Health

A big topic. An important topic. A topic that is hushed up. Who wants to talk about "mental health problems"? That's exactly why we're taking it up here! The onset and prolonged continuation of the coronavirus crisis has drastically exacerbated the challenges that the population was already facing in terms of mental health. The number of people complaining of symptoms of burnout has multiplied, and the number of people suffering from symptoms of depression has even increased fivefold. So all of us have relatives or friends who suffer from it or are perhaps even affected ourselves. So what can we do to help?

Mental health? What does that actually mean?

Let's start with the definition: Mental health refers to our general wellbeing in terms of our social, psychological and emotional needs. How do we deal with stress, how resilient are we, how well can we concentrate and how happy are we in general in our life situation. In other words, our mental health.

In short, your mental health is your inner self's honest answer to the question "How are you doing?"

Of course, life is not all highs and certain lows are perfectly normal. Everyone has bad days, a week when nothing works out or simply a slump. There is nothing more to say about this than the crude but true phrase: that's life. However, it is definitely not normal for such stresses to have a permanent effect on the body and soul, which is why we can only get over it up to a certain point. Permanent overload can lead to serious illnesses.

Unfortunately, such issues are still taboo and are all too often left out of interpersonal interactions. Sounds nonsensical, but it is! After all, if you break your arm, you go to the doctor and get treatment, so why shouldn't you do the same with your inner self? It is particularly important to realize one thing here: You are not alone. Many people are like you: life tests you. It presents you with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Your partner leaves you. A loved one dies. Your best friends let you down. You lose the job you depended on. Such things can take a huge toll on a person and you must not be afraid to take the body's warning signals seriously. Such warning signals can be many and varied:

• Loss of appetite
• Rapid weight loss
• Massive concentration problems
• Sleep disorders
• Headaches
• Withdrawal
• Loss of energy
• Forgetfulness, irritability, mood swings
• States of anxiety
• Overwhelmed by everyday tasks (school, work, shopping, etc.)

As you can see, the list is diverse. Each of us should pay attention to the corresponding signals from our own body and take appropriate steps to prevent unpleasant consequences. What do these steps look like? GIGAS has summarized some helpful tips for better mental health here.

Big topic: self-awareness

At a time when we all consume social media (especially Instagram and tiktok) on our cell phones every day, it is all the more important to take care of our own perception. When we look at the pictures and videos of successful, top defined athletes here, there's one thing we shouldn't forget: social media is a highlight reel. No one is going to post an unflattering photo of themselves unless they explicitly say so. Before you see a picture and are almost ashamed of not looking as slim or as broad as person XY, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this person using an advantageous filter?
• Is the person standing in normal or very "anabolic light"?
• Has Photoshop been used to help?
• Does the person consume steroids or other doping substances?
• Does the person have average or outstanding genetics? - Was the photo taken after training ("on pump")? - Is the person a professional athlete/influencer in the fitness sector and can therefore design their entire daily routine for maximum performance?

If you can't answer all of these questions with a clear "no", you definitely don't need to worry about not working hard enough on your body. Rule of thumb: No one looks the same in everyday life as they do in social media images under optimal conditions. Hence the first important tip:

Don't compare!

You MUST stop doing this! This is super important in order to stay at peace with yourself in the long term. No matter how strong, smart, tall, funny or whatever you are - there is someone out there who can top you.

But life is a journey, not a competition. Just because you're not the best at something doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Whether you're bench pressing 40kg or 140kg for 10 reps, as long as you enjoy it, do it!

Remember: the only person you want to beat is yourself. Accordingly, the only person you should be comparing yourself to is the you of yesterday. Be inspired by the achievements of others, but don't measure yourself against them. It's not about perfectionism, it's about improvement.

However, it's often not just in direct comparison, especially in bodybuilding and in the fitness industry in general, people tend to be much more critical of themselves than they should be. Let's be honest, we've all been there: you're standing in the bathroom, looking at yourself in the mirror. And you see flaws. You don't really like yourself. Hips that are too wide, shoulders that are too narrow, love handles or not enough muscle. Or you look at yourself and ask yourself: "Can you even tell that I work out?" There are days like that, and sometimes it's completely normal. EVERYONE has something about themselves that they would like to get rid of. From receding hairlines to cellulite to a falsetto voice, everyone has their "flaws" and we think that's a good thing! That's a good thing! Because they make us unique and make it possible for us to distinguish ourselves from others. Nevertheless, here's an important tip to keep in mind how many steps you've already taken on the way to your fitness goal:

Please smile - take photos!

