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Stress: What is it and how you can deal with it?

Lifestyle tips and tricks The fast-paced everyday life takes its toll on our health- physical as well as mental. Most of us feel drained to the point where it starts affecting our emotions as well as a daily routine. This can even cause health problems ranging from a minor headache to a cardiac arrest.

Stress: What is it and how you can deal with it?

4 Minute |

How to deal with stress

What is stress?

"I am under a lot of stress". "Too much stress at work these days". "This relationship is so stressful".... These are some very common lines most of us say.

At different points in time, most of us have experienced stress. Some do it silently, others are vocal. But no matter how you come across stress, it is an omnipresent factor. So, instead of fighting stress, it is important to understand what is stress, how different types of stress can impact you, and the smart ways you deal with stress management.

What is stress

In the world of psychology, stress refers to the feeling of emotional pressure. Stress may be classified as psychological pain too. While small amounts of stress may prove to be beneficial for professions such as athletic performers, excessive amounts of stress surely boost the risk of strokes, heart attacks, ulcers, and mental illnesses. Stress can even cause pre-existing medical conditions to deteriorate.

For many, stress is how our bodies and minds react when we are under pressure. So, what is stress?

Typically, stress occurs in our systems when the individual is experiencing a situation they feel they cannot manage or even control. Typical stressful situations in today's world occur when you have excessive responsibilities that you are struggling with, your family is going through a difficult time, there are financial problems, natural disasters or the Covid-19 pandemic, etc.

Define stress

There are different types of stress definitions. But for understanding, let us stick to how medical sciences define stress. So, they say stress is almost any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological pressure. Naturally, when under strain, the body responds to the external factor with a response.

The expression of the response could be in the form of muscle tension, pain, restlessness, or angry outbursts. It could also be accompanied by a lack of motivation or focus. The feeling of fatigue, or the feeling of being overwhelmed, can be due to social withdrawal. While everyone experiences stress to some extent, the way you respond to stress makes a substantial difference.

Types of Stress

Now that you know what is stress and come across the definitions, let us understand stress better. Doctors classify different types of stress that one may experience. There are 4 major types of stress one should know about and see whether you resonate with them.

Acute stress

Acute stress is a very short-term variant of stress. Mind you, this can be positive or negative. Acute stress is what we most often experience in our day-to-day lives and rigmarole.

Chronic stress

Chronic stress is what often makes you believe this is never-ending and almost offers no escape. These are also chronic stress symptoms. Examples could be the stress emanating from a bad marriage or an extremely difficult job. It could also come from traumatic experiences and childhood events.

Episodic acute stress

Episodic acute stress is rampant and often becomes an individual's way of life. This makes stress a source of ongoing distress in your life.

Eustress

Interestingly, Eustress is a positive type of stress that can keep you energized. Eustress is often followed or accompanied by an adrenaline rush, which is often associated with skiing or racing activities.

Knowing the type of stress can help you identify the effects of stress.

What happens to the body during stress?

As mentioned, a little bit of stress is good for people to perform and also protect themselves or others. However, too much stress can overwhelm them. This can lead to fights, flights, or freezing.

While stress can happen at different points in time, continued stress affects the body and mind. The physical effects of stress are often easily identifiable. Stress symptoms could be impacting your health, even though you may not understand them. For instance, you may think some illness is to blame for a recurring headache that doesn't go away, sleeplessness, or your lack of motivation to work.

Other bodily symptoms could be weak immunity, a change in sex drive, or an unexplained stomach upset. If you think about it carefully, stress may be the primary cause of those physical reactions. Mentally, however, stress could lead to anxiety, irritability, depression, panic attacks, and sadness.

Being able to identify stress symptoms can help you manage them easily. This is very important because if you leave stress unchecked, then it can contribute to health problems, such as high BP, cardiac disease, obesity, and even diabetes.

How to manage stress

Uneventful activities such as lack of physical contact, working from home, temporary unemployment, or even people/children at home can trigger stress. Post Covid-19, adapting to lifestyle changes has led to the proliferation of stress. Given the dynamic nature of our lives, you can’t avoid stress. However, you can stop stress from taking over your overall health and mental makeup. There are easy ways or strategies to reduce and break away from stress.

One, physical exercise or doing yoga when you feel stressed can be really helpful. Also, seemingly inconsequential short walks can be great stress busters and lift your mood. They can help you reduce physical stress effect.

Two, be thoughtful and spend a few minutes at the end of every day to consider daily accomplishments. This will shed light on pending tasks as well and thus lessen stress.

Three, set goals for your day, week, month, and year. No, these are not like those New Year's resolutions. These are serious goals that you can reach. Goals help you narrow your view and make you feel more in control of the moment.

Four, weigh the pros and cons of talking to a therapist to manage stress. If you feel shy about going to a therapist at first, start a conversation with your healthcare provider about your concerns.

Five, creating a daily schedule can help you time efficiently and not feel bored, which can also trigger stress. Hence, a set time for regular meals, working, spending time with people, daily chores, and other activities can help manage stress.

Six, getting enough sleep can help bust bouts of stress. Sleep is good for the body and mind. Sleep acts as a repairing tool, a method of relaxation, and an avenue for rejuvenation of the body while reversing the ill effects of stress.

Seven, for people engaged in certain professions reducing news and overload of information can lessen stress. So, consider spending less time on television and social media. This simple act can relieve your brain and reduce confusion. Set limits on the time you spend on TV and social media, especially if the content is stressful.

FAQ on stress

 

When should I talk to a doctor about stress?

It is a good idea to seek outside help if your stress is causing a major impact on your work, personal life, or both. Typically, during such times, you will be unable to cope with such stress in your everyday life. Look out for changes in sleep or eating habits, physical problems, or any form of social withdrawal. Side effects of stress are usually a giveaway that the problem is getting bigger.

Is stress a mental health problem?

Stress is not generally looked at as a mental health problem. However, stress is connected to your mental health in different ways. Yes, too much stress can cause mental health problems. This often makes existing bad situations worse. Note that everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. So, the impact of stress and the coping management of stress can be different for different people.

How long does stress last?

Stress can either be a short-term issue or a long-term concern. The duration depends on the extent of changes in your life caused by stress. If you regularly use stress management techniques, it can help you avoid most physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms associated with stress.

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