The Oxygen Plan

Why Americans Need More Sleep

Ashley Kasper — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:25:08 +0000

Sleeping isn’t just a nice thing to do, it is very essential to overall health and wellness.
According to a new study, 60% of American adults aren’t getting the required number of sleep hours for a healthy lifestyle.
At The Oxygen Plan, we call sleep a Green Action(TM) – because it is a positive healthy lifestyle choice.
Challenge yourself to get more sleep every night for a week and see how you feel.

Click here to see a very insightful infographic

Your ‘Toxic Friends’ Are Actually Toxic

Ashley Kasper — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:08:37 +0000

At The Oxygen Plan, we measure stress across home, work and social dimensions with our Stress Test™. And according to our basic, underlying principles, scores in the red suggest there are toxic people, places and/or things in our lives. Turns out, that may well be true for certain “friends” we have in our lives…

Click here to read the full article!

Americans’ Financial Distress Is Getting Worse Again

Ashley Kasper — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:08:40 +0000

Americans’ economic health appears to be edging closer to code red as we head into the holiday season. A report released Thursday showed that the Consumer Distress Index fell sharply in the third quarter, indicating that more of us are falling behind financially.

The quarterly analysis from nonprofit credit counseling agency CredAbility looks at five data points: housing prices, employment rates, credit usage, spending and net worth for the average U.S. household. The index grades economic health on a 100-point scale: Any rating below 70 signals distress. But the latest report showed the national number dropped to 66.7 from 69.2, reversing gains from earlier in the year…

Click here to read the full article!

6 Weird Signs You’re Way Too Stressed Out

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:57:38 +0000

Is stress causing your hair to fall out? Take a few moments to check in with your body to make sure you’re not sacrificing your health and mental well-being. Physical symptoms of stress, such as dry heaving, can manifest themselves in weird ways when the affairs of life get too overwhelming. And sometimes, you may not even realize that stress is the cause…

Click here to read the full article!

Stress Shrinks Your Brain?

Ashley Kasper — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:37:10 +0000

Research has long since established that stress can be toxic to our health, but a recent study sheds some new light on just how damaging stress really is:

Click here to read the full article!

Calling in… stressed?

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:41:36 +0000

People from many countries admitted in this latest study conducted by The Workforce Institute, the number one reason they call in sick when they aren’t, is stress. Workers said they’re be less likely to take mental health days if they had more paid time off, were able to work flexible hours, or could choose compressed work weeks. And some employees who appeared to be playing hooky said they used their sick time to take care of sick children or run personal errands that a minimal amount of paid leave didn’t allow for.

Do you call in stressed? What impact does it have on your business? Employees are feeling more and more stressed, what can you do to help your employees? Read about The Oxygen plan for your business.

Click here to read the full article!

Obesity and How It Effects You

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 19:30:53 +0000

Obesity in America is on the rise, this is no surprise. But half of Americans to be labeled obese by 2030, this, is worrisome.

We know that stress can lead to weight gain which could end up leading to obesity, so how can we stop it? When we Live in the Green® we can help to reduce our stress and in turn our weight gain. Many of our Green goals include activity and can be useful in more than just reducing our stress levels; it can have health benefits also! Read the shocking article below and look into the activity level in your Green goals!

Click here to read the full article!

Helping Kids Deal With Back-To-School Stress

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:53:32 +0000

As adults we deal with stress on a daily basis, so often, that for some of us it’s just a part of life. But are our children dealing with stress also?

Testing in schools is starting at a very young age and with that comes test stress. You can help your child deal with high levels of cortisol which signify stress by working together to prepare for tests to ensure they are ready and knowledgeable. Studying in a technology free environment is the most beneficial way to sustain information and equip them to be well prepared.

Techniques to help your child with test stress include having them write down the negative thoughts they have about the test and then keep them in their pocket so they have already exhausted them and are not focusing on the negative during the test taking process. Another useful technique is to share your experiences with your child about a time where you thought you wouldn’t do well at something but then you did, so they can relate to what may at first seem like a negative experience can also be a positive one!

Communication with your child is key especially when it comes to their education. Now, your whole family can Live in the Green®.

Click here to read the full article!

5 Ways to Get More Nature into Your Life

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:24:03 +0000

Looking for ways to reduce stress but still enjoy the wonderful summer weather?

This article discusses the benefits of the outdoors for you, your family, and gives great ideas on how to spend more time outdoors and less time stressed. Be Well Be Green® and stress free in the sun!

Click here to read the full article!

Lower Employee Stress, Raise Performance

Ashley Kasper — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:34:34 +0000

Studies show that workplace stress has increased over the past several years and that productivity can drop if employers don’t address the problem.

More than three-quarters of Americans are stressing out about something related to their jobs, according to the 2011 Work Stress Survey by Harris Interactive and Everest College. The survey found that out of nearly 1,000 adults found that 77% are stressed by at least one thing at work. The top stressors: low pay, commuting, unreasonable workload, fear of being laid off. Next in line: annoying co-workers, the boss, poor work/life balance and lack of opportunity for advancement.

For advice on how to deal with these issues in your company read on for tips on keeping your employees in the Green™ at work.

Click here to read the full article!