Our moods are profoundly impacted by a few key elements of our lifestyle. These are stress, food, sleep, and exercise and it is very likely that most of us have some difficulty managing one or all of these four areas to our best benefit. We may be better at one issue than another but nearly all of us face challenges in managing these essential lifestyle factors while engaged in a modern life. Great, just what you needed to hear, something else, something important, that you are not getting right.

Take heart. We are all pretty much in the same boat. The lifestyle that has developed in modern America is not designed to support our health or moods. It wasn't designed at all; it just happened and it is up to us, individually, to stake a claim for our own health and well-being and carve out a lifestyle that really supports us. We hope the following tips and suggestions help. If they do let us know or if you have some trick that has helped you handle one of these issue let us know that. We all need all the help we can get.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

There are all kinds of stress management techniques, classes, books, and counseling. Many of these offerings are of real value and benefit but one of the problems with stress is that often we're overwhelmed and have too much to do. At a time like that, stress management techniques become just one more thing that has to be done when we already have too many things to do.

At other times we may feel exhausted. With stress management, we must somehow find the time and energy to take a class, develop a new skill, and go through another learning curve. If you can figure out how to fit stress management techniques into your life that's the best, but for many people this additional effort seems out of reach.

One simple solution is to do the things you already like to do for relaxation. If you're feeling overwhelmed, do something you know how to do, something that will relax you and then just do it a little bit more.

Personally, I can really identify with this. Periodically we all have to cope with too much stress. In my own life, there are some things I almost always find relaxing. While they take time, they're relatively easy to do: going to a movie, going for a walk, taking a hike, or relaxing. These are no-brainer activities but they get me out of my stress-rut and into a new environment where my mind can wander a bit. It's also not a bad idea to incorporate supplements into your diet that aid relaxation and restoration, and pay special attention to the sleep exercise parts of this article. These are all things that are pretty easy to build into your lifestyle.

Build Relaxation Into Your Schedule

No matter how you choose to relax, the key is to schedule your relaxation - to build it into your calendar. Make relaxation and fun a priority. Consider it as important as any of the other things you need to do.

This may involve negotiating with family members, whether you're scheduling time together or setting aside time for yourself. Relaxation may mean going for a walk with someone you like, with your partner, with friends. Or maybe the thing you need most is to do something on your own away from the routine. In other words, be open to whatever's the most relaxing and restoring, and allow yourself the time for that to occur.

FOOD and MOOD

When it comes to food, there are a few major issues:

. One is eating on schedule . That means that you need to eat three meals and two snacks a day. The meals don't have to be big - in fact, it's better if they're not. (Many people are surprised to learn that they won't gain weight on this type of regimen - in fact, they may lose weight.)

What matters here is that you're eating on a regular basis. One of the traps of stress is the temptation to skip meals. When we're busy and absorbed in what we're doing, we don't notice that we are hungry or don't take the time to eat. So it requires a certain amount of self-discipline to be sure that you're eating breakfast, that you're having snack, and not skipping lunch. The key is to make a commitment to yourself to eat on time. And if you eat on a regular basis, you are less likely to over-eat.

. The other important question is what we're eating . Here the basic principle is quality protein and carbs that are low on the Glycemic Index. This can include lots of veggies, brown rice, nuts, and fruit such as apples, pears, plums, or peaches. The Glycemic Index actually turns out to be quite easy to use, once you become accustomed to it. Quality proteins are another important part of a balanced diet, which can include chicken, eggs, beef, lamb, pork, fish, dairy products (if you're not allergic), soy products, or nuts.

. Digestive disorders. Poor digestion can cause a number of problems simultaneously. They can interfere with the digestion of protein. As a result, there is less availability of the amino acids that the brain needs to operate. Whenever there are digestive problems, it's important to address them, because this is one of the keys to good health. You can also supplement amino acids, including tryptophan, by taking them in capsule form because supplements skip the digestive process and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.

EXERCISE

We know that exercise is essential to maintaining health and well-being. It's also become a media phenomenon - a huge industry. We're bombarded with information about exercise on television, in magazines, books, and videos.

If you're not currently exercising, it can be daunting. We believe there's a way of simplifying this whole thing - here are some basic concepts.

•  Do something is better than nothing. Any exercise is better than no exercise, so almost anything you undertake is going to benefit you if you haven't been active.

•  Get help. If you are unsure about what to do or how to get started, talk to your friends see what they are doing. Join a class, a walking group, sign up for some sessions with a personal trainer, or get work-out buddy.

•  If just starting to exercise again start real easy, even just walking is a great start. In the first few weeks stay below anything that is real exertion at all. It takes much longer for the connective tissue and joints of the body to adapt to higher levels of physical activity than the muscles. Take it easy at the start and give the ligaments and tendons a chance to get stronger before doing anything ambitious.