Take photos of yourself regularly. With and without a pump, in good and poor lighting conditions. This way, you can reliably track how far you've come in the long term. This is where our memory plays tricks on us: it always fools us into thinking that the present is the standard in the past.

Have you ever had the experience of looking at an old photo and thinking, "Oh yes, I still had this cell phone or that hairstyle back then." In your memory, you probably had your current cell phone in your hand and the current hairstyle on your head. It's similar with your figure. That's why it's extremely important to keep track of your training successes by taking regular photos. It is also advisable to track and save the weights you move during training. On the one hand, this ensures that you always know how successful your training is, and on the other, it is incredibly motivating to see that your working weight from six months ago is your new warm-up weight.

Realistic goals

"Hard work beats talent" is a phrase you read over and over again. But as inspiring as it may be, it's unfortunately not true. Not entirely, at least. Because no matter how ambitiously, diligently and relentlessly you dedicate yourself to a goal, you simply can't make it to the top without the right genetic prerequisites. Genetics is not everything, but without genetics everything is nothing, as is often said among bodybuilders.

And not everyone has the same genetic prerequisites. Contrary to popular belief, strength training does not give you "more muscle". In simple terms, the muscles that the body already has are thickened in cross-section. So you cannot simply train muscles where there are none or few. It works like a hearing aid, which, no matter how good it is, is always dependent on the user still being able to hear at least the basics.

So not everyone can build up muscles at the same speed, in the same quantity or with the same aesthetic appearance. Every beginner in this sport must be aware of this.

There are also other factors that have a significant influence on training success. Far too often, enthusiastic amateur athletes take professionals who are fully committed to the sport as their benchmark. This can only lead to dissatisfaction in the long term. After all, everyone's circumstances are different:

Not everyone has the time to sleep 8 hours a night, pre-cook every day or cook healthy meals every day. Not everyone can make it to the gym 6 times a week. Your potential success always depends on your everyday life.

Our conclusion

Make the most of what you've been given. Work with what you have and do what you can. It doesn't matter if someone else can lift twice or half as much as you can.

Take this test

Have you checked your central nervous system lately? Years ago, Stefan Fernholm showed me an interesting test in which you take a pencil every morning and make as many dots on a piece of paper as you can in 10 seconds.

Let's say you make between 40 and 45 dots every day for two weeks. Then one morning you struggle to get 30. Putting points on a piece of paper is quite easy, but if you make 25% less, that's bad.

I started my day with a 10 second test for two years. And after evaluating all of this, it turned out to be amazingly accurate. If my score dropped and I kept exercising, I ended up getting sick or injured. The reduced performance on my tapping test was an indicator of CNS fatigue. After that, every time my score dropped, I started exercising lighter, increasing my protein intake and paying more attention to the little things like rest and sleep. It was a miracle.

Exercising a lot lousy is still lousy

This tapping test shouldn't be anything surprising because the fingers contain a lot of nerve connections. Some of the most complex movements are the simple ones we take for granted - like typing or grabbing your nose.

If your CNS starts to feel fatigued, then you can no longer exercise hard. Of course, you can still train "medium" (also known as junky) for many years without making any progress. In other words, a lot of lousy training is still lousy. If you can't train heavy anymore, then train less until you can train heavy again.

Tip: Here's why you have narrow shoulders

Everyone thinks they know how to train their shoulders, but very few have mountains of shoulders under their t-shirt. Here's what they're missing.

By Dr. John Rusin

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-heres-why-you-have-puny-shoulders/

Shoulder muscles need metabolic stress to grow

Believe it or not, the shoulder muscles don't usually respond well to heavy weights. The shoulder muscles consist mainly of slowly contracting muscle fibers. This means that most exercisers will get better results with higher reps in the 12 to 20 range.

Higher repetitions work for almost every exerciser by reducing the external weight placed on the shoulder joint, thereby reducing the cumulative load on the shoulder joint over time.

Less weight means less stress on the joints. However, this is not an excuse to take a relaxed approach to shoulder training and train lighter without challenging yourself.

Building strength and muscle mass in the shoulders requires an emphasis not only on progressive overload in the basic exercises, but also on creating an enormous metabolic pump effect in the tissue.

