Do you find it hard to unwind after work?

21 Thursday Nov 2019

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, cranky, de-stress, destress, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, stress, stress hormones, unwind, walk the dog, work

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Well, the lingering stress hormones, like cortisol, could make you cranky, and hurt your health in the long run. So, work-life balance expert Mary LoVerde recommends a “power hour” ritual to help you switch from work mode to home mode. So maybe you walk the dog and take a soothing shower. Or you change into sweats and start dinner if you find that relaxing. Just make your “power hour” a repetitive ritual, because planning something new every day will just ADD stress. LoVerde says rituals make it easier to wind down and relax. They also make you more mindful, so you’ll spend your time at home “in the moment,” instead of stressing about work.

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Reduce stress by listening to this music – LIVE!

16 Friday Aug 2019

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classical music, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, heart rate, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, live music, lower heart rate, music, reduce stress, stress

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What can reduce stress in everybody – young, old, men, and women? Hearing classical music played LIVE! A study in the journal Public Health found people who attended a concert had significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And that was even true for people who didn’t usually go to concerts or weren’t familiar with the music being played. It’s partly because classical music has been shown to lower heart and breathing rates… and partly because experiencing the same thing with others makes us feel part of a community – and that social support reduces stress.

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To feel more energized in the morning:

25 Friday Jan 2019

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brain, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, ear plugs, earplugs, energized, energy, focus, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, morning, sleep, sleepy, tired

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Go to bed wearing earplugs! A joint study between British and Swedish researchers found people who feel foggy and slowed up in the morning probably aren’t producing enough cortisol, a natural brain-energizer that wakes us up, and heightens our alertness. But wearing earplugs to bed blocks low levels of overnight noise – like nearby traffic, or barking dogs. And research shows that when the quality of our sleep improves, our brain churns out more cortisol in the morning – giving us more focus and energy.

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Use coconut scents to relax!

10 Thursday Jan 2019

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aroma, candles, coconut, coconut candle, coconut lotion, Columbia University, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, lotion, stress

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If you find it hard to relax on your day off because you can’t stop worrying about the little things, try this: Rub on a little coconut-scented lotion, or light a coconut candle. Research at Columbia University found the aroma of coconut helps blood pressure return to normal after a stressful task. It also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol by 24%. The reason? Because the smell of coconut stimulates the area of the brain that regulates mood.

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What can a museum do for you?

25 Thursday Oct 2018

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art, art museum, calm, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, happy, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, Italy, IULM University, lower heart rate, Milan, museum, paintings, reduce stress, relax, relaxing, sculpture, stress free

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Sure, it can expose you to fine art – but it can also slash your stress by 60%! That’s according to IULM University in Milan, Italy. The researchers measured people’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol, before and after they visited a museum. And they found just spending a few minutes admiring paintings or sculpture dramatically reduced stress. Their cortisol dropped 60%! Plus, the study participants said they felt happier and calmer. It works because, when we’re looking at art, we’re in the moment. And Stanford psychologists say that looking at something awe-inspiring makes us more patient and unselfish, and it makes time seem to slow down. Art also fills us with positive emotions, which lower levels of inflammatory proteins, reducing stress and lowering our heart rate.

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Here’s a trick to help get rid of tension in 60-seconds:

03 Monday Sep 2018

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Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, face, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, scalp, stress hormone, tabla, tension, trick

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Close your eyes and tap your fingers all over your face and scalp, using both hands, just like you would if you were typing on a keyboard. Massage therapists call that technique “tabla playing” – after the traditional Indian percussion instrument. And it supposedly relaxes tense muscles and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

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The importance of a high five at work!

17 Tuesday Jul 2018

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Wanna lift the morale at work – and improve your own mood? High five your coworkers. High fives release the trust hormone oxytocin and reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Experts from UC Berkeley say high fives promote bonding among coworkers, and increase trust and productivity.

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This may be the best way to fight colds and flu:

14 Thursday Jun 2018

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cold, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, flu, foot massage, foot rub, immune system, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, Miami, scalp massage

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A foot massage! University of Miami researchers say a 10-minute foot rub can boost levels of virus-attacking white blood cells by 25%. A daily foot rub also lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which weakens our immunity. If your partner isn’t into giving you a foot rub, a do-it-yourself 10-minute scalp massage can have the same effect.

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To look and feel more powerful – assume the Gorilla pose!

06 Tuesday Feb 2018

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Amy Cuddy, Connie Sellecca, conniesellecca, cortisol, gorilla, gorilla pose, gorilla power pose, intelligence for your life, intelligenceforyourlife, power, power pose, powerful

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According to Harvard researcher, Amy Cuddy, “posing” in a powerful way – as gorillas do – can influence the way we’re perceived by others. Cuddy says that adopting a high power pose two minutes prior to a meeting will help you exude confidence and you’ll also feel more confident. So here’s the gorilla power pose: Open your arms, clench your fists, push your chest forward and lift up your chin. Hold that for 2 minutes. Cuddy says those two minutes will temporarily change your hormone levels of testosterone and cortisol, making you look and feel more powerful.

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If the holidays turn you into an insomniac, you’ve got a lot of company.

22 Wednesday Nov 2017

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Studies show that 56% of us have trouble sleeping between Thanksgiving and New Year’s…And it’s often because of adrenal exhaustion. That’s where high levels of the stress hormone cortisol overwhelm your adrenal gland, causing a drop in the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin.
How can you improve your adrenal function? Natural health expert Dr. Andrew Weil recommends a low-glycemic diet…That means, avoid white flour and sugar…And stick with whole grains…As well as protein-rich foods, like meat, poultry, dairy, soy products, beans and lentils.

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Tag Archives: cortisol

Do you find it hard to unwind after work?

Reduce stress by listening to this music – LIVE!

To feel more energized in the morning:

Use coconut scents to relax!

What can a museum do for you?

Here’s a trick to help get rid of tension in 60-seconds:

The importance of a high five at work!

This may be the best way to fight colds and flu:

To look and feel more powerful – assume the Gorilla pose!

If the holidays turn you into an insomniac, you’ve got a lot of company.