This article was originally published on Made By Hemp.

In our modern, fast-paced world, stress is becoming a very common component in our everyday lives. It has become so common, in fact, that we no longer seem to notice stress until it has compounded into something bigger and has started affecting our health. Stress, or rather, stress hormones (a primary stress hormone like cortisol), are released into the body to trigger our “fight or flight” response. In dire situations, these hormones help elevate our energy supplies, increase the concentration of glucose in our blood, and even help our brain use glucose optimally for quicker decision making. However, long-term activation of the body’s stress system could cause a host of health problems — anxiety, depression, heart disease – to name a few.
Therefore, it is important we learn of ways to relieve ourselves of stress. Below are five simple ways to relieve stress:


1. CBD Oil

You’ve probably heard of CBD quite often this whole year. There is good reason for that. Aside from its uses in alleviating the symptoms of epilepsy, it is also being used as a natural means of reducing anxiety and a great way to relieve stress. This is because all mammals have an endocannabinoid system. This is a network of CBD receptors along our central nervous system. These receptors react to CBD by fixing imbalances, strengthening our immune system, and relieving symptoms of stress and anxiety. So a couple of drops of CBD oil every day might just be a great way to help relieve stress.


2. Meditation

If you are looking for a very cheap way of reducing stress without taking anything, meditation is the way to go. Meditation has been known to help ease stress and anxiety by focusing our attention to emptying our mind and breathing deeply. Not only will this help you relax, but it could also re-energize you to help you face the rest of your day with a bit more calm. If you find yourself stressed by too many meetings or an impending deadline, take a few minutes to center yourself, empty your mind of any thoughts, and breathe.


3. Exercise

Physical activity causes our body to release happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin. To people who have experienced what is called the “runner’s high”, this is actually the rush of endorphins released by your body as a response to running. Endorphins help our body reduce stress by helping our body overcome pain, and regulate our sleep. The stress hormone cortisol actually reduces the production of happy hormones in our body which will lead to more stress for us. Exercising would help build these hormones back up in our system.


4. Reduce caffeine

We all have a caffeine threshold. Caffeine is known to help keep us awake and give us that boost of much-needed energy, especially in the mornings when all we want is to go back to sleep. However, too much caffeine can contribute to anxiety which in turn causes stress. It could also cause heart palpitations, cold sweat, and some digestive upset when you take too much caffeine. So if you find yourself getting anxious after your second or third cup of coffee, it might be a good idea to skip that cup of joe and maybe have something with lower caffeine levels. Perhaps a nice low caffeine tea, or, dare we say, some decaf coffee?


5. Socialize

Spending time with friends and family is a great stress reliever. No matter how introverted and socially averse you are, there is always someone you prefer spending your time with. And for those of us who are extroverted, being with people is an energizing experience. Laughing and having an enjoyable time with the people you love will help you relax more, and forget about your woes. In women, spending time with family and children helps in releasing oxytocin, a natural stress reliever.
No matter your station in life, stress is unavoidable. Keeping these five tips in mind will help you in managing or maybe even relieving stress. And in turn will help you enjoy life more, avoid health issues, and even develop a healthier relationship with yourself and with your social circle.

This was originally published on Off The Main Page on July 30, 2017.

​August 13 is International Lefthanders’ Day, so I’m celebrating already!
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A long time ago, people thought that left-handed people had dealings with the devil and the trait had to be corrected. The prejudice is gone, but the question remains. Why are some people left-handed?

Some researchers believe it’s genetics, but that is not likely the full story. Some experts say genetics only play a part 25 percent of the time. Although, it can run in families. Some say handedness can be pretty random. Stress during pregnancy can cause a child to lean toward being left-handed.

It also doesn’t necessarily make you “right-brained.” Gina Grimshaw, Ph.D., director of the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Wellington in New Zealand, says:

Most left-handers seem to have similar language processing to right-handers. But for the most part, left-handers do not differ obviously from right-handers. They certainly don’t have reversed brains.”

