No one needs to tell you that work is a source of stress. But the workplace—and its unrelenting deadlines, meetings, politics, and frustrations—has become the leading stressor for Americans. According to a recent review of data, 83 percent of workers in the United States suffer from work-related stress. Among that group, 25 percent report that work is their number one complaint.
While work stress takes a toll in numerous ways in our everyday lives, perhaps the largest toll is on mental well-being. Recently Calm, the mental health brand, asked users what difficult moments prompted them to use the app. Facing challenges at work was the most common response.
Eradicating workplace stress obviously isn’t an option. That leaves everyone in need of different ways to handle that stress better. The answer may seem too obvious.
“Taking a mental health break can take you out of the monotony—or chaos—of your day and bring you back to the present, allowing you to re-enter your work day less stressed and more focused, increasing your productivity in a calm and sustainable way,” says Madeline Lucas, a New York-based therapist at Real, a mental health therapy platform.
Easier said than done. If you think you’re too busy to take a break, feel guilty slipping away during work hours, or don’t want your co-workers to think you’re unproductive, you’re not alone. Those are the top three reasons why workers don’t take a break during the day for their mental health, according to a Calm Business report.
But finding even 60 seconds to be present with yourself and your surroundings can help you feel more centered, says Jay Shetty, a life coach, host of the On Purpose podcast, best-selling author, and chief purpose officer at Calm.
When Do You Need to Take a Break at Work?
It may seem like you would know when you need to take a break. But that’s not necessarily the case. “Taking breaks at work is not intuitive,” Shetty says. “We haven’t been trained on when to take breaks or how to do them, so most people just skip them and take their stress into the next task or meeting.”
There are actually classic signs of needing to take a mental health break. Lucas explains, “Are you, for instance, having difficulty focusing or completing a task, becoming easily distracted by other thoughts or activities, or even noticing a dull numbness if you’ve been on your computer too long?”
You might also notice that you’re more irritated, annoyed, or resentful toward your coworkers and tasks than usual. Even feeling constantly fatigued can indicate you need to step away from the screen. Check in with yourself throughout the day—or even the hour.
5 Ways to Take a Break at Work (In Less Than 60 Seconds)
How long you take a break is up to you. The more time you can devote to your mental health, the better. Although any amount of time for a break is better than none. Even 60 seconds.
The duration of your break might also depend on your manager or your workplace. “No one will probably notice if you take one minute for a few deep breaths before a meeting,” Shetty says. If, however, you intend to take a longer break, you might want to communicate your need for that.
The most important thing to remember is, as Shetty says, “a short break is better than no break.” Here are five to try.
1. Stretch Your Neck
Settle yourself comfortably in your chair, close your eyes or soften your gaze, and release your shoulders away from your ears. Lower your chin toward your chest and slowly roll your head from side to side. As you do this, breathe deeply. Repeat at least two to three times, Lucas says. Releasing tight muscles in your neck can activate the vagus nerve, which in turn kicks in your parasympathetic nervous system, which lessens physical and mental tension.
2. Practice the Three Ws
This refers to “walk, water, and window,” a practice that Shetty created. First, take a walk, which has stress-reducing benefits. Bonus points if you can be outside. But even just walking into another room or down the hallway can help, he says.
Next, drink some water. “Five cups of water per day lowers the risk of anxiety,” he says. This, by the way, comes from a recent study in the World Journal of Psychiatry.
The last one is looking into the distance through a window. Not only will you give your mind a well-needed break, you’ll also reduce eye strain, he says. Follow the 20-20-20 rule from the American Optometric Association: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.
3. Slow Your Breathing
Turning your attention to your breath is one of the most time-tested and science-backed ways to give your body and mind a break. Slowing your breath causes your heart rate to lessen, your blood pressure to lower, and your mind to quiet. And it can start to take effect in just a few seconds. Although focusing on your breath won’t eradicate the source of your stress, it can modulate how you show up to it.
Inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of four. Or as you breathe in, say “inhale” in your head, and say “exhale” as you breathe out. You could also use a specific mantra that matches your inhale and exhale. One option sometimes used in yoga is “so hum,” which means “I am that” in Sanskrit; say “so” to yourself as you inhale and “hum” as you exhale.
4. Tap it out
Using your fingertips, lightly tap across your chest, then down each arm and back up to your chest. Take long, slow breaths as you do so. “This can awaken your system and reground you in the present moment,” Lucas says.
How, exactly? “Tapping is another way you can activate the parasympathetic nervous system to signal messages of safety, calm and relaxation to the brain,” she says. Science supports this.
5. Give (and Receive) Some TLC
Although silly pet videos can soothe your nervous system by making you laugh, research indicates that the real deal is even more effective. Engaging with a cat or dog for 10 minutes can significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Can’t take a break for that long? Finding one minute to play with your fur baby isn’t going to make you feel worse.
The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.
It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”
Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.
Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.
Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”
But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”
“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.
Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.
Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.
Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.
“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.
“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
