What do you do to relieve stress? Jog? Smoke? Meditate?
You might try something as simple as chewing gum. It might even make you healthier, with less depression, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels.
According to a report in the journal Stress and Health, "Andrew Smith at Cardiff University surveyed over 2,000 workers and found that the 39 per cent of respondents who reported never chewing gum were twice as likely to say they were extremely stressed at work, compared with gum chewers, and one and a half times as likely to say they were very or extremely stressed with life in general."
Smith found that women, lower earners, younger, less educated respondents, smokers, people with demanding jobs and neurotic extraverts were all more likely to chew gum, but "the link between chewing gum and lower stress held even after taking all these extraneous factors into account."
"Gum chewers were less likely to have symptoms of depression and half as likely to have self-reported high blood pressure or high cholesterol."
As a good psychologist, you are asking, Why? Smith sugests that "possible mechanisms might include an effect of chewing gum on autonomic nervous system activity and/or on the neurotransmitter serotonin."
Dr. Jeff, my dentist, just recommends that you choose sugarless gum when you chew to relax.
January 17, 2010
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7 comments:
I tottaly agree with this. I am a young woman, i have a small child & go to school. For some weird reason when i'm stressed or aggrivated I always turn to chewing gum. Now of course, it doesn't immediately relieve my stress or aggrivation, but I'm maybe a little calmer or not so concentrated on the situation at hand.
I recently started chewing more gum to reduce the impulse to eat! What a wonderful article to read that also says I will now be happier and healthier!
Social Psych Muskogee
I chew gum because I am a smoker. I need to cut back so I have started chewing gum to help. I can see how it relieves stress and it's a plus it helps with depression.
I use to smoke and when i finally quit smoking I started chewing gum constently and still do. It's a lot better than smoking at least. I also agree with chewing gum being able to relax people. It just puts them in a calm state.
This is true it does relax you and it helped me quit smoking also.
when you play sports you tend to find something to calm you down like chewing gum or sunflower seeds. i pick gum over seeds specially when i pitch or hit. so i agree with this study.
Javier Olazagasti
General Psyc
I chew gum alot. Me and my fiancee just quit smoking and now its either gum or each others heads. Just kidding. When I chew gum it really does make me feel better. Try stride mega mystery you will spend all day trying to figure out the flavor and you wont have time to be stressed.
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