Hi Girls. Seeing that one of the causes for Pre Term Labour is STRESS, I thought this information on how to stay away from Stress, would be useful to share. Let's all have a laugh and relax....God bless us all!

Stress experts have developed many effective ways to reduce stress. Practice any or all of these stress busters. They can mean
the difference between good health and bad.
>
> 1. Laugh! It's one of the healthiest antidotes to stress. When we laugh,
even smile, blood flow to the brain is increased, endorphins (painkilling
hormones that gives us a sense of well-being) are released, and levels of
stress hormones drop.
>
> 2. Socialize. Don't be a loner. Isolation has been tied to failure to cope
adequately with stress, and heightened vulnerability to illness.
>
> 3. Get Rid of Anger. It is the single most damaging stress-related
personality trait that precedes a heart attack.
>
> 4. Be Decisive. Indecision prevents us from taking action, causing a loss
of a sense of control and thus intensifying stress.
>
> 5. Be Assertive. Try to stand up for your decisions, express your
feelings, and give, as well as accept, compliments.
>
> 6. Get Some Sleep. Lack of adequate sleep can make us moody, angry and
more vulnerable to illness.
>
> 7. Encourage Yourself. If you're inclined to blame yourself for your
problems - even when they're not your fault - you may be guilty of negative
self-talk, which is a great stress causer. Those who accept mishaps as
largely routine and normal occurrences in life and who talk to themselves in
positive terms about these events have higher self-esteem and much lower
stress levels.
>
> 8. Reward Yourself. Go to the movies, browse in a bookstore. Those who
reward themselves by engaging in something pleasurable realize a boost in
the disease-fighting quality of their immune systems for several days.
>
> 9. Establish Rituals. People who have high stress in their lives tend to
live surrounded by mental and physical chaos. Establishing rituals can help
prevent and reduce stress by saving time. It can be a comfort factor in
times of stress. Predictability and certainty reassure us that no matter how
bad conditions get, some things remain constant.
>
> 10. Nurture Your Spirituality. Religious or spiritual beliefs give us a
context larger than ourselves, which can provide us with perspective when we
are deeply stressed. Spirituality needn't take place in a formal place of
worship. It may mean no more than communing with nature or taking quiet,
reflective time out of your day to contemplate something more than life's
mundane stresses.
>
> 11. Take Note. Writing down your feelings in a diary may help relieve
emotional stress. In a study conducted by psychologists, participants wrote
for 20 minutes a day over four consecutive days about issues or emotions
that were causing them stress. Those who stuck to the exercises showed
improved mental health and were better able to cope with stress.
>
> 12. Slow Down. Try moving, talking and behaving in a relaxed, slower
manner. For instance, walk slower; pause at the table before you eat; take
an after-work shower; let the phone ring a few times before answering.
>

> 13. Take Vacations. It's an ideal time to gain perspective on your
day-to-day life and to put aside the stress load for a few days. It's
important to get a total change of scenery, a new environment.
>
>
> 14. Delegate. Those who don't learn to delegate become overloaded with
unfinished tasks, making them stressed, less productive and isolated by
their excessive expectations.
>
> 15. Be in Control of Your Finances. The number-one source of stress is
worry over personal finances. Research also shows that people trying to
maintain lifestyles they can't afford are more likely to have health
problems. >
>
>
> 16. Live by a List. Having a daily written list of what you expect to do
can help you become more realistic about your schedule, and remind you of
tasks you do not want to forget. By listing a task, you remove the thought
from your mind, which helps to lessen mental overload.
>
> 17. Eat Right. Stay a healthy and stress-resistant as you can by taking
time out for meals, eating at regular times, avoiding sugars and fats. If
you are stressed out and need a break from anxiety, try foods low in fat and
protein and high in complex carbohydrates for a calming effect.
>
> 18. Exercise. To work away your tension and fortify yourself against the
negative physical effects of stress, try squeeze something (such as a soft
toy); do an aerobic activity; take a walk; swim.
>
> 19. Relax. Breathe deeply. Visualize something pleasurable. Meditate.
Concentrate on present, tangible situations. Inhale aromatic oils. Listen to soothing music.
Avi replied. I was the KIND who gets........

I need to go back to second grade and learn my spellings again Avi replied. Thanks Simmi, for the tips... I was the king who gets easily stressed out and moody and angry before the pregnancy, now it is only worse....and this would be a goood reminder for me to try and relax....

Like Vindhya said, these are helpful for everyone but we need to practice them more than anybody else cause we are responsible for the well being of not one but two (or three) right now.....

Thanks again Vindhya replied. Hi Simmi,

We can easily get stressed. I believe in following these points all the time, but more strictly now.

Keep smiling,
Vindhya


Nikita replied. Hi Simmi,

Thanx for the article. Everything mentioned in here is so very true and so easy to follow. Its just that when we get stressed, we just forget simple things like smiling too. May be after reading this we can try to make an extra effort to practice atleast some of them, if not all.

Take care.

Rgds/Nikita. Preethu replied. I am sure it helps :-)