Mom, are you stressed out to the max? Have you had just about all you can handle for one day? Here are some tried and true stress management tips for you.

· Take a breather. Sometimes you just need to walk away. Put Dad in charge, or another family member, and step away for a few minutes.

· Go outside. While you’re taking that breather, why not go outside for a while. Sit on the front porch or go for a 20-minute walk. Clearing your head will help you stay calm and not react to the situation with anger.

· Call on a friend for help. Look, you’re not Superwoman. You’re just a mom trying to do the best she can. So don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Call a good friend you trust and tell her you need her sitting services for a couple of hours. Leave the kids with her and go do something nice for yourself.

· Give in every now and then. Sometimes the stress you feel is really brought on because you want things done your way. It doesn’t hurt to give in every now and then. If your daughter wants to wear last year’s pajama bottoms with her brand new blouse to the store, what will it hurt? It isn’t a reflection of “bad” parenting skills. It’s you being smart and not letting the little things stress you out.

· Don’t focus on the negative. Look, there are enough bad things happening in the world without you focusing on more negative things. Stop looking for and pointing out all the bad things and start looking for the good things to focus on.

Did you know that up to 40% of employees in the United States alone experience job burnout, due to stress? About $300 billion is used every years on stress-related damages claims in the court system. Stress is a serious issue, and one that cannot be overlooked.

Here are some common signs of stress and anxiety:

Tightness in chest – Many people suffering from anxiety and stress think they are having a heart attack. Anxiety can cause chest pains, but should not be confused with heart problems.

Face feels hot or flushed – Stress can lead to your face feeling like its on fire. Your cheeks may even sting or burn and turn red. This is usually due to an increase in your blood pressure.

Quickening pulse – Another common complaint often heard is a racing pulse. It often feels like your heart is beating out of your chest.

Heavy breathing – Many people feel as though their breathing is heavy. Some even experience a sensation of breathlessness. When uncontrolled, panting occurs during this time, which leads to hyperventilation.

All of these symptoms of stress and anxiety are scary, of course. Mostly, because they make you feel out of control.
There are some ways to manage you stress and anxiety on your own without the help of a doctor, provided your stress levels aren’t exasperated beyond control. Here are some things you can try:

· Deep breathing
· Harness your thoughts
· Hypnotherapy
· Aromatherapy

Stress is a scary thing if you have never experienced its symptoms. If you are experiencing some of these things, know that you are not alone. Ask for help.

Mom, are you stressed out to the max? Have you had just about all you can handle for one day? Here are some tried and true stress management tips for you.

· Take a breather. Sometimes you just need to walk away. Put Dad in charge, or another family member, and step away for a few minutes.

· Go outside. While you’re taking that breather, why not go outside for a while. Sit on the front porch or go for a 20-minute walk. Clearing your head will help you stay calm and not react to the situation with anger.

· Call on a friend for help. Look, you’re not Superwoman. You’re just a mom trying to do the best she can. So don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Call a good friend you trust and tell her you need her sitting services for a couple of hours. Leave the kids with her and go do something nice for yourself.

· Give in every now and then. Sometimes the stress you feel is really brought on because you want things done your way. It doesn’t hurt to give in every now and then. If your daughter wants to wear last year’s pajama bottoms with her brand new blouse to the store, what will it hurt? It isn’t a reflection of “bad” parenting skills. It’s you being smart and not letting the little things stress you out.

· Don’t focus on the negative. Look, there are enough bad things happening in the world without you focusing on more negative things. Stop looking for and pointing out all the bad things and start looking for the good things to focus on.

It’s back to school time for many children. If your children have suffered from stress in the classroom, you are probably dreading the start of the new school year. There are some things you can do, though, to help alleviate some of that stress.

First, teach your child a simple deep breathing technique. This will help calm her down faster than just about anything.Here are some simple instructions that you can use to teach deep-breathing to your child:

· Take a deep breath in through your nose.
· Hold and count to 5.
· Slowly breathe out through your mouth.
· Repeat 4-5 times.

This simple exercise will help calm down your child when he or she is feeling pressure in the classroom.

It is important to also remind your child to never resort to rude comments or speaking out of turn. Stress is commonly what leads to disruptive behavior in a classroom. Remind your child that these disruptive behaviors will only lead to punishment for them.
School is a stressful situation for most kids. The best thing for any parent to do is to reach out and work with your child’s teacher to ensure the safest, most productive classroom environment possible for all the children.

What Causes Anxiety?

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that about forty million Americans have an anxiety disorder. That’s just over eighteen percent of people ages eighteen and older who suffer from this terrible disorder. Of this huge amount of anxiety sufferers, many do not know why they feel the way they feel.

