FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog » Stress http://www.fitbuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:58:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 4 Free Stress Relief Games http://www.fitbuff.com/4-free-stress-relief-games/ http://www.fitbuff.com/4-free-stress-relief-games/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:00:02 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/4-free-stress-relief-games/

We all feel stressed out at times, so wouldn't it be great if we could release that tension through the simple and entertaining act of playing video games? Well, researchers out of McGill University have produced a series of stress relief games specifically designed for just that purpose.

MindHabits lets you preview a collection of the scientifically proven techniques and games for free.

Each game targets a different area of your brain, but the overall goal is the same: train yourself to focus more on the positive aspects of every social interaction.

"There are many possible applications for this kind of game," said Prof. Baldwin, "from helping people cope with the social anxiety of public speaking or meeting new people, to helping athletes concentrate more on their game rather than worrying about performing poorly."

Just last week, MindHabits won Telefilm Canada's Great Canadian Video Game Competition, earning them nearly $1 million to help bring their games to the masses.

In the meantime, you can play a demo of each stress relief game here.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/4-free-stress-relief-games/feed/ 2 New York Jets Listen to Mozart on the Football Field http://www.fitbuff.com/new-york-jets-listen-to-mozart-on-the-football-field/ http://www.fitbuff.com/new-york-jets-listen-to-mozart-on-the-football-field/#comments Sat, 04 Aug 2007 02:02:59 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/new-york-jets-listen-to-mozart-on-the-football-field/

Is the Mozart Effect Real?

There's nothing more macho than a bunch of big, strong guys throwing on the gear, hitting the field, and battling it out during a grueling NFL football practice — all while listening to Mozart. Huh? What was that last part?

That's right: New York Jets coach, Eric Mangini, has Mozart blaring through the loud speakers during practice. Why?

"From different studies, they've shown — I may be a little wrong on the technical side — that Mozart's music and brain waves are similar and that it stimulates learning. They play it a lot at schools around the country, very low, underneath. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but why not give it a shot?" said Mangini.

After hearing this on ESPN, as the sportscasters mocked and laughed at the topic, I decided to do a little research myself. I found what is known as "The Mozart Effect." Some believe that listening to Mozart, or any similar Baroque music, stimulates the brain and can increase intelligence, learning, and cognitive ability.

Unfortunately, most of the claims have harsh critics who have demonstrated time and time again that the so-called "Mozart effect" is minuscule at best. One of the topics most well-known opponents is a researcher by the name of Christopher F. Chabris, who had this to say:

Chabris stated that his meta-analysis demonstrated "that any cognitive enhancement is small and does not reflect any change in IQ or reasoning ability in general, but instead derives entirely from performance on one specific type of cognitive task and has a simple neuropsychological explanation," called "enjoyment arousal." For example, he cites a study that found that "listening either to Mozart or to a passage from a Stephen King story enhanced subjects’ performance…"

My favorite part of that study is the term, "enjoyment arousal." Only a scientist could come up with a phrase like that without seeing the problem it presents to the less mature among us.

On the other hand, one of the reasonings behind the Mozart effect that actually seemed to make some sense was this:

When your body hears the even, one beat per second of Baroque music, your heart rate and pulse relax to the beat. When you are in this relaxed, but alert state, your mind is able to concentrate more easily. Music corresponds to and affects our physiological conditions. During heavy mental work, our pulse and blood pressure rises, and it's usually more difficult to concentrate in this state. The Baroque and Mozart music pieces on the Mozart Effect learning tapes and compact disks have been especially selected for their beat pattern (60 beats per minute), reduce your blood pressure and pulse rate and increases your ability to learn at the same time.

So, even though the actual "Mozart effect" seems to be a bit over-hyped, that doesn't mean classical music can't at least help relax your body and calm your mind. I know I was never a fan, because I thought it was too "old" and not "cool" enough. But, when I decided to give it a try, I was quite impressed at how the instruments and arrangements really do seem to speak without words — not to mention it makes me look smart and sophisticated.

