 SciStress Team formally expanded My wife Judy has formally joined the SciStress team! Why is this so exciting? Because she is now our VP and Scientific Adviser. Judy brings a wealth of mental health and academic research experience to our project. Check out her brief biography here. New Research Focus We have initiated a research project focusing on team and organizational benefits of the SciStress stress reduction process. In literally thousands of sessions during the past decade we have proven again and again the power of the techniques. They do not just reduce stress, they improve individual’s performance, help them find innovative solutions to problems and improve their health and general well-being. Organizations Can Benefit The benefits we found again and again for individuals can create a big win for teams and organizations. Whether these are business, educational or nonprofit organizations, improvements in individual contribution and well-being will have a synergistic and cumulative effect for everyone and the organization as a whole. Free Training Offer for Research : FREE STRESS MANAGEMENT for Your Business, School or Nonprofit  What could that look like if a group regularly and systematically reduces stress effects? We want to quantify these effects. Imagine the potential for better communication and smoother working together. Imagine doing a better job without the downside of additional stress. Imagine going home without bringing the day stress to the family. Imagine coming to work after good healthy night’s sleep without bringing family stress with you. Here is the recipe for a flourishing organization! What We Offer We offer the opportunity for a minimum of 4 hours of free training to organizations which contributes a team of 10 to 30 people for the research. The first step is an assessment of the suitability and a mutual agreement on expectations and how to measure outcomes. The 2nd step is to design a plan for training and follow-up which is customized to fit the circumstances and business practices. The goal is to minimize disturbing the flow of work and make sure benefits are realized quickly. Once the plan is agreed upon with the leadership we will present it together to the team to obtain their buy-in and commitment. Check out our special webpage and recommend us to an organization you know and care about. We are certain that we can make an important contribution together. http://www.scistress.com/free.html Wishing you an exciting and stress free week. Fred and Judy Fred George Sauer, MS, MS Eng, Chief Stress Coach, Performance & Productivity Specialist Judith Lynch-Sauer, PhD, RN, VP, Scientific Advisor, Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
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Yes, absolutely! Not only can you be healthier and happier in 20 seconds, you can get rid of stress. You can improve your most important relationships. You can even rekindle the flames if the passion in your relationship with your partner has cooled. Wow, that seems to be a lot. You ask, you are not kidding me, are you? No, I’m not kidding. In my research for the SciStress techniques I am occasionally coming across some other techniques which are very powerful and very fast. In my mind, fast and powerful are the important criteria to combat stress. Reducing stress will improve health, well-being and performance. Yes, there are lots of great things you can do to improve your health, your well-being and be better at what you do. These are meditation, mindfulness, exercise, yoga, good nutrition and so on. They are all wonderful and important but they take time and effort. I am looking for things you can do quickly and easily right now. I am looking for simple techniques which are yet powerful and fast in their effectiveness. So here is one a dear friend, mentioned to me. I did more research. Judy and I and a few close friends tried it out. Here is what we found:
It works fantastically well. It really takes only 20 seconds. It is helping improve life every day.
