Although a ton of research has found intermittent fasting to be safe and effective, some studies provided evidence of its adverse effects. You might ask yourself, “Is intermittent fasting good then?” 

Throughout this article, you will learn the pros and cons of intermittent fasting that can help you decide whether to adopt this fasting diet.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern involving alternating fasting and eating periods. While the literal definition of fasting is abstention from eating and drinking, you can still drink during the fasting. The importance is to choose drinks that don’t affect blood sugar or insulin levels, such as water and unsweetened coffee or tea. If you decide to do dry fasting, restricted from all foods and drinks, prepare yourself for dehydration.

Historically, fasting was done for religious or cultural purposes. For example, during the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims eat two times a day. They will have an early morning meal called suhoor before dawn and have dinner after sunset, known as iftar. Meanwhile, there will be no meal or drink during the day, similar to dry fasting practice.

Fasting is also part of Geneva culture, known as Jeûne genevois or “Fast of Geneva”. People celebrate the day of fasting in September to show penitence after tragedies such as wars, epidemics, or the plague. 

Fasting is now considered a weight loss regimen or healthy eating plan. The main rule is to limit the time range to consume food. In intermittent fasting, it has additional rules based on its type.

Types of intermittent fasting

There are several types of intermittent fasting, including time-restricted feeding, alternate-day fasting, and a 5:2 diet. Here are the following:

Time-restricted feeding

In this type of fasting, people can only eat during a certain period of time. The most common method is to fast for 16 hours and eat anything during an eight-hour window. 

During the fasting period, you can only consume zero-calorie beverages like water. However, research suggests that fasting for 12 hours is the safest option compared to fasting for a longer duration. 

Alternate-day fasting

Another type of intermittent fasting is alternate-day fasting. As the name indicates, it involves fasting every other day. 

You need to limit your calorie intake to 500 or around 20%-25% of your normal intake on fasting days. In a stricter version of alternate-day fasting, you can also opt not to consume anything during the day.

The Fast Diet

The 5:2 diet is also known as ‘The Fast Diet’ that was popularized by Michael Mosley. For this diet, you can eat normally for five days. Then, for two other non-consecutive days, you need to limit your calorie intake to 500 calories for women and 600 calories for men.

Benefits of intermittent fasting

Accumulating evidence indicates that intermittent fasting regimens are beneficial for weight loss and health. However, its effects vary from one person to another since everyone has a unique condition. The following are some benefits after at least one week of intermittent fasting:

Helps lose weight and belly fat

With the assumption that you don’t overeat during the non-fasting period, intermittent fasting will enhance hormone function to facilitate weight loss. One of the mechanisms is by influencing the ghrelin system. Also known as the hunger hormone, ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates appetite. During fasting, the high production of ghrelin will send signals to your brain, leading you to experience food cravings. After an extended period of intermittent fasting, the ghrelin levels will decrease. You will eventually feel less hungry, hence, you will eat less.

Moreover, the changes in the metabolic rate encourage the body to burn fat instead of relying on the constant supply of glucose to create energy. It is estimated that people may lose around 0.25 kg – 0.75 kg per week. 

Fasting will also result in belly fat loss. Studies also showed that people experience a reduction of 4%–7% in waist circumference after 6–24 weeks of adopting intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting can manipulate both sides of the calorie equation. It reduces calorie intake and increases calorie expenditure by boosting the metabolic rate, which explains this effect.

Helps fight inflammation

According to a study, people eat snacks 2 to 3 times daily, most frequently between 3 and 8 PM. These snacking behaviors can increase calorie intake, while sedentary behaviors will further decrease calorie expenditure. Once people adopt this lifestyle, it is easy for them to gain fat.

As a natural response against foreign organisms, inflammation can also happen due to fat from excess calorie intake. The accumulation of fat then releases proinflammatory molecules eliciting a low-grade inflammatory reaction. Over time, it increases the risk of various diseases, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. Regulating calorie intake and expenditure is hence essential in fighting inflammation. 

Studies recommended a low-calorie diet, such as intermittent fasting, to manage balanced calories. Through molecular mechanisms called autophagy, fasting reduces the production of proinflammatory molecules, suppressing chronic inflammation. Instead, the body promotes cell repair and rejuvenation, further reducing the risk of inflammation.

Helps improve brain function

Since inflammation can also damage neurons, it can lead to cognitive function impairment and brain disorders development (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and depression). The mechanism of autophagy provoked by a fasting diet also benefits brain function. 

Moreover, fasting will not only reduce inflammation but also generate new neurons, also known as neurogenesis. Intermittent fasting has been shown to increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). It is a protein that plays a crucial role in promoting neurogenesis and supporting the survival of existing neurons. With rejuvenated neurons, brain functions improve, including attention, working memory, and executive function. In addition, the brain will become less vulnerable to age-related decline and neurodegenerative diseases. 

Apart from reducing inflammation and producing BDNF, you can improve your brain function by consuming foods that keep your brain healthy. While it has been said that intermittent fasting is about when to eat rather than what to eat, you can optimize this diet by paying attention to the type of food you consume. For example, plant-based foods like leafy vegetables may help slow cognitive decline.

Read more: Foods That Keep Your Brain Healthy 

Potential side effects 

Intermittent fasting may be suitable for some people but not others, particularly for individuals with certain medical conditions or who are pregnant. Considering potential pitfalls before starting new diet plans is always a good idea. While an intermittent fasting diet offers some health benefits, as mentioned above, it may also have potential side effects such as:

Digestive issues

The changes in your diet can alter the gut microbiome and digestive function. You might experience symptoms of digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation when you do intermittent fasting. Moreover, what you eat during the feeding window will affect the symptoms that you experience. 

