According to The Help Guide, really, the only way to rid yourself of the negative effects of stress is to get rid of the stress itself. You can start by identifying the sources of stress in your life and either eliminate them completely, or rethink them to reduce the stress they cause. Keep in mind that this doesn’t only include the things we don’t particularly enjoy in our lives. Stress can also be caused just as easily by things we enjoy, even positive, life-affirming events like getting married, having a baby, getting that big promotion at work, planning a best friend’s birthday party and even taking that long awaited vacation.

Since even positive changes in our lives can be just as stressful as negative event, dealing with stress isn’t simply a matter of cutting out everything in life that stresses you out. Instead, try to develop practices and a mindset that work to dissipate and reduce those inevitable stresses that come with life.

Like I noted in my last article: stress kills. That’s pretty serious stuff. Here are 12 ways you can choose to combat this killer:

1. Make some time for quiet. Whether it’s meditating every morning to some Yanni, practicing yoga three times a week, biking on weekends, or just spending an hour each night curled up to a good book, you need to create a time when you can clear your mind of anything and everything that could drag it down. Get some you time and you’ll see that this method helps most with anxiety or depressive disorder.
2. End the procrastination. Worrying about important tasks causes stress. Procrastinating important tasks leads to more worry. More worry… Well, you get the idea.
3. Make a habit of writing things down. I know forgetting things causes me to stress. Try writing things down or creating some other system that can help you remember things to alleviate some stress.
4. You are what you eat. A healthy diet can help your body better deal with stress. It only makes sense. Eating healthy provides your body with necessary energy and the building blocks for an overall more efficient you. A good combination of fruits, veggies and lean protein like fish and chicken is the best way to go. Might not be a surprise to discover that this one helps most with mild to moderate stomach discomfort, one common cause for stress.
5. Family time is good time. It’s a good idea to try and eat at least one meal a day with your family (or with friends if you’re single). Human beings are social creatures and social interaction builds positivity, thus helping to eliminate stress.
6. De-bottle that anger and frustration. We all know this leads to stress. Most likely, it’s going to come out at some point or another, and when it does, especially after being stuffed for so long, it’s like dropping a nuke. Learn to express negative feelings and to voice your concerns to someone close. It really takes the steam out of things.
7. Priorities, priorities. Determine what in your life requires the most attention and what doesn’t. Figure out what you can let slide and what you can drop completely. Focus your energy on things that are most important.
8. Get a routine going. Research has shown that most people work well under set routines. Getting one going in your life could mean eliminating stress over worrying about what’s coming up next.
9. Don’t let interruptions get to you. Many people allow their rituals to get so stuck that they can’t function properly if they’re interrupted. Pull some slack there so you can adapt to changing conditions.
10. Know when it’s quitting time. Don’t let employers, friends, lovers, family members, anyone treat you badly. Decide how much of yourself you’re willing to put into your relationships and establish hard lines. If those lines are crossed, walk away.
11. Don’t forget yourself. If you begin to notice you’re feeling stressed, find out why. Maybe you should see a doctor. Figure out if the life you’re leading is a fulfilling one.
12. Love. It’s what makes the world go ‘round. Going back to that important aspect of human life: sociability. Build relationships. Share yourself, your feelings, your personality. Simply put, just feel.

Ah, those were the days.

Over the years, stress has increasingly become a major part of my life; so much so, that sometimes it’s hard going back to that day at Disney in my mind, recalling a time when I didn’t experience it for a good 24-hour period. From making sure I’m at work on time every day to completing homework and term papers on the right due dates, to being there for friends and family when they need me and then somehow maintaining a personal life (not to mention eating, paying bills and even maintaining a regular hygiene routine), it’s become rather difficult for me to balance my stress.

I know I’m not the only one feeling this way.

Americans are known for living by one never-changing, ever-moving fact of life that has become the root of all stress (in my opinion): time. We’re always moving against it. We never have enough of it. I always hear someone saying it, “There’s just not enough time in a day.” When I was that little kid at Disney World drooling over Mickey Pops, meeting Cinderella and what was in that magic-looking ball, I can remember laughing at hearing adults say that, because days always seemed long to me. I was always rested after a night’s sleep, up early every morning and ready to go. Today, I finally understand the truth behind that saying.

So stress affects most of us here in America, I think we can all agree on that. But what, exactly, are those effects?