Here is the secret What could be that powerful and fast? The secret technique is the 20-second hug! Yes, you are reading this correctly. A normal hug has been measured to be exactly 3 seconds long. The 20 seconds make a huge difference. In 20 seconds your nervous system will switch from activity and stress to sensitivity and relaxation. You really can feel and appreciate the other person on a very basic sensory level. That is powerful. Set a timer When you first try this out you need to set a timer. The first dozen times 20 seconds seems an awfully long time. As you get used to it the 20 seconds will become shorter and shorter. You might even be tempted to linger a bit longer … maybe 30 seconds. Try it out now As soon as you get a chance, try it out. You will feel better right away. It will work no matter how you feel before. And the great thing is that the other person will feel the same way. They too will feel better and more relaxed. They will feel closer to you. Why is a hug so powerful? Because a hug is a purely sensory thing. There are no words, there is no logic. Therefore a hug speaks directly to your powerful emotional brain, the limbic system, also called mammalian brain. A hug sneaks around your thinking brain, the neocortex. Your emotional brain instantly communicates that good feeling to your instinctive brain, the reptilian brain. Your instinctive brain then switches your autonomic nervous system from the stress mode into relaxation mode, from sympathetic to parasympathetic. Meanwhile your thinking brain, the neocortex, doesn’t really know what’s going on because your two old brains function subconsciously. The only thing your neocortex knows is the feel-good signal which the limbic system is sending up to it to the conscious level. Here you have it, a brief summary of the brain science behind the 20 seconds of hugging. Obviously, there’s a lot more to say about this emotional signal processing. You can read about gruesome details in my breakthrough book about the neuroscience of stress management: “The Girl Who Couldn’t Laugh.” Scientifically proven! In a way it is really funny, if something makes us feel good, happier and healthier and improves our relationship it is still not good enough for our “thinking brain”. Our thinking brain doesn’t believe it until there is “scientific research”. Okay, I am an engineer after all and I certainly value scientific research. Yet sometimes I wonder whether in our modern society we have forgotten to value our personal experience and common sense. We feel good deep down. And what a miracle, the other person feels good deep down too! Isn’t that proof enough? But fortunately we also have some solid scientific research to back up the personal experience. Researchers at the Carnegie Melon University in Pittsburgh found that hugging protects against stress and infections. https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2014/december/december17_hugsprotect.html Another study on partner support found that “warm contact” between partners reduces stress hormones and blood pressure and increases the pleasurable bonding hormone oxytocin. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16046364 2 further studies show that brief warm social and physical contact improves blood pressure and cardiovascular health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15206831 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15923812 Now you know for sure, it doesn’t only feel good and make you happy, it is scientifically proven! Now finally your neocortex can believe it! Prescription: Hug your loved ones at least 3 times a day for 20 seconds - it will make you both happier and keep the doctor away. With a long hug and the warmest wishes for a stress free life, Fred and Judy Fred George Sauer, MS, MS Eng, Stress Reduction Coach, Business Process Improvement & Productivity Specialist Judith Lynch-Sauer, PhD, RN, Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 
What in the world has stress to do with diabetes? And why more prevalent in women? Okay, there is some new research in this area and there are some important general facts and considerations. General stress factors for women Let’s first take a look at the general facts around stress and diabetes. In the most general way the medical community has told us that stress is the cause or an aggravating factor in about 80% of disease.
That alone tells us that stress increases the risk of illness. More specifically, the stress hormones cause the liver to immediately push more glucose into the bloodstream.
Why does that happen? Because in a situation of danger our automatic survival response is to fight or run for our life. Therefore our survival brain wants to make sure there is enough fuel for the muscles to help us survive. In today’s world even a mild level of stress in the office without the need to run or fight will unfortunately increase the amount of sugar the liver puts into our bloodstream. Over time that will cause an environment to support the development of diabetes type II. Women appeared to be a bit more susceptible to these low levels of constant stress. They also tend to help themselves to some little treats to have some sweetness in their stressful lives. Biologically, women have already more body fat than men and their love for sweets combined with stress make it worse. Obesity is also a factor in diabetes type II. Another important factor in the amount of stress we feel in a work situation depends on the amount of control we have on the job. Women on average have less control and lower pay at work. That also makes them feel more stress than men in similar positions despite the progress which has been made thus far. New research supports these general factors Canadian researchers followed over 7000 workers for 12 years to analyze their working hours and health. They found that the amount of working hours did not have any effect on men. But women who worked over 45 hours per week had a 51% higher chance to get diabetes when compared to women who worked only 35 to 40 hours per week (Mahee Gilbert-Ouimet, Institute for Work & Health, Toronto). This clearly shows how women are at greater risk when it comes to stress and health. Increased risk of diabetes is another important reason to learn and use the only “real-time” stress management method available today. You can use SciStress techniques anytime and anywhere at work or at home for an immediate effect of reducing stress and improving your performance. If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to send them to us: fred@scistress.com judy@scistress.com Enjoy a low stress life with SciStress! Fred and Judy Fred George Sauer, MS, MS Eng, Stress Reduction Coach, Business Process Improvement & Productivity Specialist Judith Lynch-Sauer, PhD, RN, Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 
Fred with some of the attendees
On June 19, we presented the keynote address at the monthly dinner meeting of the American Business Women’s Association, ABWA, a delightful group of energetic professionals. Women in business have special stress issues which we discussed.