When you eat greasy and fatty foods, the trans fat will be broken down in the large intestine, causing the release of extra fluids. When you eat spicy foods, capsaicin can irritate the intestines. When you drink coffee, caffeine may stimulate your digestive system. The interesting part is when you eat a large amount of high-fiber foods (e.g., beans, whole grains, and avocado), which although essential for your health, can also lead to diarrhea.

On the other hand, low-fiber foods will limit your bowel movements resulting in constipation. Moreover, intermittent fasting can cause dehydration which can worsen constipation. 

To avoid these digestive problems, you need to listen to your body and adjust your diet accordingly. The key is maintaining a balanced diet with appropriate fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Read more: The Perks of Having a Balanced Diet 

Tiredness

When you limit your energy intake, you will have low blood sugar during fasting. It makes you feel more tired and weaker than usual. However, as your body adapts to this new regimen, you might no longer feel tired during fasting.

Consider gradually adjusting your fasting schedule when you just start implementing the diet plan. It will give your body some time to adapt to the fasting practice fully. Then, you may even feel more energized since your body becomes more efficient in mobilizing the energy reserves. 

In some cases, intermittent fasting can cause sleep disturbances which could tire you even more and impact your productivity. A preventive measure you can take is to ensure you are getting adequate sleep. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing sleep environment, and avoiding stimulating activities before bedtime could reduce the risk of sleep disturbances. It will also help you conserve your energy for daily activities.

Read more: The Impact of Sleep on Productivity and How to Get Better Sleep 

Malnutrition

If you don’t plan your fasting program carefully or restrict your calorie intake excessively over an extended period, it could result in malnutrition. 

Malnutrition is an imbalance between your nutrient needs and nutrient intake. It generally covers two broad categories: undernutrition and overnutrition. Undernutrition occurs when you don’t have enough nutrients, whereas overnutrition is when you have too much.

Since you limit your intake during intermittent fasting, you may experience undernutrition. You either lack the overall calories or have a mineral and vitamin deficiency.

A decrease in the sense of smell and taste, along with symptoms such as diarrhea and brittle hair, could be indicators of zinc deficiency. Ignoring these signs and maintaining a zinc-deficient diet could result in difficulties with conception, primarily since this deficiency is known to cause impotence in men. To address this issue, it is recommended that you increase your zinc intake by incorporating more zinc-rich foods, such as red meat, peas, and almonds, into your diet.

Another possible scenario is vitamin D deficiency, which could present with symptoms such as hair loss, lower back pain, and irregular menstrual cycles for women. 

Meanwhile, vitamin B12 deficiency can make you anemic, have pale skin, or experience nerve problems such as numbness.

To meet the right amounts of nutrients during intermittent fasting, you need to adjust your meal plan or take some supplements. For people with certain conditions, seeking a healthcare professional’s advice before practicing intermittent fasting would be recommended.

In conclusion

Many diet regimens are being promoted on social media, including intermittent fasting. Its benefits are often exaggerated, whereas its risks are downplayed. 

When you practice intermittent fasting correctly, you may successfully lose weight, reduce the risk of inflammation, and enhance your brain function. 

However, you should also note that you may experience digestive issues, tiredness, and malnutrition if you don’t carefully plan your calorie and nutrient intake during the feeding period. If you want to give intermittent fasting a try, it’s suggested to consult with your doctor first.

If you would like to see more resources on malnutrition, check out the Personal Resilience Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science Labs to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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However, for people with anxiety disorders, it can be overwhelming since they experience it constantly and it interferes with their daily activities.

In dealing with anxiety disorders, research suggests that grounding techniques can help people detach from anxiety. Although this technique does not solve the underlying cause of anxiety attacks, it can provide a temporary, symptomatic solution.

To help you familiarize yourself with grounding techniques, this article will help you understand the concept and mechanisms of some of the most common coping strategies. 

What are grounding techniques?

Grounding, a concept proposed by Lowen (1958/1979), expresses a stable physical and emotional presence by the support of the ground (i.e. the sense of having “feet on the ground”). The term “grounding” is used since, according to Lowen, when people stand on the ground, their muscles are relaxed. This position allows an energetic flow within the body and discharges it into the ground.

While it can be seen that grounding is associated with connecting the physical body to the ground based on the above description, it can also be interpreted as being in tune with body awareness (i.e., “in touch with reality”).

How grounding works?

Grounding techniques pull you away from negative or challenging emotions by anchoring you in your current situation. The mechanism of using the body in grounding one’s thoughts and emotions is made possible by the interconnection between body and mind. 

Studies in cognitive science have shown that the body can influence one’s control over cognitive processes by conveying psychological states after receiving stimulation from physical actions. 

For that reason, grounding techniques involve all of the five senses including sight, hearing, and smell to distract you from the disturbing thoughts and feelings that cause the anxiety attack. It will interrupt your body’s response during panic attacks and bring you back to the present. 

From this mechanism, it can be seen that grounding techniques and mindfulness are quite similar. While mindfulness refers to paying attention to what is happening right now without any judgment, grounding helps people guide their attention toward present safety.

Grounding techniques for anxiety

Since anxiety attacks can happen anytime and anywhere, it is important to know how to ground yourself in those situations. If changing your perception of the situation is difficult or if you feel like you are losing control over your emotions, you may want to focus on your body first. You may do so either by involving your five senses and/or breathing exercises. 

5 4 3 2 1 grounding techniques

The 5 4 3 2 1 exercise is one of the most common grounding techniques since it is simple, yet powerful enough to pull you from unwanted thoughts and emotions. In this exercise, you need to purposefully observe your surroundings. 

