10 Ways to Overcome Stress

by Jonathan on October 13, 2008

There is an insidious problem that can sneak into your life and turn it up side down. It can wreck your health, your relationships and your career.

As you probably guessed, I am talking about stress. Yes, we’re all exposed to it, but we don’t have to become infected. Leo Babauta of Zen Habits put together his top 10 list of stress busters and I wanted to share it with you.

 

Stress is a major problem for many people — a hectic, stressful job, a chaotic home life, bills to worry about, and bad habits such as unhealthy eating, drinking and smoking can lead to a mountain of stress.

If your life is full of stress like mine once was, there are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level.

Now, your life will probably never be stress-free — I don’t think that’s even desirable, even if it is possible, because stress is something that challenges us and helps us grow at a reasonable level. But when stress gets too high, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy.

It wasn’t that long ago when I was working long hours in a very stressful job, with little time for my family. I had a lot of debt and too many bills. I was unhappy and stressed out all the time.

So I made some drastic changes. I quit my job. I simplified my life. I started exercising and eating healthier. I began to eliminate my debt. And I learned some habits that, when applied on a daily basis, can really transform the way you live, in a positive way.

How did I do all of this? One thing at a time. I didn’t do a major overhaul of my life. I changed one habit a month, and gradually over the course of a year or two changed a lot of things in my life.

I won’t guarantee that all of these will work for you. They worked for me, but each person is different. Pick and choose the ones that will work best for you, and give them a try. One at a time. 

1. One thing at a time. This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress, and you can start today. Right now. Focus as much as possible on doing one thing at a time. Clear your desk of distractions. Pick something to work on. Need to write a report? Do only that. Remove distractions such as phones and email notifications while you’re working on that report. If you’re going to do email, do only that. This takes practice, and you’ll get urges to do other things. Just keep practicing and you’ll get better at it.

2. Simplify your schedule. A hectic schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones. Learn to say no to the rest — and slowly get out of commitments that aren’t beneficial to you. Schedule only a few important things each day, and put space between them. Get out of meetings when they aren’t absolutely essential. Leave room for down time and fun.
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3. Get moving. Do something each day to be active — walk, hike, play a sport, go for a run, do yoga. It doesn’t have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just move. Have fun doing it.

4. Develop one healthy habit this month. Other than getting active, improving your health overall will help with the stress. But do it one habit at a time. Eat fruits and veggies for snacks. Floss every day. Quit smoking. Cook something healthy for dinner. Drink water instead of soda. One habit at a time.

5. Do something calming. What do you enjoy that calms you down? For many people, it can be the “get moving” activity discussed above. But it could also be taking a nap, or a bath, or reading, or having sex (which can also be considered a “get moving” activity if you do it for longer than 5 minutes). Other people are calmed by housework or yard work. Some people like to meditate, or take a nature walk. Find your calming activity and try to do it each day.

6. Simplify your finances. Finances can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor. If that’s true with you, figure out ways to simplify things. Automate savings and bill payments and debt payments. Spend less by going shopping (at malls or online) much less. Find ways to have fun that don’t involve spending money.

7. Have a blast! Have fun each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I like to play with my kids — they take my mind off everything and are really hilarious. I also like to play sports (again, often with my kids). Board games are fun. Sex, again, can be a fun activity. Whatever you choose, be sure to laugh.

8. Get creative. Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and to prevent stress. I like writing, but others like to paint or play music or sketch or make pottery or do interior design or build things.

9. Declutter. This is a favorite of mine. I like to take 20-30 minutes and just go through a room, getting rid of stuff we don’t use or need anymore. I look around at anything that’s cluttering up a room, and get rid of it or find a better place for it. When I’m done, I have a nice, peaceful environment for work, play, and living. Do this a little at a time — it can be one of your “fun activities”.

10. Be early. I will admit that it’s hard to be early when you have to get 6 kids ready (seriously — try it!). But being late can be very stressful. Try to leave earlier by getting ready earlier, or by scheduling more space between events. Things always take longer than normal, so schedule some buffer time: extra time to get ready, to commute, to do errands before you need to be somewhere, to attend a meeting before another scheduled appointment. If you get somewhere early, it’s good to have some reading material.

Share-T7-Vancouver + Canada

Vancouver :

Diverse in nature and culture

Vancouver is consistently rated one of the most livable cities in the world, and it doesn’t take visitors long to see why: the city enjoys a stunning natural setting, a mild climate (by Canadian standards), and a diverse, progressive, cosmopolitan population.

