The accumulated effects of pressure from tasks to be accomplished are regarded as stress.
However, stress is known to provide certain merits including, improved mental abilities, alertness, increased child development and dexterity.
During situations that may seem stressful to the body, hormones such as epinephrine (adrenaline), cortisol and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) are secreted into the bloodstream, this helps an individual to cope and react adequately to these situations by raising the heart rate, blood pressure, body metabolism and blood sugar levels.
Since stress quickens a cascade of physical ills, the long-term effects could be detrimental. Therefore, stress management is necessary for optimal living. More commonly observed symptoms from burdensome stress situations include headaches, fatigue, irregular sleep patterns and insomnia and dimmed sexual vigour.
The consequences over time could include an immune system that is less effective, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and accelerated ageing characteristics.
Certain activities like dysfunctional work or personal relationships; economic outlook, financial constraints, health situations and sporting affiliations could exacerbate stress. Proactive steps to manage stress include
Take Care Of Yourself: When you notice certain signs or symptoms do take a brief pause and create a consciousness within to pace oneself.
Time Management: The adequate apportionment of time to one’s laid out duties enables the sorting out of weightier responsibilities as well as determines what can be fixed at the moment and what could be differed or outsourced. This can be quite unusual to inculcate however, it will enable one to organise all forms of activities thus ensuring a less stressful ambience.
Delegate Tasks: Should the challenge be a work-related task, ensure to responsibly space your workload, and share your workload with work colleagues or machines.
Seeking Counsel: By highlighting the main pressures in one’s life and possibly offering advice on how to manage them, the therapist will help the patient understand and cope with any difficult emotions they may be experiencing. Therapy will establish a safe environment for the expression of all emotions, flaws and perhaps how to effectively manage them.
Exercise: It increases blood flow and the body’s capacity to use oxygen. The brain is directly affected by both of these modifications. Exercise stimulates the brain’s creation of endorphins, which are hormonal substances made to suppress pain perception and improve the feel-good vibe or sensation that comes with intense physical activity.
Get Adequate Sleep: The body might progressively become exhausted from sleep deprivation. Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, is released in response to this. Your hyperalertness and increased heart palpitations when performing energy-intensive assignments are caused by cortisol. Adults who get less than six hours of sleep each night report feeling more stressed than those who get at least seven hours. Sleeping helps restore glucose levels, preparing the brain for another battle with a stressor.
Balanced Nutrition: Maintaining healthy nutrition benefits both your body and mind. It ensures a healthy immune system and quickens cellular repairs. Stress can deplete several vitamins, especially the water-soluble ones such as B6, B12 and vitamin C, and essential minerals, hence a balanced diet is crucial.
Avoid Narcotics And Alcohol: These drugs alter the complex equilibrium of chemicals and processes in the brain, which has an impact on one’s thoughts, decisions, and behaviour. Alcohol changes sleep patterns, making stress harder to manage even while it aids the brain’s increased production of dopamine (the feel-good hormone).
Spend Time With Your Friends: The company of friends increases one’s self-confidence, self-worth, and sense of belonging and reduces stress and anxiety. The moments shared exude happiness. Spending time with colleagues while working can help to motivate each other and create a better atmosphere in the workplace.
Indulge In Your Hobbies: One hobby can proffer a sense of fun and relief that assist to lessen the compounding effects of a stressful situation because there is little pressure when engaging in the activity which gives a sense of accomplishment.