Before you begin, you may want to take a moment to pace your breath and focus your mind on your environment.

To start, you can look for five small details that capture your attention such as the pattern on the ceiling, the color of buildings, or spiders on the wall. Then, shift your attention to four things that you can feel such as the texture of your cloth, the weight of your bag, or even the sun that warms your skin. Afterward, you need to acknowledge three things that you hear from your surroundings including distant noises from a ticking clock or people’s voices from another room. 

You may continue trying to notice two subtle scents around you, like freshly mowed grass, your perfume, or an air freshener. Then, you can finish this practice by becoming aware of one thing that you can taste. If you carry gum in your pocket, you may pop one in your mouth and pay close attention to the flavors. 

3 3 3 rule for anxiety attack

While the 3 3 3 rule cannot be considered a substitute for anxiety disorders treatment, it can help calm the symptoms of anxiety and even manage panic attacks. Moreover, it is easy to remember and can be done wherever you are.

The 3 3 3 rule involves three out of five senses which are sight, sound, and touch. The first rule of 3 3 3 rule is to name three things that you see to become visually aware of what is around you. The second rule is to identify three sounds that you hear to divert your attention from a state of inward thinking. The third rule is to move or touch three things within your reach to help you feel anchored to reality.

If you feel overwhelmed when meeting new people since you suffer from social anxiety, you may want to use a more practical implementation. For example, you can look for familiar faces, touch a glass of water, and listen to the background music. However, if you are to experience panic attacks in certain situations such as when driving, you need to ensure your safety first by pulling over to the nearest shoulder. 

Body scan

Apart from observing what is around you to ground yourself, you may use your own body as an object of your attention. As mentioned previously, there is an interconnection between body and mind. This relationship allows you to soothe your anxiousness by shifting your focus on internal body sensations. This practice is also known as body awareness which is often used in mind-body therapies by practitioners.

Take a few deep breaths through your nose and exhale through your lips as the first step of body awareness meditation. Then, place both of your feet flat on the floor and move your toes several times. After some time, stomp your feet on the ground several times. For each movement, take a moment to focus on the sensations before moving on to the next movement.

Once you notice the sensation from your lower part, continue moving your upper body. You can start by clenching and releasing your fist, followed by pressing and rubbing your palms together. Afterward, you can stretch your hands like you are trying to reach the sky for around five seconds and then relax your whole body. Take another few deep breaths to finish the exercise while noticing the calmness in your body.

In conclusion

Although anxiety is a common reaction to stress that can be channeled towards personal growth, it can hinder your daily activities if experienced constantly. To minimize the impact, grounding techniques can be used as a coping mechanism. This technique involves your five senses and breathing exercises to calm yourself and reconnect your body and mind during an anxiety attack. Furthermore, observation is the key to this technique, hence it is very simple with no requirement for any equipment.

If you would like to know more about anxiety disorders, check out the Personal Resilience Science Labs. Using the research of the Institute for Life Management Science, the lab produces courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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Waking up early but still needing to rush to work, navigating through traffic jams, running upstairs to the office, and arriving just in time can be a normal morning routine for some workers.

Experiencing these anticipated routine hassles leads them to feel a sense of time urgency. It can develop into an automatic response to always be in constant worry — also known as hurry sickness. Despite its name, hurry sickness is not considered a health condition, but it can lead to health issues. 

Although the severity of its impact is different from one individual to another, it is crucial to be aware of one’s condition. Individuals need to understand the concept of hurry sickness – what it is, how it looks, and what are the risks factors, before taking any action to mitigate the anxiety. 

What is hurry sickness?

Hurry sickness is a term proposed by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman in their book Type A Behavior And Your Heart published in 1974. After noticing the vulnerability of people with Type A personality toward heart disease, they identified time urgency as one of the risk factors. 

Hurry sickness (or hurry disease) is thus described as a behavior pattern displaying a continuous struggle to do more things in less time due to chronic anxiousness and an overwhelming sense of urgency.

Although it is said that hurry sickness anxiety presents in Type A personality individuals, it is not always the case. 

Another factor contributing to hurry disease is having fear of missing out (FOMO). With the current technology, people can easily connect with the outside world with quick changes in news and trends. It makes people reluctant to disconnect and aim to achieve more than others as seen in their social media feed for fear of falling out from the norm.

Signs you have hurry sickness

Once the cycle of panic begins, it is very easy to get used to it. Therefore, it represents a valid concern for many people. It is, hence, important to recognize the signs of hurry sickness before appropriately addressing it. 

The following are examples of what hurry sickness may look like:

• Rushing through tasks or activities
• Being obsessed with time to see if you can fit in more activities
• Feeling irritable when something is delaying your plan
• Tending to multitask
• Treating every activity like a competition
• Always feeling behind schedule

In some cases, you may also recognize hurry sickness through physical signs such as:

• Tiredness
• Trouble sleeping
• Changes in appetite
• Headaches or dizziness
• Stomach issues

All of these are similar to signs of prolonged stress which can result in burnout, a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion, disabling you from coping with the demands of daily life.

Tips on how to “un-hurry” your life

As mentioned above, although hurry sickness is not a diagnosis, it can negatively affect your well-being in several ways including mental and physical well-being. You need to “un-hurry” yourself by stopping multitasking and focusing on doing one thing at a time, taking a breather to slow down, and embracing the present moment with mindfulness to prevent these negative impacts.

Stop multitasking

Juggling between multiple tasks will drain your energy and hinder you from fully focusing on your tasks. You will have difficulties performing to the best of your ability or completing tasks because multitasking could affect your productivity. Reminding yourself of this possibility could help you stop multitasking and start prioritizing your tasks. 

