I am so happy that you have visited the site to learn how to keep yourself well. It is up to you to enjoy good health before things go awry. I will be including some tips on just how to accomplish this! A subject will appear each month that hopefully will pertain to most people. The topics will be varied in an attempt appeal to a large and varied selection of readers. I will invite questions that can be submitted via the site, especially if there is a topic you want covered in future newsletters.  

This month’s topic is Stress Reduction/ Memory loss. 

Are you becoming forgetful? Is it often that you see someone you know and their name escapes you??  How often are “looking for something” such as your keys?  Do you sometimes fear the onset of Alzheimer’s disease? Well, you are not alone.  

Short term memory loss can be caused by a multitude of reasons:

Results of a recent report were released declaring that menopause and loss of memory were not linked, therefore disappointing many women who felt they could blame this condition on their ever changing hormones. But studies suggest that people often become forgetful due to having too much on their mind resulting in less concentration, indecisiveness, the mind “racing or going blind”, confusion and loss of sense of humor. If we stop and picture our brains like a computer, it is easy to see how we get “overloaded”. Did you ever enter things on your computer and perhaps get a little impatient and hit “enter” too many times only to have your computer lock up?? Doesn’t it make sense that our brain can easily be overloaded too? Increased stress is probably the number 1 cause of becoming forgetful.  

With the fall months, comes the beginning of the Holiday season.

What does this mean to many of you? Relatives visiting, planning big dinners, travel to loved ones, and perhaps the stress of being with relatives you really don’t want to be with!  But the key for all of us to remember is that stress is ultimately the “reaction” we have to the events around us. We sometimes fall into a pit of “mind traps”, such as unrealistic expectations, our rigid thinking, having an all or nothing attitude, and taking things too personally. For instance what personality types do you think are the stressful types? Let’s look at the type “A” personality, the workaholic and the people pleaser.  

There are things you can do to decrease stress and claim you memory back!!!

Remember, no single method is uniformly successful – what works for one may not have the same results for another.  

“Breathing” is one of the most effective means of relaxation. There are two kinds of breathing: Thoracic (chest) or Diaphragmatic (abdominal).  

Chest breathing is often associated with anxiety or other emotional distress. It is shallow and often irregular and rapid. Anxious people may experience breath holding, hyperventilation, or constricted breathing, shortness of breath, fear of passing out. If an insufficient amount of air reaches your lungs, your blood is not properly oxygenated, your heart rate and muscle tension increases, and your stress response is turned on. 

Abdominal breathing is the natural breathing of newborns and sleeping adults. Inhaled air is drawn deep into the lungs and exhaled as the diaphragm contracts and expands. Breathing is even and not constricting. The respiratory system is able to do its job of producing energy from oxygen and removing waste products. By increasing your awareness of your own breathing patterns and shifting to more abdominal breathing you can reduce the muscle tension and anxiety present  with stress related symptoms and thoughts. Abdominal breathing is the easiest way of eliciting the relaxation response.  

Here’s a quick exercise:

This mini exercise can work wonders:  Take a deep breath and continue to do some abdominal breathing while you concentrate on a small object for about 3 minutes. Do not allow ANYTHING to enter you mind during that time. It acts like a mini meditation and can clear you mind to get back that control that you feel you are losing. This is especially useful when your workplace gets loud and coworkers become upsetting to you. 

Since we cannot eliminate all of the things that produce stress in our lives, we have to concentrate on finding a way of dealing with stress more effectively.  There is the ability to be able to say “no”. Some people take on more than they can handle because they do not possess the ability to say “No” to unnecessary added tasks. It is “okay” to say no to a neighbor who wants you to car pool out of turn, or say “No”, to going to events that you do not want to go to. It is time to take control over how you spend your time - not by the demands of others.  

Learn to express your anger by taking responsibility for how you feel – for example- say, “I feel angry”, not “you” make me mad! Open up – by expressing your feeling – at least keep a journal. It will help you to actually visualize how you were feeling at a particular moment. The grateful list is a very valuable tool. Jot down the things you are grateful for as soon as you start feeling sadness come on – it is like taking a magic pill! And it only takes a few minutes to do. 

Listen to your favorite music…….Dance!  

Go to a comedy show or a funny movie. Norman Cousins who wrote “Anatomy of an Illness” used laughter therapy to overcome rare and painful illnesses. It is difficult to remain anxious, angry or depressed when you are laughing. It gives you the distance necessary to get your mind off yourself and your situation. 

Get creative – anything that helps you to “do something” enjoyable – You do not have to be an artist – you can create a new recipe, garden, and change your room around! 

Meditation – truly the best form of stress reduction – it also improves memory, decreases blood pressure, increases creativity, and even acts as an age reducer!! If you can prioritize your time to meditate, I suggest you begin meditating each day. Begin with a few minutes and work up to 20 minutes twice a day. TM seems to be the most familiar, but if there is not a location near you to learn the method, there are other alternatives – go for a walk in a nearby place that offer peace and quiet. Do this without talking – stop and enjoy what you see i.e. each leaf, the blades of grass, and path beneath your feet. Feel how you are walking – picture each muscle in you legs and feet – appreciate the things you take for granted. 

Exercise and eat healthy!! It is amazing what “moving” will do for a bad mood! Next time you are feeling stressed or depressed, get up, put your shoes on and get out there!!! Even a 10 minute brisk walk will have an effect.  The increased intake of foods can be stressful as well, especially when you dig into the Pumpkin pie and help yourself to seconds at Thanksgiving table! Limit your consumption and cut down on the sugars and caffeine. 

Balance you life’s activities – make sure you are allotting equal times for leisure as you do for work. Remember: decrease leisure = increased stress! 

Have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving,

Peace and Health,

Peggy Gleason RN, MS

www.nature1.org

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