Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others. For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience, whereas others may be less affected with a great deal of pressure. If you're feeling stressed, there are some things you can try to feel less tense and overwhelmed. Sort them into issues with a practical solution, things that will get better with time and things you can't do anything about.
Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve. Make a plan to address the things that you can.
This might involve setting yourself realistic expectations and prioritising essential commitments. Are you taking on too much? Could you hand over some things to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? Find close friends or family who can offer help and practical advice can support you in managing stress.
Joining a club or a course can help to expand your social network and encourage you to do something different. Activities like volunteering can change your perspective and have a beneficial impact on your mood. A healthy diet can improve your mood. Getting enough nutrients including essential vitamins and minerals and water can help your mental wellbeing.
Cut down or cut out smoking and drinking if you can. They may seem to reduce tension but actually make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety.
Physical exercise can help manage the effects of stress by producing endorphins that boost your mood. It can be hard to motivate yourself if you're stressed, but even a little bit of activity can make a difference.
For example, you could aim to walk for minutes three times a week. Take time to relax and practice self-care, where you do positive things for yourself. For instance, you could listen to our podcasts about relaxation to calm your body and mind. Striking a balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in reducing stress levels. Mindfulness meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time.
During the stress response, you breathe faster in an effort to quickly distribute oxygen-rich blood to your body. If you already have a breathing problem like asthma or emphysema , stress can make it even harder to breathe. Under stress, your heart also pumps faster. But this also raises your blood pressure. As a result, frequent or chronic stress will make your heart work too hard for too long.
When your blood pressure rises, so do your risks for having a stroke or heart attack. Under stress, your liver produces extra blood sugar glucose to give you a boost of energy. Chronic stress may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The rush of hormones, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate can also upset your digestive system. Stress can also affect the way food moves through your body, leading to diarrhea or constipation. You might also experience nausea , vomiting, or a stomachache.
Tight muscles cause headaches, back and shoulder pain, and body aches. Over time, this can set off an unhealthy cycle as you stop exercising and turn to pain medication for relief. Stress is exhausting for both the body and mind. This can interfere with sperm production and cause erectile dysfunction or impotence. Chronic stress may also increase risk of infection for male reproductive organs like the prostate and testes.
For women, stress can affect the menstrual cycle. It can lead to irregular, heavier, or more painful periods. Chronic stress can also magnify the physical symptoms of menopause.
What are the causes of inhibited sexual desire? Stress stimulates the immune system, which can be a plus for immediate situations. This stimulation can help you avoid infections and heal wounds. People under chronic stress are more susceptible to viral illnesses like the flu and the common cold , as well as other infections.
What is stress and how does it affect our brains and bodies? What influences our capacity for coping with stress? How does stress influence our decision-making, health and relationships?
Stress is our reaction to a threatening event or stimulus. Something one person would rate as highly stressful might be rated as considerably less stressful by someone else. These responses are affected by such factors as genetics and life experiences. Stress can be classified as positive, tolerable or toxic. Toxic stress occurs when we are faced with a continuous stressor or triggered by multiple sources and can have a cumulative toll on our physical and mental health.
It is an experience that overwhelms us and leaves us feeling powerless and hopeless. When we encounter a stressor, our brain and body respond by triggering a series of chemical reactions that prepare us to engage with or run away from the stressor. Two hormones that we release are adrenaline, which prepares muscles for exertion, and cortisol, which regulates bodily functions. If a stressor is exceptionally frightening, it might cause us to freeze and become incapacitated Fink, The stress response triggered by these two hormones causes our:.
Thousands of years ago, people who stumbled upon a hungry saber-toothed tiger or other predator would be more likely to survive the encounter if they were able to spring up and sprint away swiftly. An increase in blood pressure and heart rate and a slowdown of digestive processes meant more energy could be directed toward escaping. Today, this physical response to stress, if unrelieved, can be damaging to our health.
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