STRESS AND WHY IS SO BAD FOR YOU

LIFESTYLE

What Is Stress? (And Why Is It So Bad For You?) 

What is stress? Stress has almost become an unavoidable part of modern life. Unless you quit your job or drop out of school, cut all relationship ties, and decide to live in a cave out in the wilds, chances are you are going to have to deal with one kind of stress or another on a daily basis. And a little stress isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, without it, most people wouldn't feel the urge to get things done, achieve new things, or accomplish their goals. But it is when stress gets out of control that the real trouble begins.

 What Is Stress Exactly? 

Stress is your body's way of dealing with the outside dangers and challenges life can throw your way.

If you are walking down a dark, deserted street, your body will release hormones and chemicals that will make you more alert to your surroundings, and ready to flee to safety at a moment's notice. 

If you have an important project due in the morning, and you are going to have to stay up all night to finish it, the same chemicals and hormones will keep you awake and alert, and give you the extra boost you need to work faster. In certain situations, a little stress is okay. But you can have too much of a good thing. 

When Stress Gets Out of Control When you are dealing with one demand or challenge after another, it can leave your body in a high state of stress. And those chemicals and hormones your body releases to help you deal with challenging situations can actually be harmful in large, prolonged doses. And, as a result, you can experience all sorts of physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. Some of the physical symptoms can include headaches, chest pains, diarrhea, sleep disorders, skin breakouts, fatigue, and high blood pressure.

The psychological symptoms can include anxiety, irritability, depression, forgetfulness, and poor concentration.

Stress can also be blamed for many relationship problems. When you are feeling tense, anxious, or overwhelmed, you are much more likely to yell at your spouse, snap at your children, demean your coworkers, or take offense at innocent comments made by friends. And all of this can put a strain on those important relationships. 

So, what is stress? It is a condition that can affect every area of your life, from your physical health, to your relationships with friends and family, to your work life. That is why learning to manage stress is a critical part of leading a healthy, happy life.

 3 Ways to Relieve Stress 

We all have to deal with stress. In fact, a day probably doesn't go by when you don't feel anxious, angry, annoyed, overworked, or just plain overwhelmed. This is why finding simple ways to relieve stress is so important. You don't have to go into a dark room and meditate for an hour, or drop everything and run off to a tropical island, to relieve the tensions of your daily life. In fact, there are things you can do at any time, no matter where you happen to be, that can give you instant stress relief.

 Slowly Count To Ten 

Yes, some problems can be stressful. But how you react to stressful situations is the key. If you immediately get worked up over every problem or challenge that pops up in your life, you're going to spend a lot of time feeling tense and anxious. But, if you can stay relatively calm and in control, stress won't be as much of an issue for you.

When something bad or unpleasant happens in your life, don't react immediately. Instead, take a moment and slowly count to ten. As you count, rate the stressor on a scale of 1 to 10. Your boss yelled at you? On the scale of bad things that can happen on any given day, that's about a two. You lost your keys? That's about a 4. Not an ideal situation, but one you can handle. Counting to ten gives you time to really evaluate the stressful situation. Once you put things in perspective, you might find it's not worth stressing over. 

Take Some Deep Breaths

 In a way, stress is a fear response. One thing that happens when you are afraid or in danger is your breathing becomes quick and shallow. And the same thing can happen when you're anxious about a busy day, or nervous about giving a speech. And this impaired breathing can actually make your stress and anxiety even worse.
So concentrate on taking slow breaths, breathing deep so that your stomach expands, then slowly letting the air out. This is a way of tricking your body into thinking the stressor is gone, and you will start to actually feel more calm as a result.

Massage Your Temples 

When they are feeling stressed, some people instinctively reach up to massage their temples. And it's a good instinct to have. Gently rubbing your temples in a circular motion is an acupressure technique that helps relax tense muscles, especially those in your shoulders and neck. And, as your muscles relax, some of your stress will drain away. There are many ways to relieve stress. And, with these quick and easy techniques, you can ease tension, and help yourself feel calmer and more in control, no matter where you happen to BE.