Category Archives: Articles

Women look oldest at 3:30pm on Wednesday – help!

This is not very comforting news!
Thank goodness that last Wednesday has passed but what to do BEFORE next Wednesday?

Here is the article with the Mind Chi suggested interventions added in!
LONDON: Women look their oldest at 3.30pm every Wednesday because it’s the day when energy levels plummet, work stress is at a peak and the effects of any weekend late nights finally kick in, according to a new study.

The research, carried out by the tanning brand, St Tropez, revealed that one in ten women find Wednesday the most stressful day in a typical week. Two thirds experience a “slump in energy levels” mid-afternoon every Wednesday, the Telegraph reported. This forces a quarter of women to reach for a sugary snack on a bid to boost their mood and energy.
Mind Chi intervention: 1. Plan ahead, if you are aware that you experience this ‘slump’ then, as much as you are able, make the workload a little more on Tuesday or Thursday and give yourself a ‘breather’ on Wednesday afternoon. 2. Do something that you know increases your energy in the middle of the afternoon: make phone calls then or have a creative 20 minute ‘think-burst’. 3. Have healthy energy giving (rather than the sugar high/low) snacks available – nuts, cheese or Nutrichef flapjacks!
But the next day, Thursday, is the day they are most likely to have sex, according to the study. Sex gives them a youthful rosy glow, which could explain why women feel so happy on a Friday — the day named as the happiest day by 60% of women.
Mind Chi intervention: 3. In case sex is not an option, some fun activity such as salsa dancing may also help. 4. Plan to have some ‘you’ time, what is a special treat for you? 5. Would a catch-up with a close friend also give you a boost? 6. A really funny film or show can also fill you with those good endorphins and reduce those worry wrinkles.
Another reason why women look their eldest mid-week could be a boozy treat at the weekend. Nichola Joss, St Tropez skin expert explained that it can take up to 72 hours for the visible effects of alcohol to show, so the effects of drinking on the weekend may not present themselves until Wednesday afternoon.
Mind Chi intervention: 7. Don’t have ‘boozy weekends’ – by all means enjoy a drink or two but binge drinking has very serious, long term effects on your liver as well as your face.
The shock of going back to work leaves 37% of women sleepless on Monday night — another reason for the mid-week slump.  The effects of a lack of sleep can take 48 hours to show on the face, so if many women sleep badly on Monday they will look their oldest on Wednesday, Joss said.
Mind Chi intervention: 8. Do the Mind Chi Basic 8 step routine before you fall asleep, particularly steps 1 – Mind Chi square belly breath and step 2 – the attention focus activity, sends people to sleep wonderfully (complete the other 6 steps when you wake in the morning!

Here is a summary of the Mind Chi Basic 8 step program, we also conduct Mind Chi sessions and Resilient Women sessions to keep you looking your best ALL week long!

Here is the original article: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Stress-makes-women-look-oldest-at-3-30pm-every-Wednesday/articleshow/18159930.cms

Nearly half of adults feel stressed every day or every few days – are you one of them?

Mind Chi is sharing a report that states results from a recent Mental Health Foundation survey indicate stress is becoming increasingly common in these difficult economic times; a fact also highlighted by the recent NHS Information Centre survey  revealing that hospital admissions for stress have risen by seven per cent in just 12 months. The survey was conducted as part of the Foundation’s January initiative to raise awareness of stress and its impact on people’s mental health, and to encourage access to a wide range of resources to help people manage it better.
When asked about how often people felt stressed almost half (47%) of all respondents revealed that they feel stressed every day or every few days (24% respectively). 59% of British adults reported that their life is generally more stressful than it was five years ago.

Money (26%) and work-related issues (28%) were given as the main cause of stress for 54% of Britons who have felt stressed, reflecting recent Health and Safety Executive figures which indicated a rise in sick days due to work-related stress.

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation said:

“The impact of current economic problems has put a lot of people under pressure due to the fear, or reality, of unemployment, insecure housing and high levels of debt and these results are not surprising. Unmanaged, stress can develop into serious mental health problems, such as depression, as well as increasing the risk of physical illness such as heart disease.

“The results of our survey suggest that too many of us still aren’t making managing stress a priority. It’s important to recognise the symptoms of stress early. Recognising the signs and symptoms of stress will help you figure out ways of coping and save you from adopting unhealthy coping methods, such as drinking or smoking.”

When asked for their top three ways they found helpful to deal with their stress, 41% of respondents said they spend time alone, making it the most common approach. This was closely followed by talking to partners, family and friends about it (40%) and spending time enjoying their favourite hobbies (39%). For those who know about Mind Chi – the simple yet highly effective 8 minute a day routing – this easy practice can reduce your perception of stress and increase your resilience and energy.

Worryingly 18% found drinking alcohol and 10% found smoking helpful while only 6% would consider visiting a GP or a medical professional for their stress related issues. Turning to smoking and alcohol can actually make both mental and physical problems worse. Research shows that smoking increases anxiety, generating withdrawal symptoms and increased cravings. Alcohol may temporarily alleviate the feelings of anxiety but symptoms will increase in the long run. This was the pattern that Vanda North, author of Mind Chi saw on one of her world tours and what created the desire to create a better alternative.

Regarding the impact of stress on people’s day-to-day life, almost half of the respondents (49%) said that they found it more difficult to sleep which, if not tackled in itself, could lead to more serious mental health problems as highlighted in our Sleep Matters report. One of the positive side effects people report is that of sleeping much better when they are performing Mind Chi. Starting the 8 minute routine as you are preparing to sleep, frequently means that it is not completed – for the happy reason, that you have fallen asleep!  Feeling short tempered and irritable (49%) was another high rated answer followed by feeling tired all the time (40%) and finding it hard to switch off (39%). All these symptoms are also addressed in the Mind Chi Basic 8 step routine. More details of the steps may be found with this link.

Dr McCulloch added:

“We hope that these results will help people realise the impact that stress can have on people’s mental health and help promote a healthier 2013. We are also calling for the government to offer more practical help for people to manage their stress better. The introduction of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme was a great step forward, but more needs to be done as only only a quarter of those who need treatment are getting it.  Mind Chi is here! We are so ready to train Mind Chi Mentors and spread this wonderful and powerful process.

In addition, admitting people to hospital for stress is usually an expensive solution to a problem that should have been solved earlier in a primary care or workplace setting. We must invest in less costly, more effective early intervention services for people experiencing such stress instead of waiting for people’s distress and symptoms to require a hospital admission.”  We SO agree – please contact us so we may assist you!

Original article from:  http://news.advogroup.co.uk/nearly-half-of-adults-feel-stressed-every-day-or-every-few-days/