Causes of Anxiety
For many, anxiety is brought about by family or financial problems. Tight finances and huge debt can cause an overwhelming feeling of loss of control, which can trigger anxiety symptoms immediately. The main root of anxiety comes from worry. Worry about family issues, financial problems, work stress, etc. can lead to surmounting anxiety over a period of time.

Some of the most common things that causes anxiety include:

• money problems
• large amount of debt
• work problems
• stress
• irregular routine
• family problems

Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety presents itself in a variety of symptoms. Many people feel like they’re dying. Trips to the doctor or emergency room are not uncommon for those suffering from anxiety. Commonly reported symptoms of anxiety include:

• shortness of breath
• dizziness
• tightness in throat
• sense of loss of control
• headaches
• nausea
• sweating
• nervousness
• trembling

If you are experiencing these or any other symptoms, and think you might have an anxiety disorder, it is advisable that you make an appointment with your family physician. Your doctor can pinpoint the problem and give a firm diagnosis as well as treatment to help you cope with anxiety.

Are You Bringing Stress Home With You?

According to the experts at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, stress is linked to both physical and mental health, as well as decreased willingness to take on new and creative endeavors. With this kind of findings, it is no wonder that so many people feel burned out every single day.

In addition, researchers found that up to 40% of job burnout in the United States is due to stress. Stress affects millions of people every single day. Much of marital and family problems occur because of stress being brought home from the work place. Take this quick quiz to see if you are bringing stress home with you.

Directions: Answer YES or NO to the following questions.

1) Do you feel as stressed out when you walk in the door of your home as you did when you left work?
2) Do you have a daily after-work routine that allows you to unwind and de-stress?
3) Do your work problems weigh heavily on your mind, even when you are trying to have a nice relaxing evening at home?
4) Do you find it difficult to carry on a conversation with your spouse that doesn’t have something to do with work-related issues?
5) Are you able to deal with problems at work in a calm manner?
If you answered YES to three or more of these questions, chances are you are bringing stress home with you. Here are some possible solutions you should try:

• Sign up for a gym pass. Go at least 3 days per week after work to work out your frustrations.
• See a therapist. Sometimes all you need is a good therapist to listen to you and help you figure out how to better deal with work stress.
• Go for massage therapy. A professional masseuse can do wonders for tired, sore muscles that are due to stress.

There are many resources for working mothers, but working fathers often get overlooked. You work hard to provide for your family and feel the same amount of stress and pressure (if not more) as working moms do. This article will give you some practical tips to effectively manage your stress.

GET A HOBBY
Many working fathers tend to devote as much of their time and energy to working as they possibly can. But what do you do in your off time? One of the best ways to relax is by having a hobby that you can turn to during your down time. Hobbies help relieve stress because they take your mind off your problems and worries.

SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY
Another thing that many working fathers tend to do is work more and spend less time with family. Children are especially needy during their early years. It is very important that you spend as much time with your children and family as possible, to develop strong bonds with them.

PRAY
Many working fathers say that they are most productive and at peace whenever they devote special time every day to prayer. You don’t have to make a show of it, but praying can greatly reduce your stress and help you to cope with life situations. Try setting aside thirty minutes every morning to pray before you begin your day.

CUT BACK
An easy way to reduce your stress immediately and exponentially is by reducing the amount of work that you do. Cut back on your duties and delegate responsibilities to other members of your team. Say no to jobs that are not in line with your ultimate goals.

Anxiety is a medical condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people around the world every day. Anxiety is a permanent state of worry that almost always brings about the onset of anxiety and panic attacks. This article will show you the symptoms that can occur with an anxiety attack.

One of the most common anxiety attack symptoms many people experience is shortness of breath. This symptom presents itself in nearly every person that has anxiety attacks. You may feel as though you can’t breathe, or the breaths you take aren’t enough. Some people say they feel like they can’t get enough air when they breathe.

A second common symptom of an anxiety attack is chest pains. Quite often, people experiencing an anxiety attack will go to the emergency room because they think  they are having a heart attack.

Another symptom of an anxiety attack is dizziness and dry mouth. Dizziness almost always occurs when you feel short of breath. This is simply because you begin breathing faster to compensate and usually end up hyperventilating. Dry mouth occurs because of your nervousness.

More common symptoms of anxiety attacks also include things like:

• sweaty palms
• claustrophobia
• headache
• upset stomach
• racing heart

The most important thing to remember when you have an anxiety attack is to stay calm and slow your breathing. Tell yourself that you are in control of your body, not the other way around. Anxiety attacks can be very scary, but you can make it through them if you stay in control of your thoughts.