Though Christmas is a time for happiness and cheer, unfortunately alcohol means that tis the season for red faces after we embarrass ourselves in front of friends and colleagues after a few too many.

If you have decided you want to avoid the yearly office party embarrassment or you just don’t fancy a throbbing head or a stomach that’s doing so many turns it could churn butter, then read on for some useful tips on the do’s and don’t of Christmas drinking:

1. Don’t drink on an empty stomach

This is the cardinal rule if you wish to avoid a hangover. Food helps to moderate the absorption of alcohol and also reduces the chances of any stomach irritation.

2. Choose your drinks wisely

According to the brains behind alcohol, congeners – which are impurities produced by the fermentation process are a contributing factor in the severity of a hangover.

Dark spirits such as red wine and brandy contain a higher level of congeners than clear spirits such as vodka and gin, so are preferential if you wish to avoid feeling terrible the day after. The same goes for any alcohols that have been distilled, as they will have been purified to a greater extent meaning lower congener levels.

3. Don’t mix your drinks

Mixing up different drinks with different congener levels and impurities could result in a worse hangover than if you stick to the same tipple all night.

4. Drink water

Alcohol dehydrates the body so stock up before hand so that you will be less dehydrated at the end. Ideally you should also alternate between water and alcohol throughout the night, which not only keeps you hydrated but also means you may end up drinking less alcohol.

It is really important that you know your limits when drinking alcohol, especially when in a working professional environment. If you are concerned about your behaviour when you are under the influence of alcohol then the most sensible option is not to drink at all.

View and comment on the original All About You article.

We now know for certain from research that the dramatic reduction in sunlight hours during winter can have a serious physical and emotional impact upon the human body.

With the clocks now having gone back, the number of hours during which we are exposed to natural sunlight has been reduced, a change which will have a serious impact on the energy levels of many individuals up and down the country.

With the average worker waking up in darkness and returning home in darkness, it’s no surprise that people are beginning to feel less energetic and are craving more sleep.

During the summer months the body learns to react to certain light cues from the sun, producing active and energetic hormones when the body clock receives the right type of light so that our energy cycles will be regulated. A perfect example of this is waking in the morning. During the summer months the rising sun is a natural cue for us to wake and for the body to begin producing the hormones that are required to help us wake and feel active. During the winter we wake without this natural light signal, without which the body struggles to stimulate the production of the necessary hormones.

The feel good hormone serotonin also takes its cue from natural light, which could be why almost one in five of the UK population have reported feeling unenergetic and low between September and April each year.

Sunlight is key to our happiness so if you are feeling lethargic and low during the colder months of the year then make a conscious effort to get outside into the daylight at least once everyday.

Stepping out of your warm office or cosy home and into sub-zero temperatures may not seem that appealing, but even just 10 minutes worth of sunlight each day could really make a difference to your overall mood.

Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of depression during the winter months may be suffering from a condition know as Seasonal Affective Disorder, a serious and debilitating form of the winter blues which can prevent sufferers from going about their everyday lives as normal.

If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, your first port of call should be you GP who will be able to diagnose your condition and refer you for appropriate treatment.

View and comment the original BBC News article.

Social networking site Facebook causes 1 in 5 online divorces, according to a recent claim by divorce lawyers.

With a staggering 800 million users logging into Facebook on a regular basis across the globe (equal to the population of the whole world only 250 years ago), you have to wonder what everyone’s really getting up to.

The site allows users to stay in touch with friends, find old ones and search for new ones. According to Mark Keenan, Managing Director of Divorce-Online, some users are getting very friendly indeed, with more and more people using the site to conduct extramarital affairs.

With adultery only a click away, having an inappropriate sexual chat with a stranger can be as easy as ordering a book from Amazon.

20% of online divorce petitions have cited unreasonable behaviour on Facebook as a cause for divorce. This disconcertingly high percentage could only be the tip of the iceberg, with many more illicit cyber relationships continuing unchecked.

Computer firms have cashed in on the rise in Facebook affairs. Now suspicious spouses can keep track of their partner’s Facebook habits by buying spy software to record all of their online activities.

One DIY detective, a 35-year-old conference organiser called Emma, only realised her husband was divorcing her when he updated his status to: ‘Neil Brady has ended is marriage to Emma Brady’.

Another woman, 28-year-old Amy, split from her partner David after discovering that he was ‘sleeping with’ an escort in the virtual life game ‘Second Life’.

Mr Keenan has predicted a soar in divorce rates over the next few years, with a combination of stress from the recession, and the easy accessibility of potential partners on Facebook.

If you or your partner is having an affair, you may wish to consult a life coach to discuss your next steps. To find a life coach working near you, please visit our homepage and use the search tool. 

