Think positive boost immunity

A sunny outlook on life could actually be good for your health, according to a study published in Psychological Sicience. When fist-year law students were asked how they felt about their futures, researchers found that the studens who were optimistic showed stronger immune system responses. On the flip side, immunity tests elicited more sluggish responses when those same students were feeling pressimistic.

To boost your immune system, consciously stay positive about a specific part of your life without making your expectations unrealistic, which can cause stress, says study author Suzanne Seger-strom, Ph.D, professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. " Figure out whether you're more focused on the negative or positive feedback that you get, " says Segerstrom. " We often dont't take our positive feedback seriously enough. "

TAKE A SEAT

When you're uptight and pressed for time, this simple posture can offer you instant repose-even at your desk.
Chair Relaxation
Sit upright in a comfortable chair, knees bent, feet on the floor and hands in your lap (your can lean your head against the chair back if it's high enough). Close your eyes and begin to pay attention to your breath. Complete at least 5 long inhalations and exhalations, letting go to the tension in your jaw, shoulders and belly. Bring attention inward and allow all the noises you hear wash by you without reacting to them. Stay in the pose for at least 5 minutes. You can practice this exercise anywhere: in taxis, on airplanes, at your kitchen table or in front of your computer. Try it whenever you feel exhausted.

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HOW TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH

@> Whelther you're sitting up or lying down, make sure your spine is in a long, supple line.
@> Swallow, and release the tension in your throat and belly.
@> Close your eyes and begin to inhale evenly through your nostrils. Focus completely on your inhalation, and make it long and slow.
@> As your breath fills your lungs, let your chest lift and your rib cage expand; feel your shoulders widen. Don't strain.
@> At the end of the inhalation, reverse the process as you exhale evenly through your nose.
@> Observe any changes in your body after this one long breath is complete. When you are ready, try again. Practice until you can do 5 to 10 long breaths with focused concentration.
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Here, the step-by-step route that stress takes in your body.

1. Your frontal cortex-the "executive" part of your brain behind your forehead-receives the information about the threat you're facing.
2. The frontal cortex sends a blaring message of emergency to the hypothalamus, the brain's hormones control center.
3.The hypothalamus sets up a chain reaction, triggering the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.
4. The heart starts pumping 18 to 20 quarts of blood a minute, a whopping 400 percent increase over its normal 4 to 5 quarts.
5. Your blood pressure rises, your breathing quickens, your eyes dilate, your muscles tighten, your airways winden and you become hyper-alert.
6. The blood moves away from the gut (digestion's not important at this moment), the skin (you don't want to bleed too much from the bear bite) and kidneys (so you don't lose fluids), and heads toward the muscles, where the arteries dilate, giving you greater access to energizing nutrients.
7. The inflammatory part of your immune system revs up, ready to attack any bacteria or other foreign body that invades.
8. Your fat cells release more fat info the blood for quick access to energy.
9. Your blood platelets turn sticky, the better to clot should that bear slash you.
10. Your liver converts glycogen, the raw stuff of fuel, into glucose for energy.
11. You're primed to fight or flee.

What can I do about insomnia?

The biofeedback specialist say:
Biofeedback helps you see how mental shifts can affect your physical state. Machines attached to patients show, in real time, when optimum levels of relaxation are reached. Over serveral sessions, patients learn to relax and slow their breathing to get into the more tranquil states that foster sleep.
Treatment: Slowing your breath by breathing deeply can help you relax. You can aslo induce a sleepier state by warming your hands; this dilates blood vessels and lowers your body's core temperature, which promotes sleep. Test the principle for yourself by taping a small alcohol thermometer to one of your fingers and encouraging the temperature to rise. This can demonstrate your power to put yourself in a more relaxed state and, by extension, overcome insomnia.
-Fred Shaffer, Ph.D.,B.C.B.,professor of psychology at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.

The cognitive behaviorist say: About insomnia

Persistent worrying often causes sleep problems. Bedtime is the first chance we have to pause,once the day's distractions are gone,anxious thoughts can flood back at night and keep us awake. This tendency can condition us to use our beds for worry time, making it even harder to sleep.
Treatment: Cognitive therapy techniques help people see the thingking traps they fall into, such as dwelling on the negative. To break the cycle, practice mindfulness. Trying to suppress negative thoughts makes them harder to ignore, so acknowledge them and the associated emotions. Redirect the habit of dwelling on " what its "and " should haves " by focusing on things for which you feel grateful.
-Allison Harvey, Ph.D. professor of psychology, University of California, Berkeley, and director of The Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Resarch Clinic

About Insomnia

The registered dietitian say:The amount of protein and carbohydrates we eat affects how sleepy or alert we feel. Higher-protein meals help stabilize blood sugur levels and keep us energized; carb-rich meals trigger an insulin rush that helps tryptophan enter our brains, where it acts as a building block for feel-good serotonin and increases time spent in REM sleep, which is more restful
Treatment: A high-carbohydrate snack before bed can cut in half the time it takes to fall asleep; bananas, yogurt, figs and nut butters, which are all high in tryptophan, can also help. A supplement form of tryptophan, 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan, 100 to 300 milligrams) can be effective, too, but due to some safety concerns, check with your doctor before taking it.
-Colleen Gill, M.S.,R.D.,Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Colorado Hospital

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