Unplug: Busy Woman’s Guide to a Healthy New Year Tip #5

Are you suffering from Electronic Induced Stress?

Here are some ways to tell:

• If you cell phone has stopped being a convenience and has become a burden, interrupting your life and limiting your productivity…
• If turning off your phone makes you anxious and fearful of what you might miss…
• If your ear feels odd without the Bluetooth…
• If the background music to your life is MSNBC, CNN or CSpan…
• If you have a Pavlovian reaction to the ‘ding’ of the e-mail or text message notification…

You may be suffering from Electronic Induced Stress!

All the wonderful technology designed to help us be more connected and productive can become overwhelming. According to research, our brains don’t just idly observe all of this electronic input. Our brains are hard-wired to react, so even if we have no intention of acting on the e-mail, our brains are immediately formulating a response.

Constant stimulation from electronic devices and media causes your body to stay on high alert, and produce cortisol. High levels of cortisol will injure your heart.

Give your body a chance to come down from high alert by unplugging from electronic gadgets and media, here are some ideas:

Quiet mornings & Quiet evenings: Allow your body to wake and drift off to sleep without electronic interruption. Read, listen to music, talk to your spouse, or have a cup of tea for the first and last 30 minutes you are awake. Ban the television from the bedroom, turn off your cell phone, and walk past the computer or hand-held device without checking for messages.

Eat in peace: Your digestive system and dining companions will thank you. Social interaction is essential to good health, as is paying attention to what you eat. Put away the phone and turn off the television.

Take ten: Several times per day, disengage from your electronics, close your eyes and breathe. This will allow your eyes and brain to rest, and refocus.

You body was not built to be on constant high alert. Give your brain a chance to stand down and recover. You may be surprised how much more productive you are after you unplug!

Eliz Greene is the Busy Woman’s Guide to a Health. Drawing on her experience surviving a massive heart attack while seven-months pregnant with twins, struggling to lose the 80 pounds gained during her pregnancy, and her background as an adaptive movement specialist, Eliz developed simple strategies and tips to help other busy women be more active, eat better and manage your stress.

As the Director of the Embrace Your Heart Wellness Initiative, Eliz travels the country energizing and inspiring audiences in keynotes and workshops on women’s heart health. She writes one of the top 100 health and wellness blogs. Find more at www.EmbraceYourHeart.com.