Another Good Reason to Chill Out

by WiredBerries Editors — August 29, 2007

It’s official—stress wrecks havoc on your health. Scientists don’t know exactly how it works, but the evidence is quickly accumulating that stress is a universal disaster. Chronic stress has been linked to a wide variety of diseases and health-related issues. Now the latest stress study has revealed that chronic stress may also increase a person’s risk for developing central nervous system infections, neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), and other inflammatory diseases, according to researchers from Texas A & M University.

To an extent, feelings of stress are unavoidable and normal, but if you’re feeling chronically stressed out you should probably do something about it. First, you might want to identify the stressors in your life. For many of us, we aren’t even consciously aware of what’s really weighing us down.

Once you’ve identified what’s contributing to your stress level, determine what you can fix and what you just have to put up with for now. Do what you can to eliminate the "fixable stress" first. As for the unavoidable stuff, experts recommend learning relaxation techniques. Whether it’s yoga, breathing exercises, going for a jog, or writing in a journal—find what works for you and make it a daily priority. Remember, it’s not just for your sanity—it’s for your physical health as well.