Research shows chewing gum can help reduce stress, improve alertness and relieve anxiety

CHICAGO, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Employees rank time pressures, deadlines, office politics and their bosses as the top stress-inducing factors at work, according to a new workplace wellness survey conducted by Eclipse(R) gum and the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp).(i)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080929/AQM021)

In addition to mounting stress-inducers, employees who participated in the survey are spending more and more time in the office. In fact, 87 percent admit they typically work more than 40 hours per week, with longer days leaving more room for additional pressures and increased stress levels.

'The ability to cope with stress plays a large role in employee performance,' says Mary Key, workforce leadership expert for the Institute of Corporate Productivity. 'We found that 65 percent of respondents do not feel their organization is effective in helping them manage stress. That leaves stress management to individuals. While alleviating the time pressures or getting a new boss may not be an option, people can use small tools to beat daily stresses at work, like going outside for a breath of fresh air, closing their eyes while slowly counting to fifty or chewing a piece of gum.'

While chewing gum may not have the same effect as a vacation, new research suggests it is an easy tool employees can turn to when they're feeling stressed. A study presented August 30 at the 10th International Congress of Behavioral Medicine examined the effects of chewing gum in response to a stressor and found that the use of chewing gum was associated with reduced stress, improved alertness and relieved anxiety.(ii)

'The Eclipse Big-E-Pak(R) is the perfect desk accessory -- whether working at home or in the office, chewing gum can help reduce stress and improve focus and concentration,' said Paul Chibe Wrigley's vice president of North American Gum Marketing. 'Eclipse gum has the added benefit of containing a natural ingredient scientifically proven to help kill the germs that cause bad breath, giving them one less thing to stress about during the workday.'

Wanted: Stress Relief

To help ease daily work stresses, Eclipse gum is offering employees the chance to win $1,500 and a year's supply of Eclipse gum in the 'Wanted: Stress Relief' sweepstakes.