When you control your situation, you can ask yourself “what needs to be done and when? What tasks can wait or be delegated to others?” Use your answer to these questions to recreate your workflow in a way that enables you to refocus on what is essential. This practice might be hard at first, especially when you’re suffering from hurry disease. However, once you feel the calmness as a result of this practice, it might become easier for you to make it a habit.

Take a breather and slow down

In cases where you can’t change your situation (e.g., getting stuck in traffic jams due to rush hours, accidents, or bad weather), taking a breather to relax can be an option to quell hurry sickness. During a short time, you can use your Personal Stability Zones to calm your pace or move your body to refresh your mind.

A Personal Stability Zone is a coping mechanism recommended by Alvin Toffler in his book Future Shock in 1970 to help people deal with pressure, complexity, and overstimulation. The mechanism provides you with at least one area in your life where you feel safe and relatively stable. This zone is often associated with people, objects, and places. 

In practice, you might create your Stability Zone to handle your time urgency by having a cup of coffee with a friend, admiring your favorite object and recalling good memories, or spending time in your comfort place such as a bedroom, restaurant, or even street.

Furthermore, moving your body can do magic to your mind. Taking at least 30 minutes of your time to walk, especially in a special place, can help you slow down and collect your thoughts. Take deep breaths as you walk and stretch your legs from time to time to relieve hurry sickness anxiety and have a renewed outlook on your responsibilities. 

Embrace mindfulness

Hurry sickness hinders you from focusing on what you have to do in the present. To refocus your attention, mindfulness is an important skill to develop. It is also a valuable strategy to change the way you perceive a situation, de-pressuring you from the urgency to achieve more.

You can start by directing your awareness to your breath. Try to concentrate on your physical sensations and bring your attention to your emotions and thoughts. While anxious thoughts might come and go during this practice, keep embracing mindfulness and do not respond to the thoughts. It may take several practices, but you will get there in time.

Reaching a higher sense of self through mindfulness means that you can find your authentic self and understand the essence of each task each day, thus helping you to “un-hurry” yourself and enjoy the present moment.

In conclusion

Sometimes, struggling with any hassles to get things done in the fastest way possible seems to be part of your normal daily routine. Especially with the easy use of technology and the fear of falling behind, the mindset of having to do more in less time results in hurry sickness. 

However, this sense of time urgency could lead you to experience chronic anxiety, burnout, and even heart diseases, highlighting the importance of addressing this condition. Recognizing the signs and adopting strategies that let you “un-hurry” yourself may counteract the negative effects.

If you would like to learn more about routine hassle management, check out Personal Resilience Science Labs. The lab produces courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials using the research of the Institute for Life Management Science. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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It may include tasks such as accompanying the person to medical appointments, organizing the medications, helping the person to take shower, preparing meals, and many other things. Although these tasks may be considered small favors, over time, they will take a toll on your body resulting in you developing caregiver stress syndrome.

What does caregiver stress syndrome look like?

Caregiver stress syndrome is a condition characterized by being physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.  According to Ataru Igarashi et al. (2020), the burden of caring for other people is lowering your quality of life as well as impairs your work performance. 

For example, if you adopt maladaptive strategies to cope with stress, you risk experiencing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, it is important to be aware of signs of stress, to prevent it, and to address it.

Caregiver stress syndrome may take different forms depending on the caregivers and their environment. The following are caregiver stress syndrome symptoms:

• Feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or helpless
• Having sleeping difficulties, either sleeping too much or too little
• Changes in eating habits, leading to gaining or losing weight
• Having headaches or migraine
• Becoming more sensitive and easily irritated

Caregivers burnout syndrome

If not addressed properly, chronic stress can lead to burnout. In addition to experiencing signs of stress, you may also experience changes in your attitude. 

For example, you are always attentive to the person that you are taking care of (i.e., spouse, parents, siblings, or clients) but when you burn out, you become unconcerned with their well-being.  The symptoms of caregivers burnout syndrome include:

• Feeling exhausted and easily fatigued
• Isolate yourself from friends, family, and other loved ones
• Lose interest in activities you enjoyed previously
• Thinking of hurting yourself or the person for whom you are caring

Post-traumatic caregiving

In some cases, the stress burden could also result in symptoms of PTSD, also known as post-traumatic caregiving (PTCG). Ahmed Rady et al. (2021) concluded that PTCG happens especially when caring for people with severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, dementia, and bipolar disorders. 

Another possible cause of PTCG is traumatic events to a loved one such as a sudden traffic accident, heart attack, or stroke. All of these factors may reel you to experience symptoms of PTCG, including:

• Hypervigilance accompanied by depressive moods
• Nightmares or flashbacks of the traumatic events
• Negative emotional and physical response after exposure to traumatic events
• Avoidance of things that could stimulate the traumatic memories

How to prevent caregiver stress syndrome?

The high amount of emotional and physical demands involved with caregiving can drain the energy of even psychologically resilient individuals. Therefore, it is recommended to organize your daily tasks, take short breaks to care for yourself and take advantage of the many resources and tools available to help pre-empt caregiver syndrome. 

Organize daily activities

Time management is very crucial for caregivers who need to manage their homes and tend to the needs of their patients. Moreover, informal or family caregivers who have other professional commitments still need to fulfill their job responsibilities. Juggling between all of these tasks will become easier if you can effectively manage your time.

The first thing that you need to do is to list down all of your daily activities. Then, re-order the list according to its priority. It will help you focus on things that need to be done on the following day and what can wait. You can also incorporate a morning routine into your daily life to easily start your day with enough flexibility in case of emergency. 

Take short breaks

When creating your to-do list, taking a break should be considered one of your priorities. You need to make sure that you spend some time taking care of your health. If you feel guilty to indulge yourself in this luxury, remind yourself that you can’t continue to provide care if you fall sick.