It’s been said that in Vancouver, you can surf in the morning and ski in the afternoon – and indeed, one of the best ways to experience the city is to get outdoors. Visitors can walk, bike, or jog in the enormous waterfront Stanley Park, ski the North Shore Mountains, indulge in almost any type of water sport on the city’s Pacific shoreline, or lounge on its many beaches.

The world-famous ski resort at Whistler, which will co-host the 2010 Winter Olympics with Vancouver, is within reach as well. After exhausting themselves outdoors, visitors can choose from the city’s range of restaurants, where Vancouver’s diversity – more than fifty percent of the population speaks a first language other than English – makes itself felt. Try Chinatown or the Punjabi Market to taste the city’s cultural variety. Vancouver is also a great place to learn more about the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific Northwest at the University of British Columbia’s renowned Museum of Anthropology.

According to the 2006 Census, the city of Vancouver had a population of 578,041 and Metro Vancouver 2,116,581. As of July 2009, the city’s estimated population was 615,473 and that of the metropolitan area, 2,318,200. Vancouver is the largest metropolitan area in Western Canada and the third largest in the country, although as a municipality it is ranked eighth nationally. Vancouver is ethnically diverse, with 52% of city residents having a first language other than English.
Prior to the 1980s, the economy of Vancouver had traditionally relied on British Columbia’s resource sectors: forestry, mining, fishing and agriculture. It has diversified over the past 30 years, however. Today its second largest industry, after forestry, is tourism, and it has become the third-largest film production centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York City, earning it the nickname Hollywood North.

|Source:Wikipedia + tripwolf.com

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Canada :

Canada is a federation composed of ten provinces and three territories; in turn, these may be grouped into regions. Western Canada consists of British Columbia and the three Prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). Central Canada consists of Quebec and Ontario. Atlantic Canada consists of the three Maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia), along with Newfoundland and Labrador. Eastern Canada refers to Central Canada and Atlantic Canada together. Three territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) make up Northern Canada. Provinces have more autonomy than territories. Each has its own provincial or territorial symbols.

The provinces are responsible for most of Canada’s social programs (such as health care, education, and welfare) and together collect more revenue than the federal government, an almost unique structure among federations in the world. Using its spending powers, the federal government can initiate national policies in provincial areas, such as the Canada Health Act; the provinces can opt out of these, but rarely do so in practice. Equalization payments are made by the federal government to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces

The land occupied by Canada was inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal people. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled along, the Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years’ War. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was highlighted by the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and culminated in the Canada Act of 1982, which severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament.

A federation comprising ten provinces and three territories, Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. It is a bilingual and multicultural country, with both English and French as official languages both at the federal level and in the province of New Brunswick. Technologically advanced and industrialized, Canada has a diversified economy reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade—particularly with the United States, with which Canada has had a long and complex relationship.

 

Source:Wikipedia

Learn to love yourself in seven weeks

Week One —Focus on positive self-talk

Most of us make an effort to speak kindly to colleagues and friends while paying little regard to how we talk to and about ourselves. Have you ever noticed how unrelenting that little voice inside your head can be? “Even when it seems we’re sitting in silence, our brains are receiving messages,” explains Goldhar. “Start paying attention to those messages. Are they providing you with confidence or chipping away at your self-esteem?” Though there is no on/off switch for that voice, you can free yourself from its harm.

First, become aware of your thoughts and replace critiques with compliments. Second, focus on what you like about yourself by finding your best features. Finally, don’t beat yourself up when you do have negative thoughts. Just know that you have the power to shift them.

Week Two — Let yourself off the hook

“One of the keys to loving yourself is being able to forgive yourself,” says Goldhar. As women, we tend to hold on to our past — decisions we made, things we said, and failed expectations. In order to feel good about yourself, you must make peace with your past and let go of the accompanying guilt. To move forward, consider writing forgiveness letters to yourself using a journal. “Once you free up space in your life, new relationships, decisions and opportunities will present themselves.”

Week Three — Clean house

“Just as we clear our homes of clutter, so too should we clear our lives of toxic relationships,” says Goldhar. “We all know someone who drains our energy or makes us feel bad.” In loving yourself, you might become more choosey about who you spend time with, and how much time you give to unrewarding relationships. “Not all relationships are meant to last a lifetime, and if you are able to let go of ones that aren’t serving you, you’ll create time and space for people who are supportive of and conducive to your growth.”