Stress wasn’t designed to harm us. It was intended to motivate us for the purpose of survival. More primitively, stress as a response is known as the flight-or-flight reaction. Essentially, it is a normal, physical response to events that make you feel upset or threatened. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic and alert. (It also works well on those last minute term papers you stay up all night to get finished by the morning.)

But beyond a certain point, stress can result in some very negative ramifications. Did you know that researchers suggest that as much as 60 to 90 percent of illnesses are directly caused or exacerbated by stress?

Anxiety or Depressive Disorder. Research has shown a link between high sensitivity to stress and the onset of severe anxiety and depression. As such, chronic stress can destroy the ability to enjoy life, accomplish goals and maintain healthy relationships.

Heart Disease and Stroke. There is also a link between acute stress, heart disease and stroke. The psychological response to stress has detrimental affects on the heart and circulatory system, including an increased heart rate and restricted arteries. Over time, this can lead to heart attacks.

Weight. You’re probably familiar with all the talk about how stress can cause or lead to obesity. This is true, however, it is also true for the opposite. Depending on the person, stress can motivate a person to eat too much or too little, causing severe weight gain or weight loss. The stress hormone cortisol can cause an increase in abdominal fat, while in other cases, anorexia, bulimia and binge eating can result.

Sleep Difficulty. Stress is among one of the main factors related to sleep difficulty. We all know how important sleep is. It allows our bodies to recharge, providing energy to take on new days. When a person experiences chronic stress or overwork, it’s almost impossible to relax mentally and physically, so they get very little of that essential recharge period. This puts the body under even more stress, only adding to the problem.

Concentration and Memory. Chronic and acute stress can lead to problems with concentration and memory. Studies have shown that individuals subjected to stress have a higher difficulty with short-term and verbal memory. Stress also makes it more difficult to pay attention to detail, causing careless accidents and problems with work or academic demands.

Pain. Stress can intensify chronic pain. Emotional distress has also been linked to a heightened sensitivity to arthritis and back pain, while physical tension can cause muscle pains and headaches.

Gastrointestinal Disorders. Stress contributes to such problems as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease. Even if these more serious disorders don’t develop, people under a great deal of stress commonly experience mild to moderate stomach discomfort, nausea, constipation or diarrhea.

Even though it can seem nearly impossible to slow down and try to relieve stress, it’s important for maintaining physical and emotional health and balance.

(Most pertinent and factual information taken from HELPGUIDE.org.)

It’s in places like Greenland where the sun doesn’t set in the summertime, where many people face insomnia, which can drive a person to suicide.

Constant sunlight harms our circadian rhythm, or our natural biological cycle that occurs day by day. Darkness is the primary cue for signaling the body into sleep, particularly into REM sleep when most of the body’s regeneration and repair takes place. Essentially, our circadian rhythm is the reason we sleep at night and are awake during the day.

Since quantity of sleep is connected to a person’s mental heath, and if a person’s circadian rhythm isn’t allowed to properly function and send the body into necessary deep sleep patterns at around the same time every day, the body becomes increasingly weak and tired. As a result, a person can develop depression through insomnia, and depression can often lead to suicidal thoughts.

At least 877,000 people worldwide kill themselves each year, according to World Health Organization. The U.N. agency estimates that for every suicide death, 10 to 40 attempts are made.

Sleep disturbances have been previously linked to increased suicidal risk in people with psychiatric disorders and adolescents. It is not clear, however, whether this trend is true for the general population.

The Swedish study was conducted in Greenland from 1968 to 2002, and focused on the seasonal variation of suicides. Summer months showed the most suicides.

This effect was most notable in northern Greenland, where the sun remains perched high in the sky from the end of April through the end of August.

One of the researchers said that the suicides were almost exclusively violent and increased during periods of constant sunlight, with 82 percent of the suicides occurring during the daylight months in the northern regions.

Most of the suicides studied involved young men and were violent, such as shooting, hanging and jumping from high places. These types of deaths accounted for 95 percent of all the suicides.

It was speculated by the research team that light-generated imbalances in serotonin – the brain chemical linked to mood – may lead to increased irrationality that when combined with a lack of sleep may drive people to kill themselves.

And all along I thought that paradise was all about lounging under the heat of the sun, watching the tide come in and out, sipping on some iced tea…enjoying the thought of endless summer days.

Maybe I’ll stick closer to the equator for my summer vacation this year and try to enjoy my nightly Z’s just a little bit more.