What is Stress And How To Reduce It
WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood.
These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be good if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be bad if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.
Another term of stress, according to hse.gov.uk, is ‘an adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed upon them’.
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How stress can affect an individual
Some of the symptoms which indicate that a person is experiencing excessive pressure are psychological, emotional and physical symptoms. The signs are as follows:
Psychological signs
Inability to concentrate or make simple decisions, memory lapses, becoming rather vague, easily distracted, less intuitively creative, worrying, negative thinking, depression and anxiety.
Emotional signs
Tearful, irritable, mood swings, extra sensitive to criticism, defensive, feeling out of control, lack of motivation, angry, frustrated, lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem.
Physical signs
Aches/pains and muscle tension/grinding teeth, frequent colds/infections, allergies/rashes/skin irritations, constipation/diarrhea/irritable bowel symptom, weight loss/gain.
Indigestion/heartburn/ulcers, hyperventilation/lump in the throat, dizziness/palpitations, panic attacks, physical tiredness, menstrual changes/sexual problems, heart problems/high blood pressure.
Also, there are behavioural signs. For example, increased reliance on alcohol, smoking, caffeine and illegal drugs, becoming a workaholic, absenteeism, social withdrawal, nervous, aggressive/anger outbursts.
Three possible causes of stress.
Work or School problems
Heavy workload and long hours can cause stress. Furthermore, work may also stem from conflict or bullying, poor workplace conditions, and changing job roles. School or uni exams can cause stress. Some students may be eligible to have an Amanuensis to help them.
Financial worries
Mounting debt, the rising cost of living and the fear of redundancy are related symptoms.
Health worries
This may be someone’s own health or growing worries about the health of others.
External demands in life which may result in stress
The external demands are events that happen and the situations we find ourselves in. They also include the things that make up our world, such as our job, children, parents, partner, financial commitments etc. Some examples include:
Debts, divorce or separation, having a baby, illness of yourself or loved one, changes in a job at work, e.g., new work patterns, difficulty in achieving work-life balance, bereavement, the retirement of oneself or partner, too much to do in the time available.
The internal demands in life which may result in stress
These are demands that people impose upon themselves and how they choose to react to what is going on around them.
Stress may be caused by the way we choose to do things, and it may also be caused by our behaviour, for example, drinking too much alcohol as a way of coping. Examples of these demands include:
Wanting perfection, putting others first every time, wanting to make others happy, worrying about things, feeling angry or frustrated about things, feeling jealous of people, feeling unhappy about yourself/how you look, feeling ineffective or incompetent, eating lots of sugary snacks and not getting enough sleep.
Six steps that could be taken to reduce stress in life.
1. Identify the sources of stress in a person’s life
If a person constantly worries about work deadlines, it is tempting to blame the job’s demands when the root cause of the person’s stress may, in fact, be their own poor time management.
Some people use a stress journal to help them pinpoint exactly what is causing the stress to deal with it better.
2. Identify the signs of stress quickly
For some people, the first sign of stress is anxiety and excessive worrying. On the other hand, it might be a more physical reaction such as tense shoulders, irritability, not sleeping well, binge drinking, and so on.
When these signs are ignored, they can snowball into even bigger problems. A key method of reducing stress is getting to know oneself, learning to recognise the ‘red flag’, and then taking necessary actions to reduce the stress.
3. Look at how a person currently responds to stress and eliminate any unhealthy coping strategies
Once the source of stress has been pinpointed, the next step is to see how the person manages and copes with stress.
Are they coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive? Many people cope with drinking too much as a means of relaxing to compound the problem.
4. Set aside relaxation time
Including rest and relaxation in a person’s daily schedule is a way of reducing stress levels. During relaxation, the response is reversed, and the heart rate slows down, blood pressure falls, breathing slows, and muscles relax.
Deep breathing techniques some people find helpful. Meditation and yoga are also effective at counteracting stress.
Massage is also beneficial. If you haven’t got time to go to a spa, there are lots of tools you can buy, such as a Breo iDream5s Head Massager. The iDream5s combines several massage modalities into our state-of-the-art head massager.
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5. Deep abdominal breathing techniques
The way we breathe can have a dramatic effect on our sense of well-being. Many people breathe poorly without even realising it, especially true of people under stress. Therefore many people find deep breathing techniques incredibly effective at reducing stress levels.
6. Make time for pleasurable activities
Finally, people can reduce stress by rewarding themselves with activities that give them pleasure. People often get caught up in their busy lives. They forget to take time out. Having laughs with friends or spending time in the garden helps with the symptoms.
Examples of local sources of support that should be available to individuals experiencing stress
Your GP is usually the first point of call if it reaches a point if it affects the quality of their life. The GP can also signpost the person to other sources of local support, such as a counsellor or a trained therapist.
Other types of local support depending on the stressor are:
Citizen Advice Bureau – for financial and legal issues
Local libraries, health centres, and community centres – sometimes have information on self-help classes and leisure activities.
Mind (the mental health charity). – They run local support groups.
Trusted colleagues, line manager, trade union rep – Work-related issues, they people can support these issues.
My top 5 books to buy on stress
- Burnout: Solve Your Stress Cycle
- The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 minutes a day to less stress, more peace
- The Stress Solution: The 4 Steps to calmer, happier, healthier you
- Calm: Working through life’s daily stresses to find a peaceful centre
- The Mindfulness Puzzle Book: Relaxing Puzzles to De-stress and Unwind