Week Four — When your body talks, listen

“When our body starts showing physical symptoms, it’s an indication that we haven’t been listening to it for quite some time,” says Goldhar. “Loving yourself means honouring your body as a complete system.” Begin by responding to your basic needs. Eat food before you start to feel famished and drink water before you get dehydrated. Then, commit to checking in with yourself on a regular basis. Notice when you are feeling tension, for example, and then take the time to identify what is causing that stress or pain and relieve it.

Week Five — Follow the thread of excitement

“It’s amazing how many clients at midlife can’t even tell me what they like or what excites them anymore,” Goldhar say. “They’ve spent so much time focusing on everyone else’s needs, they’ve forgotten their own.” When it comes to choosing a hobby or considering a new career, take a step-by-step approach. Research the choices available (through an online job board or community-center calendar) and then pick one or two things that make you feel most excited. “Instead of trying to make permanent decisions right away, get in the habit of choosing activities based on how they make you feel.”

Week Six — Ask for what you need

“Asking to be pleasured sexually is a loving thing to do for yourself,” says Goldhar. “But it’s something not all women feel comfortable doing.” No matter how old you are or how long you’ve been in your relationship, there is no better time to start honouring your own needs and desires. “There are many supportive and informative books out there, which is often the best place to start,” Goldhar advises. “Then, sit down with your partner (with a glass or wine, or even a shot of tequila) and have this very important conversation, which may prove to be relationship-changing.”

Week Seven — Learn to say “No”

“Being selfish is a good thing,” says Goldhar, “despite what you may have been taught.” Saying “No” is your right, and the more you practice, the easier it will become. There are some things we don’t have the luxury to say no to, so when the choice is yours, honour how you’re feeling rather than pushing yourself because of obligation.

Source : More.ca

Share-T6-Acidic oceans destroying sea life + Quebec’s language laws + !!!Tall people earn more

 

Acidic oceans destroying sea life

Carbon dioxide is an acidic gas and scientists say as it dissolves into the sea it’s making seawater more acidic. They calculate that ocean acidity is up 30% since the Industrial Revolution. A new study shows the growth of some tiny shell forming creatures appears already to have been stunted by the change.

Research of this new branch of science suggests that as CO2 emissions continue to increase, many shell forming species may not survive the next 50-100 years. This would hit commercial fisheries and start to unpick the very web of life in the seas.

Dr Carol Turley, who is running today’s acidification debate in Copenhagen, fears a mass extinction: ”55 million years ago there was a big production of CO2. That resulted in the mass extinction of seabed dwelling shell forming organisms. What we’re doing now is far, far faster, so it may not be possible for organisms to adapt.”

Sceptics say we can’t be sure how ocean chemistry will respond in the future and whether creatures will adapt. The scientists in Denmark say we simply shouldn’t take the risk.

 

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Quebec’s language laws

Walking around the streets of the world’s second largest francophone city, it’s difficult to believe that laws are needed to guarantee the continuing use of French. Most passers-by are speaking French, most of the shop names and advertisements are in French and French is the language of business and commerce. While English options are given on telephone call centre lines, French is the first language used when you get to speak to anyone.

 But many Quebeckers feel that they must continue to fight for their language in the one major area of North America where English isn’t the dominant language. As a result there’s a language charter which says that signs must use bigger writing for the French version and that shopkeepers should address their customers in French first. Most children go to French schools and only those whose parents were born in the province can go to English-speaking ones.

The situation was very different when the charter was first introduced in the nineteen-seventies. English was much more widely used and surveys then showed that those earning the highest salaries spoke only English and even a bilingual French speaker tended to earn less than Anglophones. Nowadays many employers in Quebec don’t require staff to speak English at all.

The hearing is unlikely to hear strong submissions about the threat posed to French by globalisation since international companies use English as their main language. But the English-speaking community here is also worried about the status of its language. Some leaders don’t believe the inquiry will be sufficiently objective, while others worry that the language laws are creating problems for them.

 

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 Tall people earn more   !!

The long and short of this Australian report is that tall workers earn significantly more than their vertically challenged counterparts. A six foot man can expect a windfall of almost $750 a year.

