ALONG OUR TRAIN RIDE OF LIFE - November 2023

Shalom dear readers:

This month let’s focus on how we can help ourselves during this stressful time. Here are some helpful tips to control our stress:

·       Maintain a program of healthy eating and adequate sleep. You might not feel like it, but exercise anyway. Exercise not only promotes physical fitness, but also contributes to emotional well-being. Going out for a walk makes such a difference.

·       Balance work and play. No play can make you feel stressed. Plan some time for recreation to de-stress.

·       Allow yourself to cry. Tears can help cleanse the body of substances that accumulate under stress and release a natural pain-relieving substance from the brain. There is nothing wrong with a good cry and you won’t be the only one!

·       Take a warm shower or bath. This will soothe your nerves and relax your muscles.

·       Talk out your troubles. It helps to talk with a friend, relative, or rabbi. Another person can help you see a problem from a different point of view.

·       Modify your environment to limit your exposure to things that cause stress whenever possible. So, you can check on the news from time to time and stay abreast of the situation but try not to be glued to it.

·       Try to develop and maintain a positive, optimistic attitude, as difficult as that might be right now.

·       Relax with music, art, journaling, or prayer. These are good ways to decompress. Turning to Tehillim or prayer books has been a source for centuries, whether studying alone or in groups online.

·       Indulge in special treats. Food may not make the stress go away, but it may reduce negative health effects that are highly associated with chronic stress, including depression, anxiety, insomnia and other diseases. Recent research shows that eating has a pronounced effect on mood. Eating may be excessive during these stressful times, but please remember that food, though essential for nutrition, does not solve other problems! If and when you feel the need to treat yourself to a bit of a dessert, keep in mind to set limits.

·       Control your habits and don’t waste time. It will add hours to your day, days to your year and years to your life.

Let’s not wait for a chance to improve. We can make some needed changes for overcoming and coping with this stressful time, as a nation under siege, or as individuals coping with life.

Until we meet again, in December, G. willing.

CHW