Moreover, research shows that short breaks provide relief from caregiving, rejuvenate you, and enhance your resilience and well-being. To obtain these benefits, you need to spend your time in either mental or physical rest including getting enough sleep, consuming healthy foods, and engaging in physical activity. 

Additionally, it is recommended to do regular checkups involving cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease screenings since you are considered to be at risk of the physical and emotional burden.

Take advantage of external resources

While you may believe that it is your responsibility to provide care all by yourself, the reality is that you also have limitations in what you can do. You can lighten your load by outsourcing what is possible. 

For example, when you re-order your to-do lists, you may assign some tasks to other family members, healthcare providers, or even meal delivery providers. You can try finding information on the available free or low-cost resources in your area to help reduce the financial burden.

If you are the main family caregiver, you could ask for practical help such as picking up groceries, frequent visits, and financial contributions toward hiring help. If you are also an employee, you might want to discuss your situation with your employer to see what offers your company has. Meanwhile, you can also join a support group for caregivers to gather useful tips to help deal with similar challenges.

How to relieve caregiver stress?

Since caregiver syndrome can get worse over time, it is important to relieve stress to reduce the pressures. The key to relieving stress is to practice self-care. 

Katherine E Dorociak et al. (2017) define self-care as “a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being.” It is divided into several dimensions of personal life including psychological, recreational, and social. 

Stay positive with humor

Concerning psychological and recreational domains, humor is a great tool to reframe negative events with positive ones. Humor can shift the negative perceptions of an event by reducing the physiological markers of stress through laughter. 

In addition, it can help you bond with the person that you are taking care of, look at issues from multiple perspectives, and normalize your experience in caregiving.

If you are frustrated with your current situation, try to recognize the potential humor in it and imagine scenarios of a more extreme version of your situation that becomes even more ridiculous that you find yourself amused. 

Another way to do it is by watching humorous sitcoms, memes, and online videos displaying ridiculous frustrating situations. The interpretations of life depicted in these resources can help you maintain a lighthearted attitude and change your perception of life, relieving some stress.

Aromatherapy for relaxation

Aromatherapy can be considered a stress reliever that can be done during recreational activities. It is available in various forms such as candles, diffusers, or body products. Therefore, aromatherapy can be convenient, especially when you do not have enough time.

For example, you can fill your room with a calming scent while you provide care, relieving stress not only for you but also others in the same room. You can also use aromatherapy for massage or meditation. Moreover, you can choose the different scents according to your physical and emotional state. Eun Hee Cho et al. (2017) recommended lavender scent for relaxation, especially when you suffer from sleeping difficulties.

Stay connected with other people

Self-care is also associated with social activities. Keeping in touch with other family members and friends allows you to separate yourself from being a caregiver to just being you. Take the initiative to invite people rather than wait for them passively. If not possible to meet face-to-face, then stay connected with them through video calls, instant messaging, or any other online platforms.

You may also consider connecting with other caregivers since you share similar experiences. In some cases, you would feel understood by them when you vent out your frustration. They could provide you with more practical and effective tips compared to when you talk with family and friends. It helps you get out from the negativity and refocus your energy on caregiving.  Talk to others and express emotions. Stay in touch with family and friends and do things you enjoy with your loved ones.

In conclusion

As a caregiver, you may tend to focus more on the health of the other person while neglecting your health and needs. You may feel overwhelmed with the amount of care to provide that, in the long-term, caregiving becomes a source of distress impacting your well-being. In the effort of avoiding this negative impact, you need to be on the lookout for signs of caregiver stress and prevent it from happening or worsening by addressing it properly.

If you would like to know more about the different aspects of caregiving, visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs. Using the research of the Institute for Life Management Science, the lab produces courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials. Check out the Personal Resilience Science Labs today. Photo by Freepik

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Based on the Personal Space Boundary (PSB) theory by Anne Scott Stiles in 1986, personal boundaries can be classified into closed or rigid, open, and flexible boundaries.   

People with rigid boundaries put up a strong wall to avoid interaction with others and people with open boundaries invite others into their personal space. While these two boundaries could result in the isolation of the person, a flexible boundary is the healthiest boundary since it allows an appropriate amount of social interaction.

Why do healthy boundaries matter?

Flexible boundaries are often depicted by the ability to say no to others in case their behavior is overstepping the limit and saying “yes” to build intimacy and close relationships.   

Apart from being essential in interpersonal relationships, healthy boundaries also act as a coping mechanism against stress as demonstrated in a 2019 study by Henrik Lindqvist. As such, it is even more important to understand that setting personal boundaries is important in building your resilience.

Maintain relationships

Clear rules can let other people know what is acceptable, hence reducing the possibility of having a dispute.   

Moreover, different degrees of permeability of the boundaries can highlight different levels of intimacy. The more you open up to someone, the more special that person would feel which would then deepen the meaning of your relationship.   

Flexible boundaries can help you have a healthy balance of independence and interdependence, whether it is in professional or personal relationships.   

In some cases, personal boundaries may seem arrogant to some people since they think that stating what is convenient for yourself is being self-centered. There might be some sort of resistance to your boundaries by arguing, ignoring, manipulating, or threatening you. However, this opposition can become a signal for you to assess your relationship with the person. If you perceive the person as toxic, then you can take appropriate steps to deal with him/her.  

Improve self-esteem

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, you won’t be ready to fulfill your esteem needs if you don’t address love and belonging needs first through healthy relationships (Kenrick et al., 2010).   

