减轻精神压力的三种有效方法

 What is stress? Why do we have stress? How can we relieve stress?

Do you ever feel like you have too much on your plate? Everyone expects something from you and you don't seem to have the time required to deliver. You notice the muscles in your neck and shoulders become tense and painful, your head hurts, you feel a bit queasy¹ in your stomach, and your heart races. These are all signs that your body is stressed.

Stress is inevitable² and no one can ever be stress free. The body has a built in mechanism³ to push us through difficult situations. When you have a lot on your plate the biological changes that occur are that your body releases two stress hormones⁴, one is cortisol and the other adrenaline. Prolonged affects can become destructive in that these two chemicals actually suppress the immune system and can cause numerous health problems like heart disease, stroke, cancer, and depression. The stress hormones are released in the body, this is referred to as the "fight or flight" response. The adrenaline and cortisol is released to aid in a physical form，for example you are in a car accident and a loved one is pinned under the vehicle, you suddenly have the strength to pick up the vehicle to pull the loved one out. You didn't turn into the incredible Hulk although the chemicals in your body do provide an instant surge of strength that makes you feel like the big green monster!

Over time when you suffer from psychological or mental stress these chemicals build up in the body without an outlet⁵ to dispel⁶ them. An abundance of these stress hormones over a prolonged period of time can cause numerous health issues, depression, anxiety, and panic disorders⁷.

Three Tips for Relieving the Stress Hormones

1. Exercise

Taking time to exercise will not only improve your body and its physical appearance it will assist in releasing the stress hormones that have been building up. A daily vigorous walk, jogging, weight lifting, aerobics⁸, swimming, bike riding, dancing or a dance class, football, basketball, etc are all great ways to relieve the chemical stress hormones.

2. Eating Right

Eating a balanced diet will not only make you feel better it will relieve some of the stress and certainly won't add to it. When you eat a diet high in sugars, cholesterol⁹, and fat, you add to the trauma¹⁰ in your system. Concentrate on a high protein, veggie, fruit diet and you will see remarkable¹¹ improvements. Also whole grains promote production of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin for a greater sense of well-being¹². When you combine healthier eating with exercise your body will respond favorably and the stress levels will start to decrease.

3. Change Your Mindset

If you walk around all day saying "I'm so stressed", you will be. Positive thinking is crucial to relieving the mental stress. Our minds are so powerful that we can actually increase our stress by the way we think and the things we speak. If you develop a new mindset that is positive in nature and optimistic, studies have shown this to be a reliever of stress. Meditation¹³ is a prime way to change your mindset and refocus on the positives and what is really important. Try yoga or visualization¹⁴ imagery to assist.

什么是压力？为什么我们会有压力？如何才能减轻压力？

如果在你的餐盘里有很多吃的，你会喜欢吗？每个人都想从你那里得到些什么，而你却看上去没有足够的时间给他们。你注意到你脖颈处的肌肉和腰部变得紧张和疼痛起来，感觉大脑受到了内在的伤害，胃有点难受，心跳加速。这些症状都表示你的身体正处在压力之中。

压力是不可避免的，每个人都有压力。身体中存在一种类似机械的装置，它促使我们克服困难。如果你的餐盘中有过多的食物时，你的身体就产生出两种压力激素。一种是皮质醇，另一种叫肾上腺素。这两种物质在体内存在时间过长就会导致不良后果，因为这两种化学激素会抑止免疫系统，导致各种健康问题的产生，例如心脏病，癌症和抑郁症。这些压力激素在体内释放，被称为“对抗和逃跑”反应。释放的肾上腺素或者皮质醇以一种物质的形式存在人体内。举个例子来说，在一场汽车交通事故中，你所爱的人被压在汽车下面。你没有变成令人难以置信的废物，此时，你体内会突然产生一股力量把你所爱的人从车底下拖出来。尽管你体内的化学物质提供了一种巨大的能量，但你感觉你像个巨大的蓝色魔鬼。

随着时间的推移，当你患了生理或者精神方面的压力时，这些化学物质不是排出你的体外，而是在你的体内产生。如果这些多余的压力激素长期存在，会导致各种健康问题，例如抑郁，焦虑和恐慌性紊乱。

三种减少压力激素的建议

1. 锻炼身体

锻炼身体不仅能够改善身体的质量和体形，而且有助于释放已经产生的压力激素。每天精神饱满地步行，慢跑，举重，体操，游泳，骑车，跳舞，足球，篮球等等，都是减少压力激素的有效方法。

2. 合理膳食

均衡膳食不仅可以让你感觉良好，而且可以缓解压力，当然，更不会增加压力。摄取高糖、高胆固醇和高脂肪的食物，这会增加对你机体的伤害。吃些高蛋白、素食和水果，你的身体会得到明显的改善。同时，谷物可以促进脑神经传递素复合胺的产生，使机体反应灵敏。把健康饮食和锻炼身体结合起来，你的机体将会反映良好，压力也会开始减少。

3. 调整心态

你每天都说“我压力真大”，说明你的压力还真的不小。积极向上的心态对减少神经压力非常重要。我们思想的力量非常强大，以至于我们实际生活中的所说和所想，都会给我们增加压力。如果我们树立起一种新的乐观向上的心态，而研究显示这些将是减少压力的释放剂。沉思是一种改变你心态的方法，它可以让你关注积极向上的和真正有意义的东西。你可以试下瑜伽或者视觉想象疗法。

1 queasy   

adj.易呕的

参考例句：

• I felt a little queasy on the ship.我在船上觉得有点晕眩想呕吐。
• He was very prone to seasickness and already felt queasy.他快晕船了，已经感到恶心了。

2 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

3 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

4 hormones   

n. 荷尔蒙，激素 名词hormone的复数形式

参考例句：

• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body. 这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
• The adrenals produce a large per cent of a man's sex hormones. 肾上腺分泌人体的大部分性激素。

5 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

6 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

7 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 aerobics   

n.健身操，健美操，韵律操

参考例句：

• Doing aerobics is a good way to improve one's health.做有氧健身操是改善健康状况的一个好方法。
• Aren't you going to the aerobics class this morning?今天上午你不是去上有氧运动课吗？

9 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

10 trauma   

n.外伤，精神创伤

参考例句：

• Counselling is helping him work through this trauma.心理辅导正帮助他面对痛苦。
• The phobia may have its root in a childhood trauma.恐惧症可能源于童年时期的创伤。

11 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

12 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

13 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

14 visualization   

n.想像，设想

参考例句：

• In 2D visualization and drawing applications, vertical and horizontal scrolling are common. 在二维的可视化及绘图应用中，垂直和水平滚动非常普遍。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Ophthalmoscopy affords the only opportunity for direct visualization of blood vessels. 检眼镜检查法提供直接观察血管的唯一机会。