The researchers found there were practical reasons why the size gap translated into a pay gap. Tall people were sometimes more capable of performing certain physical tasks, like reaching high shelves. But the discrepancy is explained mainly by discrimination, the simple fact that society tends to look on tall people as more powerful and smarter, even when they’re not.

The study from the Australian National University also found that slimmer workers tend to get slimmer pay packets. Fat men earn 5% more than their slender colleagues.

Share-T5- Smiles all around on Japan trains+ Shark blood may help fight cancer + Andorra longevity

 

 Smiles all around on Japan trains

Tokyo has some of the busiest train stations in the world. But now passengers can be assured of a friendly welcome from staff no matter how hard-pressed they are thanks to technology.

The computerised ‘smile scanner’ works by calculating the optimum curvature of the lips. Those with a low score are given words of advice, such as, ‘you look too serious’. The idea is that workers maintain their computer-approved grins throughout the day.

Although the railway company says the smile scan system is not compulsory, all staff at the station have used it.

Taichi Takahashi from Keihin Express Railway:

I don’t think we’ve had that much opportunity to stare at our faces that closely and for that long to check our facial expressions. The employees say the scan has helped them check their facial expressions, which helped them communicate more effectively with the customers.

So far the smile scanners have been installed at 15 train stations on the company’s network, leaving grumpy workers with few places to hide.

 

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Shark blood may help fight cancer

Sharks have unusual antibodies which are exceptionally resilient, as you’d expect from predators with such a fearsome reputation. Scientists have found that these disease-busting substances can withstand high temperatures as well as extremely acidic or alkaline conditions.

What’s of particular interest to Australian researchers is the antibodies’ ability to survive in the harsh environment of the human gut, which is crucial to the development of a cancer-fighting pill.

Sharks were chosen for the project because they have robust immune systems and rarely succumb to infections. There is evidence that their antibodies can slow the spread of breast cancer.

The aim is to eventually establish a clinical trial as efforts continue to develop this unconventional new technology that could also help in the treatment of malaria and rheumatoid arthritis.

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Andorra longevity

Water aerobics classes like this one for pensioners in one of Andorra’s many pristine public swimming pools are free and frequent. It’s normal here, high in the Pyrenees between France and Spain, to be active into old age. The average life expectancy is 83.5 and there are lots of people here in their late nineties.

Exercise is one reason, others are clean air, healthy diet, lots of lean meat, vegetables and olive oil and a world class health service. Perhaps the secret ingredient is low stress levels. Government spokesman Juli Minovez puts that partly down to history:

MINOVEZ:
We’ve had 700 years of peace in Andorra, and so many years of peace, no army – it also gives a lot of peace of mind to people. So I think there is also a psychological factor, you know. From the moment you were born, you know you live in a country that hasn’t had a conflict for seven centuries – that must be there for something.

The growing population of Andorra is quietly proud of its world-beating longevity.

Share-T3-US banks fail ‘stress tests’ + Production gloom in Japan

US banks fail ‘stress tests’

Ten of America’s biggest banks have been told that they need to raise another $75 billion in capital, following ‘stress tests’ carried out by the US government.

These stress tests have divided the strong banks, who don’t need any extra capital, from the weak, who now have to find new money. The US government has ordered ten of the 19 banks tested to boost their capital. Top of the list is Bank of America, with a shortfall of nearly $34 billion, followed by Wells Fargo, Citigroup and GMAC – the finance arm of General Motors. The Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, said the tests had brought reassurance and clarity:

”These actions are critical to help get lending flowing again, to make sure that there’s going to be the credit necessary to help support recovery, to help this economy get back on track”.

The stress tests were designed to find out how much extra capital the banks will need to cover their losses if the recession worsens. They can try to raise the money from private investors. Wells Fargo and Morgan Stanley have already announced plans to do just that. But if that doesn’t prove possible, then the US government says it will help them.

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Production gloom in Japan

The drop in industrial production of 10 percent in January was even worse than the decline in December – setting a new and grim record as Japan sinks into its worst economic crisis since the Second World War.

The latest figures come just days after the Government said exports had nearly halved. Consumers around the world afraid of losing their jobs in the downturn no longer want to buy Japanese electronic gadgets and cars. The Japanese themselves are also shopping less – average household spending fell 5.9 percent in January compared to the same month a year earlier. Jobs are being slashed – the number of people unemployed rose by more than 200,000.