More reps, more sets, less rest

There are a few key methods that will increase metabolic stress in the shoulder muscles and work extremely well for muscle growth:

1. Increase the repetition range to 20+ reps to really pump the muscle full of blood.
2. Perform more sets. Try 4 to 5 instead of the conventional 3.
3. Reduce the rest between sets to just 20 to 40 seconds.

This applies to pretty much any shoulder exercise. Regardless of the exercise you choose, it will turn your shoulders into an iron bloodbath and get them growing again.

Tip: Try full body ladder workouts

If you love the way the ladder method simplifies your workout, use it for your entire training session. Do this as follows.

By Dan John

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-try-whole-body-ladder-workouts/

The basic ladder

The ladder method is great for gains in strength, power and muscle mass. You start with one repetition of an exercise and add one or two repetitions with each subsequent set until you have reached the predetermined number of repetitions. Then you start again with one repetition. The weight remains the same.

The most basic variation is the 1-2-3 ladder, which looks like this:

• 1 repetition
• Short break
• 2 repetitions
• Short pause
• 3 repetitions
• Short pause
• 1 repetition
• Short pause
• 2 repetitions
• Short pause
• 3 repetitions

That's a total of 12 repetitions. Add another round of 1-2-3 for 18 reps.

Ladders have become very popular with exercises such as pull-ups as this method allows the exerciser to control fatigue and perform more total reps than would be possible with a classic set. Ladders are a surefire way to build strength on pull-ups.

But while most ladders are just for one exercise, you can easily put together an entire workout using only ladders.

The full body ladder training program

You can use ladders for your entire workout, but this takes some planning and brain power. Here's an example:

• Press: 2-3-5-2-3-5
• Deadlift: 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3
• Squats: 2-3-5-2-3-5
• Curls: 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3

Use three training days per week and autoregulate the weights. In other words, increase the weight when it feels light.

The rules for ladders

1. Choose your repetition range. Using your 5 RM weight (maximum weight for 5 reps) and performing a ladder with 1-2-3 reps is a good start. Start light.
2. Choose the number of reps for the ladders. I would suggest starting with 3. If you can do all 3 ladders, then it's time to increase the weight next time.
3. It's all about staying fresh and efficient. It's not about forcing reps and grinding your teeth. There are no percentages, no plans and no programs that you have to work out. The exerciser has to adjust the weight by feel.
4. Let the volume do the work. This is often underappreciated. Getting strong, defined and massive takes time, energy and effort. For strength, you need many clean repetitions with correct technique to teach your nervous system to move massive weights eventually.
5. The speed of the load and overall effort must be maintained throughout the ladder. If you want to force reps, ladders are not for you.
6. Don't fear bad days. Ladders seem to work because of nervous system adaptations. As with all systems, setting up the wiring may take a little extra time.

Tip: Front squats on the multi press

Forget what the narrow advocates of functional training say. If muscular legs are your main goal, then the multi press beats the barbell.

By Paul Carter

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-front-squat-on-the-smith-machine/

In standard front squats, the rhomboid muscle is the weakest link in the chain. Once this muscle is exhausted - or if it's too weak to hold the heavy barbell in place - the barbell will move forward and the set is essentially over. Of course, barbell front squats are one of the best exercises in terms of athletic application. This exercise has an excellent carryover from strength in the weight room to skill on the field. However, if we're talking about focusing solely on loading the quadriceps for mass gains, then this weak point makes barbell front squats inferior to the multi-press version. And this weak point is eliminated with the multi press.

It is far easier to hold the bar in position on a multi press than on a barbell. Multiple strongman champion Jouko Ahola uses the multi press for his front squats during training. IFBB pro Mark Dugdale also performs variations of this exercise. The other advantage is that you can perform a high number of repetitions. Performing a set of 20 repetitions of barbell front squats means that the lower back will fatigue before the quadriceps. This is not a problem with the multi-press variation. You can hold the bar very close to your body and lift your elbows far enough to keep it there and focus on what your quadriceps are doing instead of focusing on holding the bar.

Tip: Burn fat while moving weights

You don't need cardio equipment to get defined. This method uses weights and blood flow manipulation to mobilize fat.