Esteem needs encompass self-esteem, confidence, and respect. Having boundaries signifies that you are accepting your individuality and respecting yourself. Hence, you expect others to do the same. Therefore, the more well-defined your boundaries are, the more people will treat you as a worthy individual, and the stronger your self-esteem will become.  

To facilitate the efficacy of your boundaries, you should require assertiveness. Firmly stating your needs and interests even when they are the opposite of others’ needs would help you preserve your self-esteem.   

However, based on the study by Daniel Ames in 2017, being assertive does not mean that you compromise but discussing the point where your and others’ needs might overlap while still not crossing the limits.

Reduce emotional exhaustion

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many changes in work-lifestyle, one of them being the blurred boundaries between work and home life demands. People are asked to juggle multiple responsibilities resulting in a high level of stress. The accumulated stress could lead to emotional exhaustion, which is one of the signs of burnout.   

A 2021 meta-analysis study led by Tariq A. Alsalhe et al. reported that the prevalence rate of high emotional exhaustion is 28.6% on average – ranging from 11.52 to 60.6%. People experiencing emotional exhaustion generally display symptoms like a lack of motivation, trouble sleeping, and irritability. They might even develop mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. As such, it is important to establish good boundaries between professional and personal life.

In conclusion

Boundaries are limits set to express one’s needs and wants. With the right composition of saying yes and no to others, flexible boundaries are the healthiest form of personal boundaries. They are necessary to maintain healthy relationships while improving one’s self-esteem. Setting boundaries are also vital in preventing emotional exhaustion from maladaptive work-lifestyle.

Boundary management are just one of the many aspects that the Personal Resilience Science Labs tackles. Using the research of the Institute for Life Management Science, the lab produces courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning tools aimed at strengthening your ability to bounce back after a setback. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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Regardless of species, an affectionate bond with pets can mitigate psychological distress, ease loneliness, and prevent suicide. In a study, 16.7% of the participants reported that their dogs prevented them from taking their own lives (Barcelos et al. 2021). This phenomenon can be explained by two reasons, the dog’s affection and the fact that they need to care for the animal.

On the other hand, according to a 2021 research led by Roxane Hawkins about the experiences of people having pets and their mental health,  pets are associated with higher general mental health burdens of their keepers due to increased guilt and excessive worry, especially when pets receive a strong attachment from their owners. Results show that people can feel emotionally strained and doubt their ability as a pet owner due to feeling guilty and selfish as they need to leave their pets alone at home. 

To avoid the negative mental health effect of having pets due to extreme attachment, it is recommended to build a healthy attachment with pets through several strategies as follows:

Being familiar with non-verbal communication

The fact that people and animals are different species makes it challenging for people to communicate with their pets since it is mainly based on non-verbal language. In some cases, basic behaviors that people like to do are not well received by pets. Therefore, it is vital to get familiar with their body language and adjust accordingly.

The first thing pet owners can do is to get to know their pet’s body language through observation. Pets’ body language includes tail carriage and motion, ear and eye position, body position and movement as well as facial expressions. Meanwhile, it is also necessary to observe the entire body as well as the situation or context to accurately decipher what is being conveyed. For example, a wagging tail can mean an excited cat, or an irritated one if the cat’s body is stiff and on guard.

In addition, pet owners need to learn how to communicate with their pets using eye contact and hand gestures. Eye contact represents people’s readiness to communicate and it triggers the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for bonding. However, eye contact should be done briefly in seconds, especially with new pets, and can be prolonged over time once they are accustomed. Non-verbal communication can also be facilitated by pairing eye contact with a hand signal and using it consistently to help clear up misunderstandings and build trust with pets.

Creating a routine

Close pet-owner interactions including cuddling, walking, and feeding are the most frequent activities enhancing the owner’s emotions and life functioning (Barcelos et al, 2021). At the same time, pets need to play for emotional, mental, and physical stimulation that promotes their well-being. While these activities offer health benefits for both parties, they are also an excellent way to bond.

Creating routines for several different behaviors can facilitate regular interactions between owners and their pets. Owners can start with setting and maintaining regular feeding times to let their pets feel comfortable with them and their environment. Pet keepers can also set a regular grooming routine to show their love through gentle encouragement and affection. Another option is to spend some time cuddling and petting as physical contact can create a sense of safety and comfort providing momentary stress relief.

For fun activities, setting up a schedule for morning or evening play sessions can be an option. Since cats are predators, playing by using “prey sequence” — staring, chasing, pouncing, and performing a kill bite before eating is important to encourage their natural instincts. Meanwhile, keepers can have regular outdoor strolls and play treasure hunts with their dog pets which can promote mental activeness.

Balancing time spent together and alone

While close interaction with pets is important in building an attachment, it does not mean that the owner should overdo it. Both keepers and pets need some time to be alone, especially when feeling overwhelmed, wanting to stay away from the crowd, or being in the mood for a quiet nap. For some days, keepers can take a walk together with their dogs but let them run free and enjoy their time alone to help maintain a good level of dependency, hence healthy attachment.

However, pet owners should also not leave their pets alone for long periods since it could lead to a higher risk of developing separation anxiety. For instance, dogs can develop separation-related behaviors, such as barking, toileting, or destroying household items when left without human company. But how much time should owners spend with their pets?

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to the question since every pet and every circumstance is different.  Dr. Vint Virga, a board-certified in veterinary behavior and the author of The Soul of All Living Creatures, said that dogs should get at least a total of two hours per day to socialize with their owner. They should not spend more than 6-8 hours alone during the day. To counter pets’ long alone hours, Dr. Virga recommends preparing activity puzzles before going out and keeping dog pets occupied for up to a few hours while unaccompanied.