Japan was once seen as relatively immune to the global crisis because its banks are not as exposed to bad loans as those in the United States or Europe. But its reliance on foreign markets to drive its economy out of a long slump in the 1990s has left it painfully exposed. In the last quarter of last year Japan’s economy shrank by 3.3 percent, a far sharper decline than in the United States or Europe.

Share-T2-Words And Their Stories: Hold Your Horses! + Call for change in UK banking system

Today, we tell about “horse” expressions.  In the past, many people depended on horses for transportation, farming and other kinds of work.  A lot of people still like to ride horses. And, horse racing is also popular.  So it is not surprising that Americans still use expressions about the animals.

Long ago, people who were rich or important rode horses that were very tall. Today, if a girl acts like she is better than everyone else, you might say she should get off her high horse.

Yesterday my children wanted me to take them to the playground.  But I had to finish my work, so I told them to hold your horses.  Wait until I finish what I am doing.  My two boys like to compete against each other and play in a violent way.  I always tell them to stop horsing around or someone could get hurt.  

We live in a small town. It does not have any exciting activities to offer visitors. My children call it at a one-horse town.

Last night, I got a telephone call while I was watching my favorite television show. I decided not to answer it because wild horses could not drag me away from the television.  There was nothing that could stop me from doing what I wanted to do.  

Sometimes you get information straight from the horse’s mouth.  It comes directly from the person who knows most about the subject and is the best source.  Let us say your teacher tells you there is going to be a test tomorrow. You could say you got the information straight from the horse’s mouth.  However, you would not want to call your teacher a horse!

You may have heard this expression: You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.  That means you can give someone advice but you cannot force him to do something he does not want to do.  

Sometimes a person fights a battle that has been decided or keeps arguing a question that has been settled.  We say this is like beating a dead horse.

In politics, a dark-horse candidate is someone who is not well known to the public. Sometimes, a dark horse unexpectedly wins an election.

Another piece of advice is, do not change horses in midstream. You would not want to get off one horse and on to another in the middle of a river.  Or make major changes in an activity that has already begun. In the past, this expression was used as an argument to re-elect a president, especially during a time when the country was at war.

 

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Call for change in UK banking system

The worst banking and economic crisis since the 1930s was caused in large part by banks’ recklessness, and this recklessness wasn’t prevented by the non-executive directors of banks, or their shareholders. And what’s more, the dangerous gambling was encouraged by the manner in which bank executives were paid.

A Treasury-sponsored report has today made recommendations to turn shareholders into more involved owners, who would be more likely to say “enough and no more” when banks are borrowing and lending too much.

Other proposals would see non-executives better trained, working more hours and more likely to challenge the executives. As for the bonuses of bankers, including those below board level, they’d be subject to more scrutiny, with those notorious bonuses only paid out after years have elapsed, once it’s clear that their deals aren’t toxic.

Share-T1-What You Can Do To Prevent Health Problems While Traveling

What You Can Do To Prevent Health Problems While Traveling

Summer is a busy time for travel. Today, we discuss ideas about how to stay healthy on a long trip.

For years, people have wondered whether they are safe from germs when they travel in small, enclosed areas. They worry about close contact with others who may be sick.

The current spread of a swine influenza virus has added to these concerns. Recently, the World Health Organization raised its warning about the new H1N1 virus to its highest level. W.H.O. Director-General Margaret Chan declared the sickness a pandemic – a disease that has spread to many nations. Given this information, many people want to know how safe is it to travel?

The answers people are getting may seem conflicting. For example, a W.H.O. statement urged nations not to close their borders or limit trade and travel. Director-General Chan said cases are generally mild for most people. Still, W.H.O. officials continue to report new cases across the world.

In the past, the W.H.O. and experts with America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted guidance for disease spread on airplanes. The experts said you could get infected only if you sit within two rows of someone who is sick. That would be a distance of up to three meters from the sick person. And this was true only if you sat there for more than eight hours.

But a travel-health expert says this guidance may not be helpful for swine flu. Mark Gendreau works at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center in the American state of Massachusetts. He suggests steps that could help prevent getting swine flu on an airplane.

His advice includes keeping the airflow over your seat on the “low” position. The doctor says you should point the device so the flow of air is just in front of your face.