By Christian Thibaudeau

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/tip-burn-fat-lifting-weights/

Alternating upper body/lower body sets for fat loss

By performing two exercises in quick succession that target muscle groups that are far apart (e.g. quadriceps and shoulders), the body must quickly adapt its blood flow to the working muscles at different ends of the body. This constant need to adjust blood flow makes the heart and cardiovascular system work extra hard. This is great for mobilizing fat and cardiovascular health. Stick to slightly lower reps so that you can use fairly heavy weights while still getting the metabolic boost and cardio effects. Aim for 6 to 8 reps per set, but you can go up to 10-12 reps on some exercises.

Combine two exercises and rest about 20 to 30 seconds between the two.

Example:

• Leg press, 10 repetitions
• Pause for 30 seconds
• Dumbbell shoulder press, 8 repetitions
• Pause for 30 seconds
• Leg press, 10 repetitions
• Pause 30 seconds
• Dumbbell shoulder press, 8 repetitions
• Pause 30 seconds
• Leg presses, 10 repetitions
• Pause 30 seconds
• Dumbbell shoulder press, 8 repetitions

The rules

You can use any exercises you want, but follow these rules for best results:

1. Use one upper body exercise and one lower body exercise per pair.
2. Try to avoid exercises with a strong postural component such as squats, deadlifts and bent-over rows. If you are not used to high density training, you may find it difficult to maintain a correct training posture when you get tired.
3. You can use isolation exercises, but perform them at the end of a training session or combine them with a very demanding exercise.
4. Start with 3 pairings per session until you become efficient at a high density workout. Then you can consider going up to 4 pairs of exercises.
5. Control the eccentric or negative phase of the movement and perhaps even perform it quite slowly.

Tip: Eat fat before you go to bed

What you eat before you go to bed makes a big difference in losing body fat. Here's a description of how you should manage your fat and carbohydrate intake in the evening.

By Clay Hyght, DC

Source: t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-eat-fat-before-going-to-bed/

What you eat during the last two hours before bedtime has a huge impact on your body's development - especially when it comes to fat loss. Here's the rule:

Eat for what you're going to do next

Most of us won't move much during the last two hours before bedtime. For this reason, we don't need to eat a traditional bodybuilding meal at this time. Instead, we should eat for what we're going to do: not move much.

More specifically, your need for carbohydrates is dramatically reduced when you sleep. Remember that carbohydrates provide energy for high-intensity efforts like training with weights or sprints - and there is no such thing as "high-intensity sleep".

Fat, on the other hand, becomes the primary source of energy when the intensity of exercise decreases. And when you sleep, you burn almost exclusively fat. For this reason, eating carbohydrates before bedtime dramatically increases the likelihood that carbohydrates will be stored instead of burned. And if carbohydrates are not burned, they are either stored in the form of glycogen or fat.

What if I train in the evening?

If you have exercised with weights in the last three hours before going to bed (cardio doesn't count here), then there is very little chance that the carbohydrates you eat at this time will be stored as fat. This is because glycogen stores are partially depleted and will soak up all the carbohydrates, leaving no carbohydrates to be stored as fat.

But those of us who don't exercise during the last three or four hours before bedtime should minimize our carbohydrates in our pre-bedtime meal if fat loss is our main goal (don't be afraid of low-carb vegetables, though).

The fat factor

When it comes to fat intake before bed, my rule is "eat fat when you're not eating carbs." However, halve your normal fat portion. So limit your last meal of the day to 10 to 15 grams of fat.

Tip: 3 rules for exercisers who love coffee

Here's why you shouldn't drink coffee after a workout and two other rules you should know.

By Robert Yang

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-3-rules-for-lifters-who-love-coffee/

Avoid coffee after a hard workout

Drinking coffee after a hard training session is a big mistake when it comes to recovery. During exercise, your cortisol levels rise to help your body cope better with the stress of training. This is a normal process during training that puts your body in a catabolic state.

At the same time, your body produces testosterone. Optimizing the testosterone to cortisol ratio after training is important for recovery.

From the moment you finish your workout, the priority is to lower cortisol levels to optimize said testosterone to cortisol ratio. This is also the reason why post-workout nutrition is so important for recovery. This food intake flips the switch in the body from a catabolic to an anabolic state. Coffee, however, does the exact opposite.