In conclusion

As a companion, pets can promote or demote their owners’ well-being based on their attachment style. The benefits of having pets can be gained by building healthy attachments which can be done in several meanings. Pet owners need to be able to communicate with their pets by familiarizing themselves with their pets’ body language. While owners also need to interact regularly with their pets by having a routine together, they also need to give their pets some time alone.

If you would like to know more about how your attachment style can affect your well-being, you’ve come to the right place. The Personal Resilience Science Labs produces courses, certifications, podcasts, and other learning materials that explore the subject of attachment. These resources are based on the research of the Institute for Life Management Science and are based on science and practice. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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Andrea Scarantino and Ronald de Sousa (2021) stated that emotion can be classified into dimensions, such as occurrences (e.g., panic) and dispositions (e.g., hostility), short-lived (e.g., anger) and long-lived (e.g., grief), and conscious (e.g., embarrassed about being unemployed) and unconscious (e.g., unconscious fear of failing in a relationship).

Emotions can fluctuate due to the significance of the event, whereas the latter is influenced by external and internal factors, including stress, side effects of medication, and lack of sleep. At times, when the emotion is too intense or when these influencing factors are unknown, regulating emotions can be a challenge. Labeling, acknowledging, and letting go of the emotion can help you manage it appropriately.

Label the emotion

The first step to regulating emotions is by labeling them. Many people have a hard time identifying their emotions, either due to a lack of emotional vocabulary or awareness. If you are experiencing a strong emotion, hold on for a moment before giving immediate reactions and try to find the most suitable word to label your feelings.

Managing your breathing would help reduce the intensity of your emotions. While short and shallow breaths intensify your already strong emotion, slow and deep breathing promotes a state of calmness by increasing the supply of oxygen to your brain. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth while counting steadily from one to five in a comfortable position. Repeat the process without pausing for three to five minutes.

Once you have calmed down, try to describe what you were feeling and estimate the intensity of that specific emotion. As the range of emotional intensity differs for each person, what you call “sadness” might be labeled as “grief” by others. However, the difference in the label might also be due to the lack of vocabulary, hence the need for a more detailed description. Having this insight may change your perception of your emotions and perhaps help you discover other emotions covered by the more obvious ones.

Accept the emotion

The second step would be to accept your emotions. Rejecting emotion is a frequent reaction when facing uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, fear, or shame. This might lead to engaging in using drugs, binge drinking, and unprotected sexual activities to feel better. However, the destructive power of these uncomfortable emotions will be weakened by accepting them instead of avoiding them.

Stephanie Boehme et al. (2019) found that compared to other emotional regulation strategies (e.g. rumination and thought suppression), acceptance can be considered an effective strategy. Accepting emotions means that you acknowledge your emotion without judging them as positive or negative and experience it as it is. Experiencing various emotions could help you learn how to manage them better in the future.

Practicing self-compassion can help you achieve a greater understanding of your emotional experiences and move on from them. In applying this strategy, you would need to imagine a scenario where your friends are having a hard time. Say what you would say to them to yourself: “You are not okay, and it’s normal since you are experiencing a challenging situation.” This would create a space to open yourself up to your emotions.

Let go of the emotion

The last step of emotional regulation is to let emotions go by expressing them. Once the body and mind are integrated, the emotional expression would be authentic and embodied. It will move the energy through and out of the body instead of pressuring it against the body.

In his book When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, Gabor Maté explained that emotional repression is a major cause of stress and a significant contributor to illness. For example, repressing anger would increase stress hormones, such as cortisol, that suppress the immune system. Thereafter, it could result in inflammatory autoimmune diseases of the joints, blood vessels, and internal organs, followed by other diseases, such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Therefore, to be fully processed, emotions need to be expressed. This can be done through words, body language, or facial expressions. Many therapists also suggest expressing emotions through art known as confessional art. For example, when you are sad, you can express it by listening to sad music, writing a poem, or painting.

In conclusion

As complex as emotions are, it is necessary to regulate them to become resilient. Emotional regulation is about moving forward through any setbacks until reaching the goals. To mindfully deal with emotions, you need to implement these three steps: calmly label the emotion, accept it compassionately, and let it go by expressing it.

If you would like to take learning about self-regulation further, the Personal Resilience Science Labs produces courses, certifications, videos, podcasts, and other learning materials on the topic. These resources are based on research by the Institute for Life Management Science (ILMS). Find out more and visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.Photo by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash

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Emergence of lifestyle diseases

Much research associated sedentary behavior with the so-called “lifestyle diseases”, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. To counter this growing health issue, WHO released a physical activity guideline stating that adults aged 18-64 years should accumulate at least 150-300 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per week. If they practice high-intensity physical activities, then the time could be shortened by half.

People often think that moderate or vigorous physical activity means that they need to do some sweat-inducing exercises or high-impact activities. Even though that is true, implementing small movements into daily activities can also help improve overall health. These small movements can be related to daily activities such as doing household chores, commuting (i.e. walking and cycling), and participating in leisure activities (i.e. sports and active recreation).

Improving the body

Body movements that involve exercising the muscles and expending energy, such as walking, can be considered a physical activity. When walking, the whole body uses its bones, joints, and muscles to move which also strengthens each part. It is also good for the repair or growth of these parts of the body since walking increases your heart rate which improves your blood flow, allowing for oxygen and nutrients to flow properly.

Higher quality of the same benefits can be attained by increasing the intensity of activities. You can do activities such as brisk walking, climbing the stairs, sweeping the floor, or slow dancing to further increase the activity of your heart and lung functions. Over time, this will lead to a higher overall endurance of your body.

