We all know this person.

We all know people who seem to thrive on stress. But are they really doing themselves any good in the long run, the drama queens and people who seem to go from one crisis to the next? What you are doing  when you react to excessive stress, either from internal worries or external circumstances, is activating the fight or flight hormones. Don't get me wrong, a little stress is okay but if you are triggering a chemical release from a certain part of the brain, specifically the hypothalamus, then these chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are causing the body to undergo specific changes. The blood is shunted away from our digestive tract and directed into the muscles and limbs, thus getting one ready for fight or flight. When too much cortisol is released from constant stress, it signals the body that it needs extra calories. Cortisol levels can stay elevated for awhile and could be the reason why one feels like eating when stressed.

So how we can deal with stress if our boss is breathing down our neck and we want to punch him or her? Retreat to your cubicle and do a set of jumping jacks, go up and down the stairs, or do some pushups up for five minutes. You don't have to do a full thirty minutes of cardio to get immediate benefits. Even five minute increments is beneficial. Stuck in traffic and the radio or that book on tape isn't lowering your blood pressure? Do some deep breathing or even singing using your diaphragm will cause you to relax. We can all carve out five minute increments during the day, even if we have busy schedules. Use the time to visualize or meditate if you are having a rough day. We don't have many saber tooth tigers running around these days so we really don't need to have all those chemicals running around the body wreaking havoc on our immune systems. Do something nice for yourself. Take some deep breaths and relax!