National Men’s Health Week, which is running from 9th – 15th June this year, focuses improving men’s health at work. Men’s health charities are encouraging men to think about how to avoid stress and overwork.
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One in eight men suffer from a common mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, and phobia. Figures indicate that most men spend more of their lives in the workplace than women and they are almost twice as likely to work full time. This can result in added stress and potentially put a strain on men’s general health.
Don’t let stress overtake you. Take note of these 7 top tips to make sure you keep stress levels under control and maybe even start living better.
1) Get some fresh air
Don’t stay indoors all day. Make sure you take time to go outside and breathe in some fresh air. When we're outside, our serotonin levels rise and that helps to regulate our mood. Fresh air is also rich in ions, which are linked to an improvement in our sense of well-being and a decrease in anxiety levels.
2) Exercise
Exercise is proven to lower stress and anxiety levels, and improves physical and mental health. This happens for two reasons. Firstly, increased heart rate can reverse damage to the brain caused by stressful events. Secondly, exercise improves cognitive function, elevates mood and makes learning easier because it promotes the production of neurohormones. The NHS recommends a minimum of 150 minutes aerobic exercise per week.
3) Have Good Sex
Sex is an excellent way to reduce stress and connect with your partner. Research actually shows that people who have regular sex are happier and healthier. Here's another fact: you can add up to three years to your life by having satisfying sex two to three times per week.
4) Eat Healthy
We’ve all overindulged in the past, but what we eat affects our body and mood. The most important thing to remember is to eat a balanced diet and to eat regular meals. Swap out high-fat and high-sugar foods for fruit and vegetables to boost your mood and increase energy levels. Don’t skip meals, especially not breakfast, as this leads to low blood sugar and causes low mood, irritability and tiredness.
5) Talk to people
Talking is a good way to relieve stress and beat depression, research has shown. Bottling up emotions only leads to increased tension and pressure, resulting in a generally unhealthy lifestyle. If you have a problem or feel down, talk to someone. Talking to family or friends, or even a doctor or councillor, can help you to expel negative feelings and begin to make positive changes.
6) Have regular health check-ups
Men rarely admit to suffering from stress and other health conditions for fear of being labelled as weak. Figures show that men are less likely to visit their GP, dentist or local pharmacy than women, and would rather leave their health to chance. Admitting to stress is difficult, but it really is a sign of strength.
7) Make the most of work
Our environment is a huge factor in determining our stress levels and, of course, the most stressful environment of all is the workplace. It doesn't need to be. Research shows that health benefits in the workplace are effective at engaging men and are also welcomed and valued by men.
Many employer’s offer health improvement initiatives and schemes that include stress busting benefits like corporate massage or free time in the gym. Jackie Price, Managing Director of OnSite Plus, a corporate massage service, says, “Workplace massage can be very effective in helping men deal with their stress. Massage is proven to decrease stress and elevate mood.”
Take steps to stop stress and start living better…
Follow these 7 healthy living tips to stop stress and start living better. Take care of your body, take care of your mind, and take care of the people around you too. Stress is always ready to overtake you when you’re feeling overworked, so be determined and stop stress at its root.
By Yvonne Humphries
Yvonne Humphries is Operations Director at Onsite Plus, a company dedicated to bringing therapeutic massage to people in the workplace. Yvonne is a highly trained ‘Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist,’ a qualification obtained from the renowned ‘Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training’ in Brighton.
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