Higher levels of activity can also be found in other daily movements such as grocery shopping, jogging, and cycling. While pushing a cart, carrying bags, and loading up your trunk can strengthen your muscles, jogging and cycling also offer the same benefit with the addition of improving heart health and metabolism, hence preventing obesity. By practicing these simple exercises regularly, your body will eventually familiarize itself with the movements which will help reduce the risk of having joint injuries.

Improving the mind

Household chores include a wide range of tasks – from washing dishes to organizing the laundry – which combines both physical and mental activity. A 2021 study by Noah Koblinsky et al. found that engaging in household physical activity can enhance mental abilities, including learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It also offers protection against brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, affecting a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. 

Furthermore, moderate-intensity activities can also influence the production of happy hormones such as endorphins and dopamine. If endorphins act as painkillers that trigger positive feelings, dopamine acts as a reward allowing you to feel pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. Apart from this type of activity, meditative movements including qigong, tai chi, and some forms of yoga can help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety leading to a feeling of well-being. By changing your body posture, breathing, and rhythm, people can change the overall activity level of the brain.

Furthermore, doing these simple movements alongside others has additional benefits such as improving self-esteem and cooperation with others. As William McNeill (1995) once wrote about his observations on muscular bonding, “moving briskly and keeping in time was enough to make us feel good about ourselves, satisfied to be moving together, and vaguely pleased with the world at large.” Muscular bonding can also be done through aligning movement with others temporarily which is also known as a synchronized movement. Synchronizing footsteps with friends, clapping hands together when watching a concert, and coordinating dance movements are some examples of synchronized movement.

In conclusion

Lifestyle disease due to sedentarism is considered a major public health issue these last few years. To curb this problem, engagement in physical activity has been proven to help gain back a more active, healthier way to live. This also includes movements in household chores, commuting, and leisure activity. As mind and body are intimately connected, movement is not only beneficial for the body but can also affect the way people think and feel.

For more in-depth content on the sedentary lifestyle, the Life Management Science Labs’ (LMSL) Personal Resilience Science Labs features courses, certifications, videos, podcasts, and more. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science and packages it into interactive and insightful learning materials. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.Photo by Andy on Pexels

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While it is difficult to control the experience, you can still control how you react to it. Therefore, it is important for you to regain your confidence as it is a necessary step to take after experiencing failure. This can be done through several strategies, including reframing the experience, managing self-doubt, and seeking social support.

Reframe the experience

People fear failure not because of the experience itself, but because of the negative emotions and thoughts inflicted by it, including being ashamed of what others think about them. This affects a person’s sense of failure, failure attribution, and determination to continue to try. Therefore, it is important to change the perspective of the experience and focus on yourself. To do that, you will need to reframe the experience from failure to learning.

Studies have shown that failure creates an opportunity for people to learn. It enables people to gain experiences, adjust strategies, and reduce the risk of experiencing similar failure. Throughout each of your failures, you should reflect on your strengths and weaknesses to help prepare a new way to approach future challenges. By acquiring new skills and knowledge from failing, you will be able to rebuild your confidence.

An example of this would be job hunting wherein only one person will be chosen to get the job. Candidates who failed to land the job need to take notes on what possible mistakes they made during the selection process by recapping their interview process or even having their resume read by their peers. Having these notes act as their weapon for next time which will lead them to feel more confident.

Manage self-doubt

Negative thoughts resulting from failure also relate to a person’s perceptions of their abilities. This can distort your assessment of your skills, intelligence, and capabilities as lacking which will make you doubt yourself and lower your confidence. Managing self-doubt by reaffirming your abilities and goals would be the key to countering this problem.

Self-affirmation is known to facilitate resilient responses to self-doubt and maintain a positive self-view. By practicing affirmations, you can decrease stress, improve performance, and promote behavior change. Saying affirmations in times of doubt or failure, such as recognizing that you are a good employee or you are hard-working, will remind you of your past accomplishments and help regain confidence.

In addition to reaffirming your abilities, you also need to reaffirm your goals when you experience failure to not feel lost and give up. This strategy will fortify your resolve and overshadow your fear of failure. You can start by asking yourself what you want to achieve. Write down your answer in a journal or vision board to visualize your goals through words and collages of pictures.

Seek social support

While opinions of other people can ignite negative feelings after experiencing failure, support from others can help you get back on track and confidently move forward. Yingping Mai et al. (2021) found that people who obtain help and support from others cope better when facing failure. Perceived social support also improves a person’s self-confidence even after experiencing failure.

There are four distinct forms of social support that you can receive: emotional, esteem, informational, and tangible support. While emotional support involves physical comfort, care, and empathic listening, esteem support involves expressions of encouragement on one’s skills, abilities, and intrinsic value. Meanwhile, informational support is commonly shown in the form of advice or feedback on the action. Intangible support, rather than giving advice, your support system would take an active stance to help you deal with failure.

When you feel down and can’t seem to enjoy daily activities, you can reach out to your loved ones for these types of support. However, some people may not know what kind of support you hope for from them. It will help if you can tell them precisely what kind of support you want from them before telling them your worries. You can also select who to turn to since you already know the person’s characteristics and temperament in handling things.

In conclusion

Failure can cause you to unconsciously sabotage your chances of success due to a lack of confidence. Therefore, you should aim to reframe the experience of failure and label it as a learning opportunity instead. Reaffirmation of abilities and goals also helps disempower your self-doubt while social support can confer resilience to failure. These strategies will help you regain your confidence after failure so you can continue towards your goals.

If you would like to learn more strategies for building confidence, the Life Management Science Labs’ (LMSL) Personal Resilience Science Labs has a plethora of research-backed courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and many others. Using the studies of the Institute for Life Management Science, these resources are packed with easy-to-follow learning materials that you can read or listen to at home or on the go. Visit the Personal Resilience Science Labs today.

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