Keeping up with stress
Stress is your body’s form of reacting to any change that requires an adjustment or response. When you sense danger, whether it’s genuine or pictured, the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction or the “stress response.”
The mortal body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes cynical when a person faces constant challenges without break or relaxation between stressors. If the body continues without relief, it can lead to distress (a negative stress reaction).
What are the warning signs of stress?
- Cognitive symptoms: Memory problems, failure to concentrate, poor judgment, Seeing only the cynical, always anxious, endless worries.
- Emotional symptoms: Depression, been sad, anxiety and agitation, mood swing, anger, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness
- Physical symptoms: Aches and pains, dizziness, rapid heart rate, loss of sex drive, etc.
- Behavioural symptoms: Eating more or less, sleeplessness or sleeping too much, hesitating, neglecting responsibilities, using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax, nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
What Causes stress
Anything that puts high demands on you can be stressful. This includes positive events or negative situations.
- Major life changes
- Work or school-related
- Relationship difficulties
- Financial issue
- Inability to accept uncertainty
- Rigid thinking
- Unrealistic expectations
Tips for reducing stress
If you’re the easily stressed-out type, it’s time to start habits that will keep your stress levels in check. Some of the tips include;
- Being positive.
- Accept that there are situations you cannot control.
- Be assertive instead of aggressive.
- Relaxation, try meditation.
- Regularly exercise
- Healthy meal
- Proper time management
Finally, what induces stress depends on your perception of it. Sometimes what you tagged as stress might not be the case for others.
What is that particular thing you do to ease yourself of that stressful moment? This might help other PU-Blog users. Share using #MyStressStory
