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Running Ragged
High-stress and high-speed lives wear down body and mind
By Angela D. Hill

What exactly does rushing about like tomorrow doesn't exist do to our health?

Some health-care experts say a fast-paced lifestyle leaves little time for eating properly, sleeping, exercising and relaxing. Those with jam-packed schedules also tend to short-change their bodies by relying on caffeine and sugar for energy.

Racing the clock also is harming our psychological health, especially when it comes to family dynamics, says West Palm Beach executive consultant and author Lois Levy. She says technology isn't helping executives work faster, it's hold them hostage late at the office.

"I asked one man in New York City - he has four children, all under 10 - the last time he had dinner with them and he couldn't remember," Levy says. "The one thing I beg people to do is have dinner at home with their families two nights per week." Her book Undress Your Stress, has a chapter called "Go Home."

The book recommends 30 simple and quick ways to reduce tension and anxiety such as deep breathing, exercise, meditation, singing, dancing and blowing bubbles. She says the human body was not designed to work around the clock; long days lead to missed time from work, car accidents, stress disorders and back problems.

"Notice the rhythm of nature and it's probably not yours," Levy says. "Nature doesn't move at the speed of light. Things happen in their time... We have this racing mentality. We've forgotten we're human beings, not human doings."

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