It can also affect school performance as well. People who are left-handed or ambidextrous are more likely to use their brains in different ways.
Unfortunately, it is linked to a higher risk of mental health problems as well. According to a 2013 Yale University study, when researchers polled patients at a mental-health clinic, 40% of those with schizophrenia or schizoaffective said they wrote with their left hand.

Being left-handed makes us awesome and unique.

One very common side-effect of anti-psychotics is a condition called tardive dyskinesia. It can be permanent and can cause twitching of the eyes, lips, tongue, and extremities.

The drug is called Ingrezza, and it's awaiting an FDA decision for the tardive dyskinesia treatment.

Christoph U. Correll, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, said in a press release:

"Until now, one of the few options for physicians, when managing TD, was to stop, change, or lower the dose of antipsychotic medication, potentially jeopardizing patients' psychiatric stability. In clinical trials, Ingrezza significantly and rapidly improved TD symptoms compared to placebo, reducing involuntary movements acutely and through 48 weeks of treatment without compromising underlying psychiatric care. These results, combined with convenient once-daily dosing, represent a tremendous breakthrough for patients suffering from TD."

Do you struggle to get out of bed in the morning to get ready for work? Well, you aren't the only one! According to one study, getting up before 10 a.m. is the equivalent of torture. You may need an I.V. of coffee when you get to work at 8 or 9 in the morning. You blink and struggle to stay awake under the fluorescent lights.

The article says:

"Dr. Kelley and a research team at the Sleep and Circadian Institute have confirmed something that has crossed everyone’s mind as they watched someone helplessly nod off on early morning public transit—a 9 am start is just fucking inhumane."
"This is because the human body runs on a biological timers. They’re called circadian rhythms and they are genetically preprogrammed cycles that regulate human energy levels, brainwave activity and hormone production."

Disrupting our circadian rhythms can cause many symptoms. Our bodies have certain patterns, and workplaces should change the workday to fit that, but they probably won't.

The eight-hour workday was started to maximize productivity, but it really doesn't. Many companies are starting to have more flexible workdays and hours. It's mainly for work-life balance, but it could help in this department as well. 

I ran across an interesting article on How Stuff Works today. It talks about a possible link between intelligence and mental illness. It's an interesting concept to think about . Are the smartest of us also mentally ill? 

The example the author used was the great inventor Nikola Tesla. His inventions were precursors to many things we use today such as A/C electricity, electrical generators, and more.

However, he also had many behaviors that could be described as something a mentally ill person would do. The things in his life needed to be divisible by three. He used 18 napkins at every meal. He would only stay in a hotel room with a number divisible by 3. He would probably be considered obsessive-compulsive if he lived today.

The article also says:

"Researchers conducting one such study of Swedish teenagers discovered straight-A students were four times more likely to develop bipolar disorder, a mental illness marked by alternating moods of elation and depression, illustrating a correlation between intelligence and higher instances of mental illness. As the study subjects' emotional state transitioned from low to high, there was evidence of increased activity in the frontal lobe of the brain. This area is known for regulating creativity."

Many smart and creative people suffered or do suffer from mental illness. Carrie Fisher and Kurt Cobain were bipolar. 

This where the term "tortured genius" comes from. I'm not saying everyone who is smart is mentally ill. I'm just looking at people who are considered "smart" and also happen to have mental health issues. 

Infographic via ILoveCoffee:

This was originally published on Off The Main Page on April 10, 2017.

The renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking, has an interesting explanation on why he is an atheist:

“Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation.”

Many people ask, “What existed before the Big Bang happened?” Hawking says:
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“When people ask me if a god created the universe, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense. Time didn’t exist before the big bang, so there is no time for god to make the universe in. It’s like asking directions to the edge of the earth; The Earth is a sphere; it doesn’t have an edge; so looking for it is a futile exercise… it’s my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god.”

In his book, The Grand Design, he says:

“Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper set the universe going.”
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Note: Touch paper is paper with chemicals used as fuses for explosives.
Hawking is a very smart man, and I find his explanation of the universe interesting.

Infographic via InformationIsBeautiful.net.

Check out this awesome infographic!

Image via DailyInfographic