how to relieve stress.

 Every day, around 80 patients visit the Duke South clinic where she is employed. She manages messages via Duke MyChart and takes care of administrative duties in her office.

In that space, she has discovered a quick method to recharge during a hectic day by checking out the birdfeeder webcams from the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology.

As she observes cardinals, nuthatches, and blue jays swooping in, grabbing a quick snack, and then flying away, she feels her body and mind unwind.

"We work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, and we are deeply passionate about our work, which requires a lot of energy from us," Goacher mentioned. "Therefore, it’s essential to find little things that can help replenish that energy."

The American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2025 report indicates that worries about the future of the nation and the economy are the top two stressors for adults. Work comes in third, with nearly 70% of employed adults citing it as a stress source, underscoring the importance of taking brief moments to recharge throughout the day.

"Even small moments can significantly reduce stress," stated Anna Batsakes, a Board Certified Health Coach with LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s employee wellness initiative. "Just two or three brief breaks during the day can assist in resetting your mindset."

As April marks Stress Awareness Month, experts at Duke offer straightforward yet effective stress-management techniques that you can incorporate into your everyday life.Take a Deep Breath

Anna Batsakes

Stress reactions like a racing heart and tense muscles are natural responses to perceived dangers.

To alleviate these symptoms, Batsakes suggests breathing exercises that promote relaxation in the body.

One method involves taking slow, deep breaths while sitting at your desk, gently raising your hands with each inhale and lowering them with each exhale.

Another technique is known as "box breathing," which consists of a series of controlled breaths and pauses that help soothe the body's stress responses.

"What we really want to do is notice how we’re breathing," Batsakes stated. "We know that long, slow abdominal breathing signals to our nervous system that we are safe."

For additional stress-relief techniques and useful practices, LIVE FOR LIFE provides two 15-minute virtual mindfulness webinars each week.

                                                     

Recognize Your Feelings

Teri Leasure

With over twenty years of experience assisting individuals in managing stress, Teri Leasure, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Duke’s Personal Assistance Service (PAS), frequently starts her consultations by guiding clients to recognize their emotions.

Finding the right words to describe what you’re feeling is the initial step in understanding what in your surroundings is triggering stress.

Leasure advises taking a moment to simply inquire within about the emotions you are experiencing, allowing yourself to feel them, and then imagining releasing them.

"Allow yourself to feel it, and then visualize taking it and placing it on a cloud, watching the cloud drift away, or putting it on a leaf floating down a river," Leasure suggested.

By facilitating an emotional reset, both your body and mind can unwind, enabling you to focus on more urgent matters with clarity.

Leasure often recommends free mindfulness-focused smartphone applications, like How We Feel, which assist users in identifying their emotions and discovering ways to manage them.

Take a Stroll                                 
Taking a brief 5-to-10 minute break for physical activity, such as a walk, can enhance focus and executive function while alleviating anxiety.

While walking outdoors and soaking in some fresh air, you can enjoy a dose of nature.

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How do I increase my memory?What is the most effective form of exercise?

 

A short session of physical activity can generate "ripples" of engagement in your brain, aiding in the storage and retrieval of memories.

  Memory can often be unpredictable. Whether you're trying to recall someone's name, remember a shopping list, or prepare for a crucial exam or job interview, information that was once clear can easily slip away. However, there's a simple method to give your memory an immediate enhancement when learning new information – hop on an exercise bike for a few minutes or take a brisk walk. Studies indicate that engaging in aerobic exercise, or cardio, can enhance our memory. It has long been established that exercise enhances cognitive function – a topic I discussed in my newsletter course Live Well for Longer. Physical activity boosts our performance on various tasks and fortifies brain regions susceptible to aging, potentially mitigating cognitive decline. Moreover, physical exercise can also reinforce a brain region crucial for memory – the hippocampus, which explains its beneficial impact on our memory. For example, moderate exercise several times a week has been shown to enlarge the hippocampus. Additional research has indicated that the timing of exercise can also influence memory – taking a walk four hours after learning can enhance memory retention and retrieval compared to exercising right afterward. In contrast, stretching exercises did not yield any memory improvement. Until recently, it has been challenging for scientists to comprehend the underlying processes. A new research study aimed to clarify this.

