Ocean Companies Safety Tip of the Week – Pain and Stress
NATURES WAY TO REDUCE PAIN AND STRESS
“Act Happy Week” is the third week of March and this year’s week is half over! Hurry and get your glad face on! Dig out the comedies, find an exercise that will keep you moving, and eat some amazing spicy foods. All these things will release endorphins and that will give you a natural feeling of happiness that will reduce pain and stress.
Endorphins are a brain chemical, known as neurotransmitters, which emit little electrical signals within the nervous system and produce a state of euphoria. The following are some of the best ways to release endorphins.
Did you know when you “act” happy, e.g. change your body posture, smile, laugh, think positive thoughts, be silly etc., you actually start feeling happy? Doing nice things for others produces the same results. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, small things count, too. Check out http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/ for some great ideas. The amount of endorphins released depends on how hard you work at it.
Eating spicy foods, especially if you go to an upscale restaurant, can produce a euphoric feeling that is almost addictive. The hotter you can stand the food, the more endorphins you release. Try food from different countries for a variety. Thailand, Mexico, India, Ethiopia, the Szechwan (or Sichuan) province of China, and Korean restaurants are known for spicy dishes.
Exercising is a win-win endorphin high. Not only do you adjust the mental fitness, you get physically fit as well. Personally, I love to Zumba, but a co-worker, who skis and long distance bike rides, told me that the bike rides release a much higher amount of endorphins. A “runners high” is caused by a rush of endorphins, and it’s not just runners that can achieve this feeling. Don’t forget, dancing is good exercise, too!
Take the time to do some small things to improve your mood, like eating chocolate (dark chocolate is best). A little indulgence is ok, but too much can cause guilt and a tight waist band. Spend more time listening to music. Focus on the music to the exclusion of almost everything and you will find you can relax. Walk barefoot in the grass or sand if you can. Put up a bird feeder and watch the early morning birds that come for breakfast. Listen for far off trains, airplanes or, my favorite, the waves on the beach. Breathe in the scent of a favorite flower.
Find what you like best and spend time doing it. There is no limit to how happy you can be if you work at it and, after a while, it’s not as much work because it becomes natural. Just keep smiling, it’s contagious and others will profit almost as much as you will.
Sources: About.com, Street Articles, MedicineNet.com, wikiHow, ivillage, Feel Good Feel Amazing
– Cherie
