Stress Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Healthy Minds Philly®

Managing Stress at Work

Employee stress is a growing concern for businesses today. According to the American Institute of Stress, stress in the workplace can lead to: Mistakes and lack of concentration Decreased productivity, especially with absenteeism and “presenteeism” Disengagement and turnover Inflammation and chronic disease There is a lot that business owners and managers can do to help address stress in the workplace, but don’t wait for your employer to tackle it. Take your mental health into your own hands. Vacation First, take your vacation! According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the US has the lowest number of vacation days in the world (and some of the highest stress levels, according to a Gallup World Poll), and we don’t even use all of our vacation. How many of us carry over vacation days? Or worse, have colleagues who brag about how little vacation they have used? It might end up impacting their health and well being. Recovery for Peak Performance Still not convinced to take that vacation time? Even top athletes know that peak performance is based on using periods of rest and recovery to counter the days they exert more (aka stress). Recovery is an important element of peak performance. Vacation days are part of that recovery. Self-care is also part of building in that recovery day in [...]

Janine Monico2020-01-28T02:10:33-05:00January 28th, 2020|Stress, Workplace Mental Health|

Fast Facts: Men’s Health Month

Women of DBHIDS Supporting Men's Health Month by Wearing Blue June is Men’s Health Month - a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Consider these statistics: 450,000 men die of cardiovascular disease each year (CDC). More than 700,000 men are diagnosed with a type of cancer each year; 300,000 of those cases will result in death (Men’s Health Resource Center). 230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. It’s the second leading cause of death in men (Cancer.org) More than 60% of adult American men are overweight or obese (National Institutes of Health). As part of an educational campaign for men’s health, The Cleveland Clinic surveyed more than 500 American men ages 18-70 about their use of healthcare resources and found: Only 3 out of 5 men get annual physicals Over 40% of men only go to the doctor when they think they have a serious medical condition More than half of men said their health wasn’t something they talk about. It’s time for men to take a proactive approach to health - both physical and mental health. While you’re here, take a quick screening. Then review these guidelines for keeping an eye on your physical health:

Janine Monico2021-01-02T21:53:39-05:00June 14th, 2019|Awareness, Men's Health, Self-Help, Stress|

Nursing & Mental Health

Happy Nurse’s Week to all of my fellow nurses out there! I am very proud to be a nurse. It’s an amazing profession. Nursing is more than a job, though; it is a calling. It’s not just something you do, it is something you are; so it can be hard to maintain a level of separation when work is such an integral part of who you are. So how can nurses step back and make sure that they are caring for themselves in addition to the wonderful care they provide to their patients? First, let’s take a look at some facts. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) found that hospital nurses are twice as likely as the general public to suffer from clinical depression. That is, 9% of “everyday” citizens experience clinical depression while a whopping 18% of nurses are affected. At first I found this number alarming. But then I thought about my last shift at work. One doctor hung up on me and another doctor walked out of a room while I was mid-question. I was on the phone with our pharmacy trying to clarify a medication order. All the while call bells didn’t stop ringing, the other line of the phone rang off the hook, the doorbell was going off, and [...]

Janine Monico2021-07-31T13:03:36-04:00May 6th, 2019|Lived Experience, Self-Help, Stress, Workplace Mental Health|

Impact of Gardening on Mental Health

This week we celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day, and there’s no better way to celebrate these holidays than by getting your hands dirty. Gardening engages you physically, mentally, and socially. Health benefits are numerous and you don’t need to live in the suburbs or the country to experience gardening and its benefits. Gardening can positively impact a number of health outcomes, including: Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety Decrease in reported stress and mood disturbances Decrease in BMI Higher reported sense of community Increased physical activity Improved cognitive function Gardening has both immediate and long-term effects on health. For individuals with mental health conditions, horticultural therapy - using gardening as a means to facilitate dialogue and skill building - has shown promise for improving chronic and acute mental health conditions. People report feeling happier almost immediately when engaging in gardening. Over time, individuals lowered their BMI through physical activity and improved nutrition. One study identified improvements in depression, life satisfaction, and cognitive function continuing for 3 months after therapy. Earth Day and Arbor Day are great catalysts for encouraging us to spend more time in nature and trying out gardening as a hobby; but just how does gardening impact health? Connecting with nature Nature has been shown to be restorative to our minds, cognitively and emotionally. Spending time [...]

Janine Monico2021-01-02T19:46:18-05:00April 24th, 2019|Anxiety, Community, Depression, Mental Health, Stress|