Women’s Special Stress Issues at Work
Then we offered and demonstrated a powerful solution:
SciStress Quick-Help Process We demonstrated the “Stress Now” Quick-Help Process a couple of times to give ABWA members an opportunity to experience how the technique can be used and what the effects are in a short time. Unfortunately there is not time to provide adequate training in a brief presentation. However, the ABWA Board has expressed interest in offering a workshop for the techniques to members. NOTE: the SciStress “Stress Now” Quick-Help Technique is detailed in the book “The Girl Who Couldn’t Laugh” page 177. We all can see why it is so important to manage our stresses consistently! 
At the end of the meeting, Judith was inducted as a member of the ABWA
We thank the ABWA for the honor and opportunity to share our work with them. If you have any questions or comments please do not hesitate to send them to us: fred@scistress.com judy@scistress.com Enjoy a low stress life with SciStress!
Fred and Judy
Fred George Sauer, MS, MS Eng, Stress Management Coach, Business Process Improvement & Productivity Specialist, Author
Judith Lynch-Sauer, PhD, RN, Stress Scientist, Ret. Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 
WHY Scientific Stress Management
Stress drains energy We feel stressed and our body instantly begins to work overtime. It gets ready for “fight or flight”. This preparation consumes enormous amounts of energy. The nervous system switches from parasympathetic mode, or relaxation, where we perform most effectively, to sympathetic mode or stress mode. The result is a whole combination of physical and mental changes to prepare for “a survival emergency”. This automatic response drains our energy and focuses away from our current tasks, from what we want to accomplish now. Stress blocks performance When our nervous system switches on the stress response and moves to sympathetic mode our performance immediately suffers. Our thinking becomes foggy as up to 70% of the blood flow is reduced to our thinking brain, the prefrontal lobes of the neocortex. The feeling of pressure and anxiety translates in a predisposition to react aggressively or defensively. Our muscles become tense and twitchy causing back aches, headaches and migraines. We tend to tunnel vision. We feel restless and irritable. Stress sabotages health and well-being The stress reaction causes a whole cocktail of physical changes. They are only useful when we are in a true life or death situation. Frequent stress reactions in normal life will cause increasingly detrimental effects to our health. Stress instantly increases blood pressure and heart rate. Ongoing levels of high stress will therefore predispose us for chronically high blood pressure and heart disease. It causes our liver to pump more glucose into the bloodstream which over time opens the door to diabetes. Stress will slow down digestion causing indigestion and bloating. The stress hormone cortisol makes us grave sugar and fat. This inevitably leads to bad food choices and over-eating. Resulting obesity reduces lifespan and invites a whole new set of diseases. Long-term exposure to stress will even change the structures of our chromosomes. It will shorten telomeres and thereby accelerate aging. HOW Can New Scientific Stress Management Help? Modern stress management is faster and more effective than any conventional methods. It is based on the neuroscience. Better yet, these tools are easy to learn and easy to use. They can be applied anywhere and at any time. You can use them at work and at home, in the car or on the plane, during a stressful phone call or luncheon meeting. You will feel the effects clearly in a short time. These stress management tools can be applied to any problem physical or mental. Results last longer, often are permanent and can even prevent future stress. And it’s easy to train groups of people, large or small. You are fast becoming skeptical. That’s very natural. How can so much be accomplished so quickly? How could the tools be helpful for so many kinds of problems? And how could such powerful tools be learned so easily? Important questions. They deserve clear and unequivocal answers.