View and comment on the original Telegraph article.

Crying remains one of sciences biggest enigmas. We all do it but are yet to find a scientific explanation as to why. What we do know however, is that despite the puffy eyes and hyperventilating, crying does actually have it’s up sides, with science continuing to prove that having a good old sob can be beneficial (even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time).

Though we are still some way from discovering why it is that humans cry, there is emerging evidence to support the idea that shedding a few tears could be good for us. Of course it is difficult to sit and think about the benefits of tears in the midst of a break-up, or after a severe toe stubbing, but according to scientists our tears have more of a cathartic effect than we ever could have imagined.

Noteable discoveries include the following:

• According to experts, crying indicates a lack of inhibitions, which is a sign of high self-esteem.
• A 2006 study revealed that crying may reduce allergies. The study involved 60 patients with eczema watching a weepy film. Before the participants watched the film they placed latex on their skin and post film the skin reaction between those who cried and those who did not was compared. Researchers found that those who cried possessed less inflammatory markers.
• A Japanese study revealed that rheumatoid arthritis sufferers who cried frequently, experienced less pain and a lower number of symptoms than those who didn’t cry on a regular basis.

Some scientists are of the belief that crying works by releasing some form of valve which frees the body’s build up of stress hormones, calming down the body after a stressful event.

Though it’s likely to be some time before we discover the explanation for crying, what we do know is that it serves a purpose, and for that reason we shouldn’t be afraid to let it all out.

View and comment on the original Daily Mail article.

A new report has highlighted the troubling extent of unhappiness in the UK workplace.

According to the study by recruitment company Badenoch & Clark,  just over a third of the 1000 workers surveyed were happy with their current jobs and 1 quarter confessed that they felt ‘distinctively unhappy’ at work.

Happiness at work is currently high on government agenda in light of the Prime Minister’s research into UK happiness levels earlier this year. Due to the economic impact of ill-health caused by stress and unhappiness, workplace happiness has become a top 5 concern in the UK and is recognized as a ‘critical business issue’.

According to Nicola Linkleter, managing director of Badenoch & Clark, the emerging lack of happiness in the workplace can be attributed to a number of factors, including longer hours, additional financial strain at work and at home, and a lack of tangible job security.

“Organisations must now take action to create a working environment where employees are able to develop a sense that their work is both valuable and valued. Failure to do so may result in loss of talent, which in turn may lead to loss of potential revenue”, Nicola stated.

If you are one of the 2/3 of unhappy workers in the UK, a Life Coach could help you. It is estimated that a staggering 1/3 of our lives will be spent in the workplace, highlighting the severity of this UK-wide issue. A Life Coach educated in business coaching can help set goals, iron out problems and help individuals realise their potential in the workplace. Please visit the Life Coach Directory homepage and use the search tool, or for more information, visit our page about business coaching. 

Visit the original Press Association article.

A recent study by insurer Aviva has shown that more and more families are struggling to make ends meet as the costs of living rises, savings fall and childcare costs increase.

Aviva conducted a survey on 6,000 families and the results showed that 32,000 people have taken the decision to leave the workforce within the last year, as it no longer became cost effective for them to be in employment. The rising costs of childcare, along with the money spent on work related expenses, such as travelling back and forth, means it is no longer worthwhile for many people to work.

The study revealed that the average woman working part time, with two young children, would be £98 per month worse off than if she was not working at all. The figures are not much better for someone working full time in the same situation, she would only be £120 per month better off.

Startling figures show that couples who are both out working full time, are spending in the region of £385 per month on childcare. If you then take into account that the expense for other child related costs has risen by 6.9% since just last year, it is easy to understand why so many people are choosing to leave the workforce.

The recent Family Finance Report has suggested that working families are facing real financial hardship. Income for families declined by 2% between March and August this year, and there are additional worries caused by debt, fuel rises and general costs of living. The high cost of childcare is becoming an outgoing that many families can no longer justify.

The Department for Education have devised plans, which will hopefully help to support more families and childcare costs in the future.

View the original BBC article.

Despite chronic stress having some serious and debilitating consequences some individuals may be surprised to find that it is actually at the route of their runny noses, aching jaws and other common problems. Read on to find out some key indicators of stress and how you can relieve them:

You have the sniffles

If you are sniffing and sneezing like there is no tomorrow this could be an indicator of stress. Stress can actually increase your reaction to allergens because it weakens the immune system. To combat this effect try taking some allergy medication and also try to exercise regularly. A 30 minute workout can help to speed up the release of epinephrine, the body’s natural decongestant.

You are having a break out

If you are usually clear skinned and have suddenly come under attack from an army of whiteheads then this may be a tell-tale sign of stress. When you feel tense and under pressure the body begins to emit extra adrenaline which subsequently causes a release of sebum, the oil in the skin which causes spots. Try using cleansing products which are aimed at reducing oiliness and if these fail then ask your doctor about sebum reducing retinoid creams.