Remember that you drink coffee in the morning to wake you up and give you energy. When you drink your coffee, your adrenal glands produce cortisol. Cortisol is a stimulating hormone, but it is also a catabolic hormone. During stressful periods, cortisol is our friend. It puts your body into fight or flight mode. Cortisol is a hormone that breaks down protein for energy, which is optimal before a heavy session of deadlifting. However, drinking coffee after a workout can prolong the catabolic state.

Benefit from coffee but don't use it to survive

Coffee can be a double-edged sword. If you're using coffee to set a new personal best or burn off that last bit of fat, then you're benefiting from coffee. However, if you're drinking coffee several times a day because you can't get going otherwise, then you're using coffee to survive.

Drinking too much coffee can make you dependent on coffee for energy. If you feel strange but still tired after drinking coffee, or if you can't perform without it, this is a sign that you should take a break from coffee.

One way to prevent this is to use something to support the adrenal glands. The caffeine can stress the adrenal glands and rob the body of nutrients. To make sure you don't stress your body too much, you can use Rhodiola Rosea. This is a plant extract that can help your body cope better with stress and your coffee consumption.

Know whether you metabolize coffee quickly or slowly

You should avoid interfering with your sleep. One study found that up to 50% of adults do not sleep well. Coffee abuse could have something to do with this.

When it comes to how much coffee you can drink, your genetic predispositions could play a role. This is especially true for the CYP1A2 enzyme, which is primarily responsible for metabolizing caffeine. Fast metabolizers drink a large coffee with dinner and fall asleep at 9:30 pm. Slow metabolizers drink half a cup of coffee in the morning, are nervous throughout the day afterwards and have trouble falling asleep in the evening. If you are a slow metabolizer and are sensitive to caffeine, then you should have your last coffee at noon. Even if you are a fast metabolizer, you should avoid coffee after 3pm.

Drinking coffee too late in the day can increase your cortisol levels. Remember that your cortisol levels drop after sunset. Sunset is the signal for your body to reduce cortisol production, which allows for the production of melatonin, which is crucial for sleep and regeneration.

REFERENCES

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3215840/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22492992/#:~:text=In%20non%2Dsmokers%2C%20the%20CYP1A2,BP%20(P%20%3D%200.01).

Source: t-nation.com/training/tip-take-the-tapping-test-for-cns-health/

By Dan John

If you're struggling to relax and wind down after a long day or a busy week, you're not alone.

According to a study by the American Psychological Association, 48% of people regularly lie awake at night because they are too stressed to sleep (1).

And if the causes of your mental stress are primarily pressure at work, money and health, then you're in good company, as these are among the top 10 causes of stress.

The bottom line is that millions of people could benefit from better strategies to combat stress in their lives. And the easiest way to do this is to learn to relax better.

If you can balance stress and relaxation well, you will improve every aspect of your life. You will be happier, more productive, more emotionally stable, healthier and able to carry much heavier loads with relative ease. In this article, I will share with you 10 easy, inexpensive and scientifically validated ways to relieve stress and relax. But first, let's talk about the relationship between stress and relaxation and why stress is not necessarily the enemy.

The importance of stress and relaxation

Most people see stress as something purely negative and believe that stress should be avoided at all costs.

However, this is not the reality.

Our bodies are designed to use the "fight or flight response" to deal with stress. In fact, scientific research shows that acute stress boosts immune function, which in turn speeds up the recovery process and increases resistance to infection (2, 3).

It's not far-fetched to say that regular bouts of stress are beneficial to overall health and well-being.

However, if you give your body too much of this stress medicine, that's when the problems start. Our bodies simply haven't learned to cope with chronic stress. We remain in a state of alert, age faster, become more susceptible to disease and experience increased levels of systemic inflammation (4, 5, 6).

The solution to the problem is not to avoid stress at all costs, but to learn to control it. And the key to controlling stress is to be effective and reliably relax.

Like stress, the effects of relaxation go deeper than most people think. Scientific research shows that relaxation has the power to influence genetic expression involved in inflammation, programmed cell death and the neutralization of free radicals (7).

It is not far-fetched to say that your overall quality of life and longevity will greatly depend on how well you are able to relax.

And that's why I want to share with you 10 scientifically validated ways to relieve stress and relax your muscles and mind. Use this list to put together a nightly relaxation routine and you'll sleep better, feel better and stay healthier.

Enjoy pleasant smells

Aromatherapy is a millennia-old way to reduce stress and promote relaxation that also has modern science on its side.