Switching quickly to parasympathetic, relaxed mode, changes all the body’s and the brain’s functions. Instead of the toxic cocktail of stress reactions the nervous system switches to a symphony of positive changes. These changes counteract the negative effects of stress on performance, health and well-being. WHAT Are the Tools to Make this Happen? What is SciStress scientific stress management? SciStress provides natural tools to quickly induce changes in neural functioning. They are based on rhythmic tapping on sensitive acupressure points on the body. This tapping generates electrical impulses which the nervous system immediately transmits to the stress centers of the brain. These rhythmic signals are not compatible with the typical survival signals which generate stress. Therefore, the stress centers switch off the survival alarm. The nervous system returns naturally to the parasympathetic relaxation mode of functioning. What happens to the thinking brain and the rest of the body? Immediately more blood and oxygen returns to our prefrontal lobes. Our thinking is clear again. Our memory becomes unfrozen. Tunnel vision recedes. Our focus broadens. Aggressive or defensive overreactions dissipate as adrenaline levels drop. Muscles relax and any tension induced headaches or backaches ease away. Blood pressure, blood sugar and pulse rate levels return to normal. Do you have to tell everyone about your problems? Is this some kind of therapy? Absolutely not. These powerful tools are used by each individual by themselves and for themselves. Even when you work with the tools in a group or with a coach your privacy can be fully maintained. Don’t you have to tell your coach or other people in a group what your stress inducing problems are? Again, absolutely not. Even when you work with a coach on very intensive stress issues you do not have to disclose what they are! The tools are perfect for effective self management. Obviously, in a coaching or training situation you can talk about what issues cause your stress. An experienced coach may then be able to help relate your experience to that of others and how they solved it. In a team situation you may help other team members by discussing your stress issues. However, this is always your personal choice. You do not have to disclose your issues in order to apply the techniques successfully. You alone make this choice. Outcomes: Results of Scientific Research A significant body of research is available. This is true in spite of a lack of funding for these new techniques by either institutions or government. This research shows consistent and fast improvements in anxieties. Anxieties inhibit performance. Here are some related outcomes:
Further areas of effectiveness identified by research:
Outcomes: Case Studies and Practical Experience Over 8000 case studies have been recorded demonstrating the effectiveness of the tapping techniques in virtually any problem area, any distress and even many diseases. A few example are:
Again, how can this be possible? Because the rhythmic tapping signals are transmitted directly to the stress causing survival functions of the subconscious part of the brain. That part of the brain initiates the “fight or flight” survival response. If that fight or flight response is mild, feelings of stress and discomfort are also mild, sometimes barely noticeable. Yet even these light reactions surreptitiously affect performance and well-being. If this survival response is powerful, then the feelings of distress, pain and discomfort are also powerful, at times overwhelming. In those instances we cannot function successfully or in the extreme cannot function at all. What is the the most central and powerful element of brain and nervous system? It’s the survival function! It affects everything in body and mind. We wouldn’t have survived as a species without it. Therefore, the ability to calm this response will also affect everything in body and mind! The Vision for a Healthy, Thriving Organization How can such easy to use natural tools help an organization, small or large, be healthy and thriving? Because when the cells of the body are healthy the whole body becomes healthy. Because when the employees of an organization are healthy and function at their best the whole organization is healthier and functions optimally. Imagine the health of your employees steadily improving as they manage their stress levels with ease. They can reduce any stress during their day-to-day work without taking more than a few minutes. Imagine overwhelm, burnout, and resistance to change gently receding week after week. Imagine absenteeism and healthcare costs steadily decreasing month after month. Imagine the performance of your team steadily increasing. As your team members and employees continuously reduce the inhibitors to their performance with ease, what will that mean for your organization? Can you see enthusiasm rising? Can you see results improving while your employees stress level drops. Can you see the instances of “dis-stress” gently transforming to positive “eu-stress”? Can you envision the freed up energy and creativity? Imagine your management team further improving their focus, their communication amongst themselves and their employees, and their performance without increasing pressure and stress. Imagine how this can make their lives at home with families and friends better. Imagine the possibilities to bring this to your schools, your civic organizations and into your communities. How can we make this vision a reality together? There is research and the vast body of experience with individuals. There is an even greater opportunity bringing these powerful tools into organizations. What is missing now is the research to prove and quantify the results in organizations. If you want to be part of leading this effort, if you want to help prove the results in your organization we urge you to contact SciStress. Together we can lay out simple low cost and low risk pilot studies. We can demonstrate and quantify the benefits for your organization and your team. Your risks are minimal:
Your SciStress Team stands ready to move forward together! Fred George Sauer, MS, MS Eng, Stress Management Coach, Business Process Improvement & Productivity Specialist, Author Judith Lynch-Sauer, PhD, RN, Clinical Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing |
About Fred
Fred George Sauer Founder of SciStress
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