Hair growth has ceased

Feeling anxious and stressed can interfere with hair growth. This issue is usually more noticeable among men who sometimes experience patchiness on the scalp. If this does become a real issue then make sure you are getting enough iron, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids and take supplements if you are not.

Your period is late

If you have either missed a period or it is late then this could be a sign of stress. When we do feel the pressure our brain sometimes sends out a signal which can disrupt ovulation. If you are concerned then visit our GP who may discuss the option of oral contraceptives which can help to rebalance the reproductive hormone levels.

View the original Women’s Health article here.

Drink Green Tea

If you are skeptical about swapping your milk and two sugars for something which looks unappealingly similar to dirty water, bear in mind that this drink naturally increases the brains production of gamma-aminobutyric acid, which in English is a neurotransmitter which helps us to feel calm. Research suggests sipping three 10-ounce mugs per day for the maximum calming effect.

Treat Yourself

This may be the oldest stress reliever in the book but it really does work. Don’t go too mad and stop off on the way home to buy a ferrari, a new lipstick or nail polish will suffice. According to Vincent Giampapa, author of The Anti-Aging Solution, a small treat can reduce stress for 24 hours because the action allows the mind to focus inward, away from whatever is causing the anxiety.

Say Yes To Whole Grains

Bin the white bread or anything else made with white flour and opt for whole grains instead. White flour is absorbed rapidly by the gut, triggering sporadic ups and downs in blood sugar levels which subsequently stimulates adrenal glands to distribute an excess amount of stress hormones. Wholegrain’s on the other hand are absorbed slowly so keep the blood sugar at an even level.

Release Your Feet

Have you ever wondered why walking bare foot feels so amazing? Well its because walking with no shoes or socks on along a soft carpet, grass etc stimulates pressure points on the soles of our feet which send a message to our brain to release dopamine, the calming chemical.

Keep a worry tally

Take a notepad out with you and give yourself one tally for every worry, concern or stress you have throughout the day. At the end of the day find your total and you will realise how much time you spend worrying. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health this is a great way of helping you to become more aware of how much you worry and in most cases the daily score will begin to fall. The institutes research shows that worrying is a time consuming habit that we often fall into without realising and this exercise makes people more aware of their mindless fretting.

View the original iVillage article.

According to US scientists, managing sleep and stress levels could help individuals to fight obesity.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity recruited almost 500 obese patients to take part in a clinical trial by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in the US.

The participants were required to eat 500 less calories per day than they usually would for a period of 6 months, as well as exercising and attending group weight loss sessions.

The results showed that people getting too much or too little sleep were the least likely to loose weight and it was those who began the study with the lowest stress levels that lost the most weight.

“These results suggest that early evaluation of sleep and stress levels in long-term weight management studies could potentially identify which participants might benefit from additional counselling.” Said researchers.

National Obesity Forum chair, Dr David Haslam has said that it would be a good idea to find predictors of who will respond to therapy.

If you are trying to lose weight and are concerned that stress may be standing in the way of your success then stress coaching is a tool which could be of use to you. For more information about stress coaching and how it could help, please visit our fact-sheet.

View the original BBC News article.

According to a recent study conducted by the Everyman Campaign, the average Brit spends 36 minutes worrying everyday, amounting to 9 days each year.

The survey of 2,000 adults aged between 18 and 65 found that the cost of living, feeling like you’re stuck in a rut and gaining weight were the top three worries, coming in above concerns over debt, job security and health.

Researchers found that extreme anxiety has resulted in many individuals losing sleep, feeling unable to concentrate at work and having arguments with their partners.

One in ten also admitted to feeling stressed for more than two hours per day, whilst one in two said their extreme worries were affecting their health.

The study suggested that if individuals ignore their stress without dealing with the root cause, this can lead to the more serious issue of depression. According to the results, worrying became so bad for three in ten that it led to depression. Furthermore, one in ten admitted it had impacted their relationship with their children and one in 20 lost friends because of it.

A spokesman from the Everyman Campaign said that people are spending too much time worrying about things.

‘A whole raft of worries affect different areas of adults’ lives, but it’s interesting to see that health concerns are quite far down the list.’ He said.

If your worries and anxieties are becoming so extreme that they are having a negative impact on your life then it may be time to seek help. A qualified life coach will be able to help you explore the areas of your life which are making you unhappy and will assist you in identifying how you wish to move forward. To find out more about specific areas of life coaching such as career coaching, health coaching, stress coaching and financial coaching please view our fact-sheets for further information.

View the original Daily Mail article.