•  Be consistent. The benefits of exercise are accumulative. All the benefit of exercise comes from it being a routine part of your life. The more consistent the more the benefit.

Exercise, if done in moderation, supports positive moods. Too much exercise can create mood problems but this warning applies only to a few over-trained athletes. Although not common, over-training syndrome is no joke for the person that has it. The energy reserves are shot and a tendency for depression and anxiety is common in these cases.

Some exercise suggestions:

• Walking - get the shoes for it so it stays fun.
• Stretching - very important. There are lots of stretching and flexibility classes. Yoga, around for thousands of years, is tremendously popular now so you should be able to find a class for any level of physical ambition.
• Resistant training - this means weights and machines. Getting some help from a trainer is highly recommended.
• Internal exercise - this includes Tai Chi, Qigong and Kum Nye. These ancient Asian exercise systems are sort of stretching, balance, and meditation together - all are highly, highly recommended.
  

GOT SLEEP?

Sleep is a huge issue in America today. Studies show that Americans are getting substantially less sleep now than we did in the 1950s. The typical amount of sleep enjoyed by the average American may be less than what is required to maintain good health and moods. This is a serious situation. We may be able to 'get by' on smaller amounts of sleep but sooner or later we pay the piper. Most of us compensate for not enough sleep by using stimulants, usually caffeine, to get our motors going in the morning, but this is a short-sighted solution. We need the sleep for our brains to functional and our immune system to protect us. Making getting quality sleep a priority in our lives is very worthwhile.

There are several main issues in sleep.

• One is not allowing enough hours of sleep. Going to sleep too late relative to the time you have to get up. This is a common but not very good habit. There are lots of great reasons for it but if you can just get an extra 45 minutes to an hour of sleep on a regular basis you will feel the difference. The people that rely on you will feel it also.
• Not being able to sleep is a huge problem for many. This can be an inability to get to sleep or the sleep is frequently interrupted. This doesn't just affect moods, but a person's whole outlook and attitude can be affected by insomnia. See the Sleep section of this site for nutritional suggestions for this problem.

Getting More sleep: To be sure you're getting enough sleep, try watching your sleep patterns. Do you wake up refreshed and energized? If not, try going to bed half an hour earlier each night until you wake up feeling rested.

If you're not getting quality sleep, make note of what's getting in the way. It's worth your effort because many of these problems can be remedied. See the Sleep Program on this site.

Habits

•  How much sleep do you need? Even though many of us can 'get by' on relatively few hours of sleep, the research does suggest real benefit from around 8 hours of sleep. It is especially important to get more sleep than normal if sick or during stressful times. Tryptophan can be of real help with this.

•  What time to go to bed? This is always going to be individual. Some people feel good if they're in bed at 10:30 and getting to sleep at 11. Others feel much better if they turn in by 10, or even 9. Are you an "early clock" or a "late clock"? There does seem to be some real benefit from being asleep before midnight. Some body repair processes seem to not happen as reliably if sleep starts after midnight even if there is a good number of hours of sleep.

•  Eating at bedtime . Pay extra attention to your choice of foods for dinner. Moderate protein close to bedtime, while avoiding eating high carb foods.

•  When do you need extra sleep? You're the only one who knows the stress you're coping with and the demands on your energy at any given time.

•  Exercise. Regular exercise can also help you get a good night's sleep.

Other influences

. Is your bed too hard or too soft? Is there not enough fresh air in the bedroom?

. Is your partner a restless sleeper?

. Perhaps you're awakened by noise, so that you never achieve truly deep sleep - people partying, a crying baby, or the morning trash removal. In some situations, ear plugs enable you to sleep, but in others, they don't.

. Is there an annoying source of light? Some of us require a very dark room to sleep soundly, or benefit from using a sleep mask.

Minimizing distractions

. Tune in to the effect of media on your sleep patterns. Do murder mysteries or crime shows or the evening news keep you awake?

. If you have trouble getting to sleep, consider taking the television out of your bedroom.

. Try using your VCR to record the late shows you want to watch.

Rebound Sleep

Some people who have busy weeks allow themselves to sleep as much as they want on the weekends. In my experience, many people who do this find it recharges them for the coming week. Others find that sleeping in disrupts their natural rhythm and they feel groggy and restless. Some people seem to function best if they keep the same time schedule, but vary their activities. Others find a change in the routine essential. Like everything else, this seems to be individual.

Be sure to take care of yourself, so you can take care of everybody else. We encourage you to do a little problem solving, so you can get a good night's sleep. Deep sleep is definitely one of the keys to good health.

If you have sleep problems, try keeping a simple diary to see what works best in terms of bedtime, rising time, times awake in the middle of the night - as well as the effects of various lifestyle changes on your sleep time and quality of sleep. You can also use a journal to track any other aspect of lifestyle that you want to modify or change, whether it's exercise, meditation, diet, or stress.

We wish you good health and well-being.