Physical Stress The following are some practical ideas to lower the stress on our bodies: Get enough sleep. Make sure your children get enough sleep. Most adults need 8 hours of sleep per night, yet 100 million Americans are sleep deprived. 63% get less than 8 hours; 31% get less than 7 hours. Teenagers need 9 ¼ hours of sleep. If you or your child must be wakened each morning, you may be sleep deprived. If you can lie down in the middle of the day and fall asleep within a few minutes, you are probably sleep deprived. Your body keeps track of the sleep you have lost and needs it to be made up. Laugh. Laughing = internal jog. Lowers the pulse and blood pressure and seems to improve immune functioning. Find funny movies. Tell jokes. Cardiovascular exercise. Breathe deeply. When engaged in a stressful activity, take a break by flipping a mental switch and think of something else, do something enjoyable, do something physical. Reduce your caffeine intake. Have a restful place in your house.
Thought Questions Which of the above list is most important to change in one of our lives, or in the life of the family?
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