I was at the chiropractor’s office the other day and I was talking to Dr. Johnson about how much stress there is these days in the workplace. Most of it is due to fear of losing one’s job. I told him I read that a lot of stress at work contributes to lower productivity and increased job related accidents, as well as mental and physical health issues.

He agreed, and then told me about the “stress hormone,” or, cortisol.

Cortisol is an important hormone in the body, secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in a number of functions, including proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance, immune function, and inflammatory response.

Although stress isn’t the only reason that cortisol is secreted into the bloodstream, it has been termed “the stress hormone” because it’s also secreted in higher levels during the body’s “fight or flight” response to stress, and is responsible for several stress-related changes in the body.

The good news is that small increases of cortisol have some positive effects including: a quick burst of energy for survival reasons, heightened memory functions, a burst of increased immunity, lower sensitivity to pain, and it helping to maintain homeostasis in the body.

While cortisol is an important and helpful part of the body’s response to stress, it’s important that the body’s relaxation response be activated so the body’s functions can return to normal following a stressful event. Unfortunately, in our current high-stress culture, and most especially with the uncertainty in the workplace, the body’s stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal, which can result in a state of chronic stress.

Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream (like those associated with chronic stress) have been shown to have negative effects, such as: impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decreased bone density, decrease in muscle tissue, higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and other health consequences.

Now I am not telling you this to be negative or cause more fear and stress, nor am I a doctor. But, I think all will agree that the times we are living in produce a lot more stress. It would therefore seem to be very beneficial to do whatever you can to eliminate any increase of stress.

Here are five keys to help eliminate stress at work. There are plenty more, but these five are critical. I’ll spend the most time on the first one, because it is by far the most important one.

1. Your Own Mind These days, no one can guarantee that you will keep your job. In most cases, it is completely out of the control of those who get laid off. But, what you can control is your own mind. This is the first and most critical place to address the stress.

Fear of losing your job produces stress. But actually, it is fear of the consequences of losing your job. You must remind yourself that the world is not coming to an end. Things will turn around. We will get through this. Therefore, it is beneficial and profitable for you to do the best possible job that you can.

Here’s a real good reason why. When things do turn around, management will already know and recognize their most productive and valuable employees. Those people will be first in line for promotions. And, if you do get laid off, be the person that they just hate to let go, because, you’ll be the first one hired back.

You just cannot be a valuable and productive employee working with fear and stress. Put the fear out of your mind, and instead choose to focus on how you can do a much better job. Continue to hone your skills and abilities. Remember, if you do get fired, they can only take away your income. They cannot take away who you are and what you can do. That is what you take with you, so continue to focus on that and improve in every aspect that you can.

2. Exercise This is a very good and helpful anti-anxiety treatment. It gives you increased energy, sharpens your focus and helps you to relax. Try to find time to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. You could also as an alternative, do 10 or 15 minutes, two or three times a day. Maybe go for a short walk on lunch break.

3. Diet Eat as healthy as you can. People who secrete higher levels of cortisol in response to stress tend to eat more food, and tend to eat more carbohydrates than people who secrete less cortisol. Trainers will tell you that eating 5 small portions a day you can maintain a more even level of blood sugar. By the way, Dr. Johnson did tell me there is a natural herb that is really good for reducing stress. It’s called, relora.

4. Booze and Smokes Avoid drinking alcohol to relieve stress. It can easily lead to addiction and it does not really get rid of the stress. And smoking doesn’t really relax you; it actually can lead to higher anxiety levels.

5. Sleep Get the right amount of rest. Lack of sleep compromises your ability to handle stressful situations. So do whatever you have to do to shut it off at night, and get some sleep.

Finally, a lot of people today don’t know who they can trust anymore. Many are realizing that perhaps they need to look upward. More and more people today are praying for help and solutions. They are putting their confidence and trust in the Creator. Now that’s a very wise move.

So, start eliminating some of the stress in your life today!