Try snow shoeing, sledding, cross country skiing or walking in the fresh fallen winter snow. (It’s coming soon to Chicago so be ready with warm layers and waterproof hiking boots!)

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Snowshoeing. Image from outdoors.mainetoday.com

• When possible, alter your driving route to go through area parks, forest preserves or stretches of the road that gives you a view of Lake Michigan, trees and natural bodies of water like rivers and ponds.

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Fall Colors at Argonne

• Plant an indoor herb garden in a well lit window for the winter. It gives you the double benefit of fresh herbs for your meals and the moments of stress relief you get when tending your mini-garden.

• As much as possible, exercise outdoors. Run and hike in the park or forest preserves.

• When time permits, work outdoors. Take

your laptop to the beach or park. In inclement weather find malls or indoor public spaces with plants and trees.

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In the Nature Versus Technology Contest, Nature Wins

Posted in Fitness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , on November 10, 2009| 1 Comment »

Do scenes of nature on your computer screen or television give you the same stress relief that you get looking out a window at a scenic view? Sadly, no. Read the excerpt from Newswise.com below for the sad truth about the effects of “faux” nature.

Scenes of Nature Trump Technology in Reducing Low-level Stress

A new study that measured individuals’ heart recovery rate from minor stress when exposed to a natural scene through a window, the same scene shown on a high-definition plasma screen, or a blank wall. The heart rate of people who looked at the scene through the window dropped more quickly than the others. In fact, the high-definition plasma screen had no more effect than the blank wall.

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Student viewing computer scene of nature (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Washington)

Research done through the Human Interaction with Nature and Technological Systems Lab at the University of Washington showed that when people spent more time looking at the natural scene their heart rates tended to decrease more. That was not the case with the plasma screen.

The study, funded by the National Science Foundation, is published in the current issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

“Technology is good and it can help our lives, but let’s not be fooled into thinking we can live without nature,” said Peter Kahn, a UW associate professor of psychology who led the research team.

“We are losing direct experiences with nature. Instead, more and more we’re experiencing nature represented technologically through television and other media. Children grow up watching Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. That’s probably better than nothing. But as a species we need interaction with actual nature for our physical and psychological well-being.”

Part of this loss comes from what the researchers call environmental generational amnesia. This is the idea that across generations the amount of environmental degradation increases, but each generation views conditions it grew up with as largely non-degraded and normal. Children growing up today in the cities with the worst air pollution often, for example, don’t believe that their communities are particularly polluted.

“This problem of environmental generational amnesia is particularly important for children coming of age with current technologies,” said Rachel Severson, a co-author of the study and a UW psychology doctoral student. “Children may not realize they are not getting the benefits of actual nature when interacting with what we’re calling technological nature.”

The researchers found that participants with the plasma screen actually looked at it just as often as did those who had the window. However, the window held the students’ attention significantly longer than the plasma screen did. When participants spent more time looking at the window, their heart rates decreased faster than on tasks when they spent less time looking at the window. This was not true with the plasma screen.

“I was surprised by this,” said Kahn. “I thought the plasma screen would come somewhere between the glass window and the blank wall. This study is important because it shows the importance of nature in human lives and at least one limitation of technological nature.

“In the years ahead, technological nature will get more sophisticated and compelling. But if it continues to replace our interaction with actual nature, it will come at a cost. To thrive as a species, we still need to interact with nature by encountering an animal in the wild, walking along the ocean’s edge or sleeping under the enormity of the night sky.”

Co-authors of the study are Batya Friedman, Jennifer Hagman, Erika Feldman and Anna Stolyar of the UW, Brian Gill of Seattle Pacific University, Nathan Freier of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Sybil Carrere of California State University, San Bernardino. Freier and Carrere were both at the UW when they worked on the study.

Read the full article here.

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Move Your Body, Improve Your Mental Health!

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on November 9, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Exercise and Mental Health

By Dr Shock at DrShockMD website
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Healthy people exercising

A recent review about the relationship between exercise and mental health in the elderly discussed the results of clinical research and biological explanations for the effects of exercise on mental health. Exercise is studied in the elderly in depression, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Shock has discussed the topic of exercise and depression before on his blog. The conclusion was that exercise is more effective than no treatment and that for mild to moderate depression it is efficacious and for severe depression it should be added to other treatments in the treatment program. In this more recent review on exercise and mental health the focus is on the elderly. Data on elderly patients are scarcer. Nevertheless investigations have shown that aerobic exercise at an intensity consistent with public health recommendations can be regarded as an effective treatment of mild and moderate depression. There is some evidence for a possible dose-response effect of exercise on depression. Treatment not prevention? Indeed, this topic has not yet been extensively studied in the elderly yet.

What does that mean: aerobic exercise at an intensity consistent with public health recommendations?

Basic recommendations from the The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA).

  • Do moderately intense aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week
  • Or Do vigorously intense aerobic exercise 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
  • And Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, 10-15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three times per week
  • And If you are at risk of falling, perform balance exercises
  • And Have a physical activity plan.

What is a physical activity plan?
In short consult your GP before starting to exercise.