Infection can spread through touching an infected surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Doctor Gendreau suggests cleaning your hands with soap and water, or using hand-sanitizer wipes. These products should contain at least fifty percent alcohol. In addition, he said you may want to cover your face with a mask. Most importantly, avoid traveling when you are sick.

Clearly, most people do not get sick while taking long trips. But something else might interfere with your travel plans. You could be placed in medical isolation if someone you traveled with on a plane is suspected of having swine flu.

The top official of an American city recently had this experience. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, his wife and a security guard spent several days in a hospital-like center in Shanghai, China. At the time, they were on their way to Australia. Mayor Nagin was preparing to speak there. But they were detained because of someone who sat near them on their arriving flight. The person was suspected of having swine flu. The Nagins did not get sick.

Students from a high school in Maryland had a similar experience. On a recent visit to China, the students had to spend several days in hotel rooms in the city of Kaili. They were barred from leaving their rooms because someone on their flight was suspected of having the flu. Tests later proved that the suspicion was wrong.

The students lost several days of sight-seeing. But one girl said she was still glad she made the trip.

Many other people share her feeling. One man from Maryland says he has planned a trip to Ireland for many years. He wants to visit the burial places of his grandparents. He says it will take more than a pandemic to keep him from making his trip.

Technology on most airplanes might make you feel safer about air travel. The United States Federal Aviation Administration says most large passenger planes now use HEPA filters. The devices are designed to remove dangerous particles from the air.

The letters H-E-P-A represent the words High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters capture almost all particles in the air that are zero point three microns in size or larger.

America’s Atomic Energy Commission developed HEPA filters many years ago. The goal was to protect workers who were developing the atomic bomb. The first HEPA filters removed radioactive particles from the air. Today, the filters clean the air in planes.

The Centers for Disease Control says HEPA filters are effective in clearing the air of many particles that cause disease. Makers of the devices say they kill bacteria and viruses because they help to remove the wetness that germs need to survive. But HEPA filters cannot remove disease-causing particles smaller than zero point three microns. These will continue to move around in the air and can infect people.

On a passenger cruise ship, fresh air is available on decks and in other places above sea level. A spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association says other air quality depends on the requirements of the nation where a ship was built.

Experts say people should know about other health concerns that can strike when traveling by air. One of these is hypoxia. It results from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Experts say the body begins losing oxygen minutes after an airplane leaves the ground.

The air pressure in a plane during flight is lower than at sea level. This makes it more difficult for the body to effectively use the same amount of oxygen as it would on the ground. Fewer oxygen molecules cross the tissues in the lungs and reach the bloodstream.

The result is a five to twenty percent drop in the amount of oxygen in the blood. This reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the organs of the body.

One effect of this lack of oxygen to the brain is a headache. When this happens, the heart attempts to fix the situation by beating harder and faster. This can make the traveler feel tired.

These signs of hypoxia are not dangerous in a healthy person. But a drop in oxygen levels can cause a health emergency in people with heart or lung problems. They might lose consciousness or even suffer a heart attack.

Experts say use of cigarettes and alcoholic liquids also reduces the body’s ability to use oxygen. So they suggest that people not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes either before or during a flight. They also say persons with heart or lung problems should seek advice from their doctor before flying.

Another problem for travelers can be a condition called deep vein thrombosis. A thrombosis is a blood clot — a condition in which some blood thickens and blocks the flow to the heart. Blood clots can kill if they move to the heart and lungs and stop needed oxygen from reaching those important organs. This is known as a pulmonary embolism.

The World Health Organization says passengers who sit still for four or more hours face a greater risk of developing blood clots. But it says only one in six thousand people develop deep vein thrombosis.

Last week, Harvard University researchers reported that people who travel are three times more likely than others to develop deep vein thrombosis. The researchers examined information from fourteen earlier studies. They found the longer the trip, the greater the threat of deep vein thrombosis. They even found a measurable increase in the condition for every two hours sitting in a car.

Experts say the chance of a clot also increases if a person does not drink enough water. They say passengers who sit for hours need to drink plenty of water — not liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Passengers should also increase blood flow to the legs. The doctors suggest covering your legs with support stockings and walking every hour or so during the trip. Or, at least move your legs and feet.  

Doctors say anyone with pain, swelling or red skin on a leg during or after a long trip may have a blood clot. Anyone with such signs should see a doctor as soon as possible. The condition many times can be treated with drugs that thin the blood and stop the clot from moving through the body.

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