Scientific research shows that the smell of certain essential oils such as lavender, bergamot, chamomile and geranium can lower blood pressure, relieve anxiety and improve sleep quality (8).

The easiest way to incorporate this into your relaxation program is to use a vaporizer.

Get a massage or massage yourself

I probably don't need to refer to scientific research to convince you that getting a massage is a great way to relieve stress, but one rather interesting study even showed that massaging someone else can have similar effects (9).

Make a deal with your partner for mutual massages before bedtime and you'll get a lot of relaxation.

However, the benefits of massage don't stop there. Scientific research also shows that massages can relieve pain, anxiety and depression, as well as improve immune function (10, 11, 12, 13). It doesn't take much - just 10 to 15 minutes of massage is enough to reap these benefits.

Breathe deeply

One of the most basic and effective tools available to soldiers who need to remain calm and focused under fire is breathing control.

Shallow and rapid chest breathing is an indicator of stress and can increase stress, while deep abdominal breathing reduces stress and increases antioxidant activity (14).

The key to deep breathing is to breathe in slowly with your chest and belly relaxed (don't pull your belly in). You need to expand your chest and fill your entire lungs with oxygen with each breath.

Change your perception of stress

We know that high levels of stress are linked to impaired health, but there's an important detail here...

Scientific research shows that our perception of stress as something harmful is what gives stress its power. It may well get to the point where stressing about stress is what makes stress harmful (15).

Studies show that we can consciously re-evaluate stressful situations - by choosing to look at them differently - and thereby take away their destructive power (16).

A frustrating situation doesn't have to be an excuse to pull your hair out. Instead, it can be seen as an opportunity to practice a virtue such as patience or tolerance. Remember that a setback is always an opportunity to learn what doesn't work. And a painful situation can show you that you are tougher than you thought. (Incidentally, this strategy is anything but new. Marcus Aurelius used it almost two thousand years ago).

Remember that re-evaluation is not everything.

Some problems will not disappear if you think about them differently. These problems require action.

Are you buried under debt? Then start paying off your debts. Are deadlines looming? Then start working. Have you been neglecting your partner? Then treat yourself to a weekend together.

There's more you can do to cope with stress.

Don't let little things get you down

Some people get so worked up over every insignificant little thing that you'd swear they're addicted to stress. Is it really necessary to go to DEFCON 1 if the coffee at Starbucks wasn't made perfectly to your liking or someone cuts you off in the driveway?

You may not be able to control the urge to freak out, but you don't have to give in to it. You can consciously choose to accept things without exploding.

Use logic to defuse stressful situations

The problem with stressors is that they bypass our critical filters with ease and take control. Before we know what's happening, we hyperventilate over something completely unlikely or something with relatively harmless consequences.

Before you allow anything to stress you out, pause for a moment and ask yourself if the likelihood of it negatively impacting your life justifies the reaction. Often this alone will be enough to defuse the situation.

Don't tell yourself that you are so stressed

Don't underestimate your ability to build yourself up or bring yourself down.

Say that you are stressed and you can be sure that you will feel that way. You are giving up control of your emotions and often your actions.

Choose to look at the situation differently - as an opportunity to grow, learn or simply toughen up - and rob stress of the only real power it has: the power you give it.

Spend more time helping others

Some of the most stressed people I know are also the most selfish a...holes you can imagine.

Those are harsh words, but they are true. If being a good person isn't enough motivation for you to help others, you might be interested to know that scientific research shows that people who help their friends and family are immunized to some degree against the harmful effects of stress (17).

Avoid screens before bedtime

Getting enough quality sleep is an important factor when it comes to coping with stress and maintaining your health - and constantly staring at your phone, iPad or TV is a great way to ruin your sleep hygiene.

Scientific research shows that too much light in the evening suppresses the body's melatonin production (18). Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleepiness, so suppressing melatonin production in the evening will not only make it harder for you to fall asleep, but will also reduce your sleep quality (19).

However, suppressing melatonin production does more than simply ruin your sleep - it has also been shown to impair immune function and increase the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease (20, 21).

With such serious consequences, you simply can't afford to habitually suppress melatonin production.

Of course, completely eliminating all light sources after sunset isn't really feasible, and fortunately it's not necessary.