Older adults or adults with chronic conditions should develop an activity plan with a health professional to manage risks and take therapeutic needs into account. This will maximize the benefits of physical activity and ensure your safety.

Physical Exercise and Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Epidemiological studies have associated exercise with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease
  • Exercise as treatment for dementia showed efficacy for mood status, psychosocial functioning, physical health and caregiver distress
  • Daily 30 minutes of exercise diminishes the number of hospitalization needed, decreased depressive symptoms, increased quality of life in patients with Alzheimer’s disease
  • In comparison with a sedentary group, the group with a year of exercise intervention improved in quality of life

Physical Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease
Also in Parkinson’s Disease epidemiological studies have shown that exercise can protect against the disease. The disease is associated with tremor, rigidity, and hypokinesia which can result in falls and tiredness.The main advantage of exercise in PD is improvement of functional capabilities due to strength and balance training. This improves motor skills, improves their quality of life and reduces the number of falls.

Although somewhat limited, evidence suggests that exercise training is beneficial to patients with PD, especially in functional capacity and ADLs improvement

The protective effect of exercise can be explained by effects on the brain as can be read in the Neuroscience of Exercise on Dr. Shock’s blog.

Sources:
Deslandes, A., Moraes, H., Ferreira, C., Veiga, H., Silveira, H., Mouta, R., Pompeu, F., Coutinho, E., & Laks, J. (2009). Exercise and Mental Health: Many Reasons to Move Neuropsychobiology, 59 (4), 191-198 DOI: 10.1159/000223730

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Fitness in The Forest-Part 3-Waterfall Glen

Posted in Fitness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , on November 7, 2009| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, LMT, ACSM PT, Certified Wellness Coach

There is still time to enjoy the fall colors and get a bit of healthy hiking in this fall. Throw on a few layers of clothes, a good pair of hiking shoes, a camel back for water and grab a few LARABARs and you are ready to hike Waterfall Glen in the Chicago area!

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Waterfal Glen

Waterfall Glen is one of the DuPage County Forest Preserves. It rings Argonne labs and offers hikers, bikers, fishermen (and women), horseback riders and picnickers a chance to get away from the sounds, smells and traffic in the city. Being in nature has a stress relieving effect and exercise is good for stress management as well.

According to researchers at Cornell University: “Our study finds that life’s stressful events appear not to cause as much psychological distress in children who live in high-nature conditions compared with children who live in low-nature conditions,” says Nancy Wells, assistant professor of design and environmental analysis in the New York State College of Human Ecology at Cornell. “And the protective impact of nearby nature is strongest for the most vulnerable children — those experiencing the highest levels of stressful life events.”

From the Waterfall Glen website:

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve has w glacier-formed ridges, ravines and potholes. The preserve is exceptional, because it contains features not found anywhere else in the county: The largest contiguous woodland block – over 700 acres — and a dolomite prairie, with rock very close to the surface and shallow soil, home to rare plants for the region.

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Fall Colors at Argonne/Waterfall Glen

Waterfall Glen’s many habitats — prairies, savannas, oak-maple woodlands and planted pine groves – and distinctive features make it a haven for a wide variety of plants and animals. Surveys by District ecologists have recorded more than 600 native plant species at the preserve, which includes 75 per cent of all the plants known to grow naturally in DuPage County. In addition, countless fish, amphibian, reptilian, and mammalian species can be found in the preserve, as well as more than 160 avian species, some year-round and some migrating.

Biking

Cyclists are invited to use any of the preserve’s eight-foot-wide multipurpose trails, although they are asked to stay toward the outside of the trails as a courtesy to other visitors. To prevent damage to sensitive natural areas, cycling on trails less than eight feet wide is prohibited.

Fishing

Several old quarries scattered throughout the preserve offer still fishing waters. All persons 16 and older (except legally disabled persons) are required to have in their possession a valid Illinois sport fishing license. All anglers must follow District and state regulations.

Horseback Riding

In addition to the main trail loop, Waterfall Glen offers trails suitable for horseback riding throughout the preserve. Visitors with trailers should park in the designated parking bays at the trailhead on Northgate Road.

Model Aircraft Area

A large open field in the southwest section of the preserve is a popular spot for local model aircraft enthusiasts. For more information on access to this area or use by qualified model aircraft clubs, contact Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248.

Picnicking

Visitors are welcome to spread a blanket and enjoy a picnic in the mowed grass areas at Waterfall Glen. Ground fires are not permitted, except in the fire ring at the trailhead area.

Trails

Waterfall Glen’s four marked trails range from 0.2 miles to 9.5 miles in length and meander through some of the preserve’s most scenic areas. The main trail is an eight-foot-wide crushed-limestone multipurpose trail. In addition, there are many unmarked mowed-grass trails and footpaths that dissect the preserve. Feel free to hike and explore these smaller, less-conspicuous paths, but remember that they often are not linked to the main trail nor are they shown on the preserve map.

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River at Waterfall Glen

To find out more about Waterfall Glen go to the DuPage Country Forest Preserve Website here.

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