My favorite is the "The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World…Ever!" series. There are about four or five more with similarly brilliant titles like The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe and The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World…Ever!.

If your faith in the Mozart effect can't be swayed by it's villainous, scientific rivals, you can try the official CD here: Music For The Mozart Effect, Volume 1, Strengthen the Mind

I don't normally listen to music as I work, but I'm going to test it out a little this week to see if I can tell any difference. Feel free to dust off your classical collection and join me in the experiment.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/new-york-jets-listen-to-mozart-on-the-football-field/feed/ 13 Does BLANK Mean You Have Cancer?! 12 Common Cancer Myths Debunked http://www.fitbuff.com/does-blank-mean-you-have-cancer-12-common-cancer-myths-debunked/ http://www.fitbuff.com/does-blank-mean-you-have-cancer-12-common-cancer-myths-debunked/#comments Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:58:19 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/does-blank-mean-you-have-cancer-12-common-cancer-myths-debunked/

12 Common Cancer Myths Debunked

The American Cancer Society recently conducted a survey in which they asked 1,000 adults in the United States whether or not they agreed with a few different statements relating to cancer. A surprising number of Americans were largely misinformed and seemingly paranoid to a degree when it comes to cancer risks and prevention.

One of the strangest myths was: "Underwire bras can cause breast cancer." Nearly 38% of respondents either thought this was true or didn't know.

While you should definitely watch out for real warning signs and continue to get regular checkups, here is the full list of 12 cancer myths that you DON'T need to worry about: Click Here to See the Full List of 12 Common Cancer Myths Debunked.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/does-blank-mean-you-have-cancer-12-common-cancer-myths-debunked/feed/ 3 How to Give a Great Massage in 8 Easy Steps Video http://www.fitbuff.com/how-to-give-a-great-massage-in-8-easy-steps-video/ http://www.fitbuff.com/how-to-give-a-great-massage-in-8-easy-steps-video/#comments Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:11:33 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/how-to-give-a-great-massage-in-8-easy-steps-video/

How to Give a Great Massage in 8 Easy Steps

If you've ever had a great massage, then you know how pleasurable they can be (yes, even without the happy ending, pervert!). Massages can relieve stress, soothe aching muscles, clear your mind, and take your romantic evening to the next level if you have the magic touch.

But, many people are uncomfortable switching roles and becoming the masseuse, because they feel they don't know the right techniques or where to start. It's true: A great massage takes more than just some random rubbing and patting, but this video will show you just what to do in 8 easy steps to have your "customers" coming back for more!

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/how-to-give-a-great-massage-in-8-easy-steps-video/feed/ 1 Stop Breathing So Much http://www.fitbuff.com/stop-breathing-so-much/ http://www.fitbuff.com/stop-breathing-so-much/#comments Wed, 11 Jul 2007 22:33:18 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/stop-breathing-so-much/

Take longer, slower, and deeper breaths

Breathing seems to be the hot topic of the week in the health world. First, a recent study revealed that poor eating habits can lead to asthma and other lung-related problems in teenagers. Then, a separate study stated that fruit and fish oil can help counteract the problem and actually improve lung function (add that to the ever-increasing list of fish oil benefits!).

With all this talk about breathing, the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health says we need to stop doing it so much. Now, before you start attempting the world record for holding your breath (which is around 9 minutes — good luck!), you just need to slow down.

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, many of us have developed the bad habit of "over breathing" or breathing too fast. Though many people only need a slight adjustment, others even suffer from a condition known as chronic hyperventilation, which has been linked to a variety of health problems including asthma, snoring, heart problems, and allergies.

The key at first is to simply become aware of your breathing, feeling the sensation as you inhale and exhale. Once you consciously make an effort to take longer, slower, and deeper breaths, your body will begin to adapt, until you no longer have to think about it.

Try thinking about your breathing for the rest of this week, and you will begin to feel a difference in your overall energy levels and mental clarity. At times you will completely forget, but as soon as you think about it, start practicing your new, more efficient breathing patterns again.