Neuroscientists examined the brains of 14 individuals immediately following exercise and detected small bursts of electrical activity traveling between the neurons, which are crucial for memory consolidation. These "brain ripples" represent a phenomenon where numerous neurons activate simultaneously, according to Michelle Voss, a neuroscientist at the University of Iowa who led the study. They are essential in how the brain organizes and stores information.During sleep and moments of quiet rest, the study focused on individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy, examining the healthy parts of their brains that were generating normal electrical signals. The research team observed the participants' brains to determine the effects following a short period of activity. They discovered that following exercise, there was a rise in ripples within the hippocampus and other connected regions. Researchers suggest that this phenomenon aids the brain in memory consolidation. "These pulses were also more precisely synchronized with the neural activity throughout the brain," Voss states. Her team worked alongside neurosurgeons who track electrical activity in patients being assessed for epilepsy surgery. These patients had electrodes temporarily placed in their brains, allowing the team to monitor electrical activity before and after they exercised on a stationary bike. Although the participants did not engage in any learning during the study, earlier research indicated that "ripples" might play a role in solidifying memories. "This gives us a unique chance to gain insights into how the human brain operates through direct measurements of electrical signalling, which is the fundamental mechanism of brain function," Voss explains. These ripples occur too rapidly to be detected by conventional brain scans, making this research the first to demonstrate the direct impact of exercise on the brain's electrical activity. She believes this synchronisation may offer a biological rationale for why individuals tend to retain information more effectively when they exercise shortly after learning it. Remarkably, it only required a brief period of activity to enhance brain ripples, indicating that even short bursts of exercise can positively influence our memory.

Voss aspires for this research to reshape public health communications regarding physical activity and to encourage a better understanding of ageing, particularly since strengthening memory-related areas may help safeguard the brain against cognitive decline. Simultaneously, we recognise that consistent physical activity...Engaging in physical activity offers a variety of additional benefits for both the brain and body. Studies indicate that just one workout can enhance focus for as long as two hours afterwards, while also providing an immediate increase in the levels of the "feel-good" hormone, dopamine.

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depression symptoms

Depression is a mental health disorder that can have a range of symptoms.

It's important to note that experiencing a few of these symptoms occasionally does not necessarily mean someone has depression.

However, if these symptoms persist for an extended period of time (typically two weeks or more) and significantly affect a person's daily life, it may be an indication of clinical depression.

Here are some common symptoms:

1. Persistent sadness or a feeling of emptiness:

2. 
   

3. Feeling down, hopeless, or experiencing a sense of worthlessness for an extended period of time.

4. 
   

5. Loss of interest or pleasure:

6. 
   

7. Losing interest in activities or hobbies that were once enjoyable.

8. A lack of motivation and inability to derive pleasure from previously enjoyable experiences.

9. 
   

10. Changes in appetite and weight:

11. 
    

12. Significant changes in appetite, leading to weight loss or weight gain.

13. This may involve a decrease or increase in food intake.

14. 
    sleep disturbances:

15. Experiencing changes in sleep patterns, such as insomnia (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or early morning awakening) or hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness and prolonged sleep).

16. 
    

17. Fatigue and low energy:

18. Feeling constantly tired, lacking energy, and finding even simple tasks exhausting.

19. 
    

20. Difficulty concentrating and making decisions:

21. Experiencing trouble focusing, making decisions, or having memory problems. A general sense of mental fog or cloudiness.

22. 

    
    

23. Feelings of guilt or worthlessness:

24. Persistent feelings of guilt, self-blame, or a sense of being a burden to others, even when there may be no rational basis for such thoughts.

25. 
    

26. Irritability or restlessness:

27. Feeling agitated, irritable, or on edge. It can manifest as being easily annoyed or having a low tolerance for frustration.

28. 
    

29. Physical symptoms:

30. Experiencing unexplained physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, or chronic pain that doesn't respond to treatment.

31. 
    
    

    Social withdrawal:

32. Withdrawing from social activities, avoiding contact with friends or loved ones, and isolating oneself.

33. 
    

34. Recurring thoughts of death or suicide: Having persistent thoughts about death, dying, or contemplating suicide.

35. 
    
    

    It's important to take such thoughts seriously and seek immediate help.

It's worth noting that everyone's experience with depression can be different, and not all individuals will display the same symptoms.

If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms,

it's important to seek professional help from a healthcare provider or mental health professional.

They can provide an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment options.

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