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According to the National Health Interview Survey, 75% of the general population experiences at least 'some stress' every two weeks and half of those experience high levels of stress during the same two week period. With all of the effects stress has on a person, psychologically and physiologically, it is important to understand the implications it has and it's critical for you to become capable of dealing with it effectively.

Effects of Stress on Physical Health

The American Medical Association stated that 80% of all human illnesses are the result of stress. Bearing this fact in mind, dealing with stress effectively can be a life saving skill that could drastically improve your overall quality of life. When a person is under a lot of stress, the brain releases chemicals giving the body an instant boost to combat and survive the stressful circumstance. Unfortunately many people in today's society constantly put their bodies under this stress causing them to suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains or strokes. The release of these chemicals also prevents the body from sleeping properly, resulting in slower thinking and other side effects such as depression, which in turn can lead to other problems such as alcohol abuse. When the body is under stress it is more susceptible to illnesses and diseases such as pneumonia and cancer as the immune system is weakened. When an individual dies from an illness such as a heart attack, doctors point the cause of death on the heart attack, but in all reality the heart attack was caused by other reasons such as an unhealthy life style and / or stress.

Effects of Stress on the Economy

According to the HSE (Health & Safety Executive), 6 million working days are lost each year in the UK through stress related problems. This costs the employer between '530-'545 per annum, as stated by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Visit the HSE for more information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/.

Learning to Relax

One of the best ways to combat stress is to relax and unwind. Everybody has their own way of relaxing, therefore it is important that you find a method of relaxing that suits you. Some of the more popular ways to relax and unwind are:

* Running, jogging or taking a long walk
* Listening to restful music
* Receive or give a massage
* Participate in an active sport
* Visit the park
* Practice yoga
* Eat organic natural food
* Ride a bicycle for pleasure
* Read
* Sunbathe or have a nap
* Play a musical instrument
* Use a hot tub, steam room or sauna / infrared sauna

Use a steam shower or sauna

Steam showers and saunas are well known for their relaxing properties and provide the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Saunas and steam showers can be found in health clubs nationwide, however, steam showers and saunas are becoming more popular in homes as they become more mainstream and affordable. A daily steam shower or a sauna session can really melt away stress and lighten the toxic burden on your body, revitalising and enlivening it.

Mohamed Abou Donia, Ph.D from the Duke University Medical Centre conducted a study which showed how stress can turn normally harmless chemicals in the body, dangerous. Dr. Mohamed Abou Donia says that even short term exposure to specific chemicals, just 28 days, when combined with stress caused widespread cellular damage in the brain and liver of rats (http://medschool.duke.edu/). Considering the adverse effects on the body both stress and chemicals can have, it's critical to detoxify and reduce the stressful burden. Chemicals are rampant in today's society: they are found in the foods we eat, the liquids we drink and the air we breathe.

Whenever you feel stress, a home steam shower or sauna is never far away to provide an instant escape. Steam showers heat up within minutes and use very little energy to operate, making them the choice for those seeking stress relief and physical well being. Just sit down and feel the warmth of the steam loosen all the muscles in your body, revitalising, making you feel brand new and fresh. The soothing warmth causes the body to sweat out harmful toxins and flush out the pores, giving your skin a clean glow. For those who have never seen a steam shower, or are interested in more information / articles or purchasing one, visit steam shower specialist Di Vapor: http://www.divapor.com.