For more information on a specific quick exercise to practice proper breathing, click here.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/stop-breathing-so-much/feed/ 1 Total Mind and Body Fitness Carnival #5 http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-carnival-5/ http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-carnival-5/#comments Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:35:10 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-carnival-5/

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day. A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

Brain Power

Exercise

Nutrition

Stress

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-carnival-5/feed/ 2 Free Copy of "Getting Things Done" by David Allen! http://www.fitbuff.com/free-copy-of-getting-things-done-by-david-allen/ http://www.fitbuff.com/free-copy-of-getting-things-done-by-david-allen/#comments Sat, 07 Jul 2007 23:34:38 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/free-copy-of-getting-things-done-by-david-allen/

In keeping with the Contests theme of the week, we want to make sure the prizes are spread out evenly among our ten areas of Total Mind and Body Fitness: Brain Power, Dating, Exercise, Family, Grooming, Money, Nutrition, Sex, Stress, and Work.

We've already covered Dating and Sex with yesterday's contest. Today's topic and prize fits perfectly in the Family and Work Life categories.

Everyone is always trying to get something done. Whether it's getting an important project done at work, a long term paper for school, or some overdue housework around the house, we could all use a little extra time and help to get things done faster and more efficiently.

"Getting Things Done" to the rescue! If you haven't heard of GTD, then today is your lucky day.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen is widely regarded as one of the greatest productivity and efficiency books to date. Quite obviously, it teaches you the fine art of "getting things done," complete with methods, techniques, and examples to increase the amount of work you do, while decreasing your stress levels.

Still not convinced? Click Here to read over 300 rave reviews from real customers just like you who say this book is amazing. Getting Things Done is ranked #44 on ALL of the books on Amazon.com!

If you apply the information found in this book to your daily activities, no matter what they are, this book could quite possibly change your life. Most of the adjustments are very simple to implement and sometimes quite obvious, but you will be amazed at how much more you can get done in the same amount of time, all while keeping your mind completely clear and worry-free.

So What Do I Have to Do to Get a Free Copy?!

Leave a comment below with one quick productivity tip. That's it! Let us know one little thing that you do at home, at work, or anywhere else that helps you get things done. Just make sure someone else hasn't already given the same tip. You have until July 31st.

As soon as your comment is confirmed, you will be emailed a free link to the full book immediately. So, make sure when you leave your comment that you use a valid email address, or you won't get the free book link. Don't worry, no one else will be able to see your email address, so it's totally safe and secure.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/free-copy-of-getting-things-done-by-david-allen/feed/ 16 Lower Stress, Lower Fat – Breakthrough Study http://www.fitbuff.com/lower-stress-lower-fat-breakthrough-study/ http://www.fitbuff.com/lower-stress-lower-fat-breakthrough-study/#comments Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:36:23 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/blog/2007/07/04/lower-stress-lower-fat-breakthrough-study/

We were already fairly certain that stress can lead to unhealthy weight gain. Whether it was because of anxious over-eating or a combination of other factors wasn't quite as clear though — until now.

Scientists at Georgetown university have officially confirmed that there are indeed specific chemical triggers that cause our bodies to store more fat. Bear in mind, the studies were conducted on mice, but what studies aren't, right?

The researchers placed the mice in a cage with an aggressive alpha mouse and fed them a high-sugar, high-fat diet. This was their way of mimicking a common human combination: stressful life paired with an unhealthy, fast food sponsored diet. Flattering, huh?

They found high levels of a chemical messenger called neuropeptide Y, or NPY, in the stressed-out mice. Now, ready for the exciting breakthrough part?

Injecting the now fat and high-strung mice with a substance that blocked the release of NPY led to nearly 50% less fat deposits in only 2 weeks! Even more amazing, during those 2 weeks, the mice continued being fed high-fat, high-sugar diets in their "Stress Cages" while their fat deposits continued to shrink — no matter how much they ate!

"It just melts the fat. It's incredible," said one of the researchers. She says it could offer an alternative to liposuction someday. However, "someday" is far off, because human trials won't start for years.

