聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥淚f you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn鈥檛 ask me, I鈥檇 still have to say it.鈥� 鈥� George F. Burns (lived 100 years)
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While perusing an article on reducing stress my attention was caught by the next heading: What to do when nerves, stress or sadness push you toward the fridge.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After spending some time on the topic I decided the Bible was a better solution than the fridge.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I was startled by Aleteia鈥檚 report of a study on parole hearings: 鈥渢he likelihood of a favourable ruling is greater at the very beginning of the work day or after a food break than later in the sequence of cases.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A study followed eight parole judges for 10 months to see if there was any truth to it, and the researchers found that 鈥淧risoners lucky enough to face the parole board when its members were well fed and rested had a roughly 65 per cent chance of gaining parole.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Alex Mayyasi at Priceonomics explains, 鈥淵et over time, the odds of a favourable decision deteriorated until the last prisoner before a break had almost no chance of getting parole.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ouch!
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 How does this relate to stress? A simple change in blood sugar level can lead to a condition some have called 鈥渉angry.鈥� Your bad mood might be related to how hungry you are.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Exhaustion is another determiner of mood.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪leep on it鈥� is often good advice when something is making us feel miserable. Our problem solving powers may be restored by morning.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Research tells us: Sleep deprivation not only makes us think less clearly, it also hurts our powers of self-evaluation.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Another startling discovery in my research describes the 鈥渂iggest game changer鈥� in reducing stress. We can reduce daily stress with self compassion.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Says Dr. Greenberg in The Stress-Proof Brain: Master Your Emotional Response And Stress Using Mindfulness And Neuroplasticity:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪elf compassion also has a component of mindful self-awareness, in which you acknowledge your own emotions, but don鈥檛 get over-identified with them or use them as an excuse not to meet your goals,鈥� writes Dr. Greenberg.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He further suggests being gentler with ourselves and giving ourselves room for imperfection and growth, which to me, at least, hints at morality on a higher plain.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On the natural plain, stress is a silent killer. It can lead to high blood pressure, strokes or heart attacks. Check the normal causes: blood sugar level, exhaustion, hormonal imbalance (men and women) and transitions that can cause adjustment disorders.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Then there is the spiritual plane: 鈥淪o do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand鈥� (Isaiah 41:10).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jesus says to us: Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid, as He said to the disciples after His resurrection. There are 365 鈥渇ear not鈥� statements in the Bible, and 鈥淒o not be afraid鈥� appears 30 times. A Berenstain Bear book is entitled Do Not Fear, God is Near.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 To be stress free, we need to surrender to God. 鈥淏e still and know that I am God鈥� (Psalm 46:10).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth,鈥� Psalm 145:18.