For one thing, studies show that the suppressive effects on melatonin production depend on light intensity. The more intense the light, the more melatonin production is suppressed (22).

A good rule of thumb is therefore to reduce light as much as possible and to sleep in complete darkness if possible.

On the other hand, scientific studies also show that short-wave blue light emitted by TV screens, computer screens and smartphones is particularly effective in suppressing melatonin production.

Thus, reducing or completely eliminating this blue light in the evening is an effective way to maintain healthy melatonin production.

How can you achieve this?

Eliminating all electronic devices after sunset is something that probably won't happen. And again, fortunately, this is not necessary.

Many devices and operating systems have settings that adjust the colors of the screen to the time of day and eliminate blue light in the evening. There are also corresponding apps. This is a good start, but what about other light sources such as televisions?

Scientific research shows that glasses with amber-colored lenses are well suited for this purpose and result in an improvement in mood and sleep (24). This may sound a little strange, but these types of glasses are extremely effective when it comes to blocking blue light and maintaining melatonin production.

Control your technology addiction

Constantly staring at screens can mess with your melatonin production - and staring at them for too long can mess with your mind in general.

Scientific research shows that the more attached people feel to their computers and cell phones, the more stressed they feel. Overuse of technology has even been linked to various symptoms of poor mental health such as depression (25).

Here is a brief summary of the study findings:

• People who used their cell phones the most complained more often about sleep disturbances and depression.
• People who were constantly reachable by cell phone were most likely to experience mental health problems.
• People who regularly used their computer late in the evening were more likely to suffer from sleep problems, stress and depression.
• This relationship became stronger when computer and cell phone use were combined.
• Frequent computer use without breaks increases the likelihood of stress, sleep problems and depression.

Listen to classical music

Next time you're stressed, you might want to listen to some slow, calm classical music to benefit from its soothing effects.

However, Mozart can do much more than help you relax. Scientific research shows that classical music sharpens the mind, lowers blood pressure, reduces physical pain and depression and can help you sleep better (26, 27, 28, 29, 30).

Drink green tea

Tea has many health benefits and one of them is that it can relieve stress. A large-scale Japanese study of 42,093 subjects found that regular consumption of green tea was associated with lower levels of psychological stress (31).

Scientists believe that the primary mechanism is based on the high doses of L-theanine and ascorbic acid, both of which are effective in reducing stress (32, 33).

Go for a walk in the park

If you look at the daily routines of many of history's greatest thinkers and inventors, you'll quickly notice how many of them took long walks in the great outdoors.

Beethoven, for example, spent his afternoons walking in the woods around Vienna and found his greatest inspirations while out walking. Tchaikovsky was convinced of his twice-daily walks, which he believed were essential for his health and creativity.

And scientific research shows that we're on to something here: just 25 minutes of walking in a park is enough to reduce frustration and improve mood (34).

Take a hot bath

Hot baths have been used for thousands of years to relieve pain, aid relaxation and treat and prevent illness.

Modern scientific research has confirmed some of what our ancestors already knew: regular hot baths are healthy and promote regeneration (35).

And regular baths can be made even more relaxing by adding essential oils.

How will you use these ways to relax?

Your relaxation toolbox is now full of new goodies. All you have to do is use them.

Use strategies such as deep breathing and mental re-evaluation to defuse stressful situations. Use strategies like going for a walk and drinking tea to keep your calm. And use strategies like hot baths, classical music and essential oils to help you calm down at night and sleep like a baby.

References:

1. http://www.statisticbrain.com/stress-statistics/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19571591
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19952239
4. http://www.pnas.org/content/101/49/17312.short
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16298085
6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11844945
7. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0002576
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092730/
9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22946452
10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21727288
11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8884390
12. http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232506889_Massage_therapy_effects_on_depression_and_somatic_symptoms_in_chronic_fatigue_syndrome
13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20809811
14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19875429
15. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22201278
16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2105884
17. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23327269
18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21552190
19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21193540
20. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18540832
21. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20536686
22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2915324
23. http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/16/6405.long
24. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20030543
25. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/66
26. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281386/
27. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15296685
28. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16722953
29. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7963281
30. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1005542121935
31. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793850
32. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930802
33. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11862365
34. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23467965
35. http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1993/Study-Hot-tubbing-OK-for-Some-Heart-Patients/id-58bce7b4ff501d192eee66a343aae7bb

By Michale Matthews