So, what can you do in the meantime while you wait for your magic syringe? Well, stress is what causes the fat-storing NPY chemical to be released in the first place. So, instead of an injection to block its production, you can practice other methods to lower your stress levels, thus lowering your NPY levels.

Here are two great and concise articles that will help you do just that:

Fish Oil? Huh? Fish…Oil…? – As if fish oil didn't already have enough benefits, here's yet another one: When Swiss researchers fortified men’s diets with omega-3 fatty acids (those found in fish oil), their levels of cortisol (the body's stress hormone) remained unchanged during stress tests, while the placebo group’s cortisol rose by over 30 percent!

5 Simple and Effective Steps to Relax Your Body and Calm Your Nerves – As the name of the article implies, these are 5 easy steps to instantly lower your stress levels, even if you only have a few minutes to spare. Get the same calming benefits, without the candles and hours spent with your legs crossed.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/lower-stress-lower-fat-breakthrough-study/feed/ 8 Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival #4 http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-4/ http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-4/#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:12:52 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/blog/2007/07/02/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-4/

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day (see the FAQ for a detailed breakdown of FitBuff.com's posting schedule). A Blog Carnival is basically a collection of articles or blog posts, all relating to a similar subject, that are gathered together for your viewing pleasure. You can quickly and conveniently see a list of Article Titles and click on the ones that interest you to read the full post. Blog carnivals are a great way to see a wide variety of ideas and opinions on a similar subject. To see a list of all previous posts in the Blog Carnivals category, click here.

Want to see your article or blog post featured in the FitBuff.com Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival? Click here to submit yours now.

Monday is Blog Carnivals Day

WOW! We received a record 30+ submissions this week, and all but a few made the cut. Thank you to the regular authors who continue to submit great articles, as well as the newcomers who bring even more wealth and knowledge to the Carnival every week!

Brain Power

Exercise

Grooming

Nutrition

Stress

Work

Be sure to tune in every Monday for the next Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog Carnival, and if you want to submit your own article for inclusion, click here before midnight (eastern time) on Sunday.

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]]> http://www.fitbuff.com/total-mind-and-body-fitness-blog-carnival-4/feed/ 6 Don't Get Glad, Get Mad! http://www.fitbuff.com/dont-get-glad-get-mad/ http://www.fitbuff.com/dont-get-glad-get-mad/#comments Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:48:59 +0000 FitBuff Brandon http://www.fitbuff.com/blog/2007/06/30/dont-get-glad-get-mad/

Saturday is Family Life and Work Life Day

An interesting study from psychologists at the University of California at Santa Barbara shows anger can actually help someone think more clearly. Usually, you think of an angry person as someone who isn't thinking much at all, leading to violent and/or rash behavior. While this can certainly be true in extreme cases, it turns out that simply getting a little "peeved" can improve your analytical thinking.

The researchers studied two groups of college students. The first group they riled up by making the students write about a past experience in which they were very angry. If that didn't work, then they would ask the students what their goals and dreams were, only to shoot them down with harsh and negative comments. Nice scientists, huh? Luckily for the second group, they weren't angered at all.

Then, the students were shown two different arguments designed to convince them that college students have good spending habits. One argument was very strong and backed with facts from reputable sources, while the other was filled with loosely opinionated comments and unsupported claims.

The angry students saw right through the weak argument and dismissed it as irrelevant, but the calm group was equally convinced by both arguments.

Their findings, detailed in this month’s issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, suggest that anger helps people focus on the cues that matter most to making a rational decision and ignore cues that are irrelevant to the task of decision-making.

This could be because anger is designed to motivate people to take action, and that it actually helps people to take the right action.

So, what does this mean for you? Within reason, instead of waiting for you and your spouse or you and your co-worker to cool down during a disagreement, you should try and solve it then. You both will be thinking more clearly and are actually more likely to come to an ideal resolution.

Of course, this is a very thin line, and you need to use your best judgment in each situation. Sometimes, it really is better to follow the age-old rule of counting to 10 and revisiting the subject after you've cooled down.

What is your experience with minor arguments with your spouse or co-worker? Do you usually walk away until you're both calm, or do you try and solve the problem right then?

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