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<\/div>Bust Stress with Meditation<\/b><\/h2>\n
Entrepreneurs have stress, and frequently, lots of it. Being the person in charge has definite perks, but excessive stress is not one of them. The\u00a0American Psychological Association notes<\/a>, \u201cChronic stress, experiencing stressors over a prolonged period of time, can result in a long-term drain on the body.\u201d Side effects of chronic stress can include increased inflammation, tension headaches and migraines, labored breathing, heart attack and many others. Amy Kuretsky, owner of\u00a0Amy K. Acupuncture recommends meditation.<\/a> \u201cI spend time every day meditating. Sometimes it\u2019s a restorative 30 minutes, while other days I make sure to at least get in a quick 5 min before I jump in the shower.\u201d<\/p>\n Annie Lawless, co-founder of\u00a0Suja Juice likes to start her day with meditation.<\/a> \u201cI wake up super early, around 5 a.m., and like to meditate first thing before I do anything else. I take about 30 minutes to close my eyes and put myself in the present moment, allowing my thoughts to pass me by and get my body and mind centered to take on the day.\u201d<\/p>\n But why meditate? According to Harvard Medical School neuroscientist Sara Lazar<\/a>, \u201cI did a literature search of the science, and saw evidence that meditation had been associated with decreased stress, decreased depression, anxiety, pain and insomnia, and an increased quality of life.\u201d Intrigued by the implications of her research, Sara conducted her own studies. She discovered that consistent meditation could physically change your brain in positive, measurable ways.<\/p>\n Sara discovered thickening in four areas of the brain- areas responsible for emotional regulation, empathy, compassion, perspective-taking, learning, cognition, and memory. She also found that the amygdala, which controls humans\u2019 \u201cfight or flight\u201d instinct and influences fear and stress, shrank.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Mayo Clinic acknowledges that meditation can have a positive effect on emotions<\/a>; as well as managing physical symptoms of a number of diseases and disorders, including asthma, cancer, anxiety and depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure.<\/p>\n Best of all, starting a meditation practice doesn\u2019t cost a dime; you can do it anywhere. This flexibility makes it a great activity for busy people with packed schedules. With such compelling benefits, meditation seems like a real no-brainer.<\/p>\n Excessive sitting, which might sound harmless, has recently been identified as a danger to our health. Office workers and entrepreneurs risk developing negative side effects caused by sitting in front of their computers for too long.<\/p>\n James A. Levine M.D., Ph.D. of Mayo Clinic tells us<\/a>, \u201cResearch has linked sitting for long periods with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome \u2014 a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. Too much sitting also seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, all of this sitting can harm our posture and musculoskeletal system. James McIntosh of Medical News Today reports<\/a> that various sitting positions can lead to lower back pressure, damaged ligaments, muscle imbalances, pain, and stiffness. So what can we do?<\/p>\n You can bypass the excessive sitting trap by investing in a standing desk.\u00a0Jonathan Long, founder of Domination Media is a standing desk convert.<\/a> \u201cI\u2019ll admit that I was a bit skeptical at first — I had many questions and concerns. Would I be as productive standing as I worked? Could I comfortably do my daily tasks on my feet? But now, the results are in. And, in short, I\u2019ll never go back to a regular desk.\u201d Jonathan has experienced increased productivity, decreased back pain, and better sleep at night since making the switch to a standing desk.<\/p>\n While cutting back on your sitting time is ideal, sometimes we can\u2019t get around it. What then? Some people buy kratom for chronic pain<\/a> and have been quite active on the internet, sharing with others the wonders it has done for them. Kratom is a natural herb known for centuries to help with many pain and sleep problems.<\/p>\n Rachel Leung of\u00a0Fitness Training with Philip Leung advocates for yoga<\/a>. \u201cI do yoga and hoop after! Yoga helps correct my posture after looking at a computer all day. It also helps me clear my mind and reduce the stressful things plaguing me that day.\u201d<\/p>\n Social media specialist Jamie Samples prefers another route.<\/a> \u201cI LOVE LOVE LOVE my chiropractor \u2013 that is the one thing I do weekly to make sure my body stays in peak wellness!\u201d<\/p>\n Whether you embrace the standing desk lifestyle or opt for yoga<\/a>, pilates, or a chiropractor, be mindful of how much time you spend sitting.<\/p>\n Being an entrepreneur often means that your work day isn\u2019t limited to a convenient 9-5 schedule. And, if you\u2019re like most modern businessmen and women, you spend a lot of time staring at computer, smartphone, and tablet screens.<\/p>\n A Harvard Health Letter warns <\/a>of light’s effects on sleeping patterns: \u201cAt night, light throws the body’s biological clock\u2014the circadian rhythm\u2014out of whack. Sleep suffers. Worse, research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to throwing off our sleep cycles, light from digital devices can have other negative effects. Staring at a screen for too long can lead to temporary eyestrain. And certain types of light can damage our eyes. As optometrist Dr. Matthew Alpert\u00a0explains:<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEven though blue light is nothing new, the biggest issue is the amount of blue light exposure we get daily through digital device use. With this exposure increasing over time, we are actually causing permanent damage to our eyes. But unlike digital eye strain, the effects of blue light are cumulative. They can lead to eye diseases like macular degeneration\u2026 cutting back on tech use at night means getting better sleep, making people more productive at both work and school.\u201d<\/p>\n Many would prefer not to work at night, but sometimes that can’t be avoided. \u00a0Amanda Eilian, founder of\u00a0Videolicious, shares<\/a> \u201cI almost always eat dinner with my husband and kids, but that usually means I’m finishing up work after they’ve gone to sleep.\u201d This combination of nighttime work hours and light exposure from our trusty screened devices isn\u2019t so great for our health.<\/p>\n But even if you\u2019re a night owl, you\u2019ll still need eye protection. Amanda found a great working solution. \u201cTo mitigate some of the damage, I wear blue-light-blocking glasses after 8 p.m. and have a blue-light shield on all of my electronic devices.\u201d It may also help to set aside \u2018no screen time\u2019 about an hour before bed. This gives your body time to detox from the blue light, allowing you to fall asleep more easily.<\/p>\n Putting down your iPhone an hour before bed and investing in blue-light-blocking glasses or a few screen shields are easy solutions. And, with your eyesight and sleep hanging in the balance, it seems silly not to.<\/p>\n With that in mind…<\/p>\n We know this goes without saying, but lacking sleep is bad for your health and business.<\/p>\n Don’t believe me? Ask Eric J. Olson, M.D. of\u00a0Mayo Clinic.<\/a> \u201cYes, lack of sleep can affect your immune system. Studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.\u201d<\/p>\n But, the bad news doesn\u2019t stop there. Dr. Sheldon Sheps of\u00a0Mayo Clinic also reports<\/a> that lack of sleep may also reduce your blood\u2019s ability to regulate and reduce stress hormones<\/a>. And, if you get under six good hours of sleep a night, you may be at higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Need we say more? Sleep is vital to your health and well-being.<\/p>\n Professional writer and founder of\u00a0Work.O, Brittany Taylor is already in on the sleep secret.<\/a> \u201cI sleep\u2013as late as I want, as often as I need to. As a writer, if my brain isn\u2019t working, I\u2019ve got nothing. Even a 20-minute nap can help me hit a higher gear.\u201d<\/p>\nFight the Effects of Excessive Sitting<\/b><\/h2>\n
Block Blue Light when Working at Night<\/b><\/h2>\n
Get Enough Quality Sleep<\/b><\/h2>\n
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