What is Stress?
Stress can be defined as the brain's response to any life demand. Routine stress can come from work, school, family, and the daily pressures in life. Stress can also be caused by sudden negative changes in our lives like losing a loved one, getting divorced, losing a job, or illness. Traumatic stress can be experienced in the event of a natural disaster, a major accident, or any event where one can be seriously injured.
How Stress Affects Us
Not all stress is bad. Animals and humans have stress responses; our palms will get sweaty, we'll breathe faster, our muscles will tense up, and our brain will have an increase in activity and release more oxygen. When it comes to chronic stress, the stress responses like these that come in short bursts and are life saving aren't helping us. The stress responses can be more frequent and last longer; this lowers our immunity and digestive excretory and our reproductive systems stop functioning normally.
Not everyone reacts to stress in the same way. Some people may develop digestive issues, frequent headaches, stomachaches, depression, anger, sleeplessness, or irritability. People who face chronic stress have a higher chance of more frequent and severe viral infections and vaccines are not as helpful for them. Routine stress can be the hardest to notice because the source of the stress is constant, but the continuous strain on the body due to routine stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, or anxiety disorder.
Not everyone reacts to stress in the same way. Some people may develop digestive issues, frequent headaches, stomachaches, depression, anger, sleeplessness, or irritability. People who face chronic stress have a higher chance of more frequent and severe viral infections and vaccines are not as helpful for them. Routine stress can be the hardest to notice because the source of the stress is constant, but the continuous strain on the body due to routine stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, or anxiety disorder.
Coping with Stress
Everyone responds to stress differently, and everyone copes with it differently. Here are a few great ways to help you cope with stress:
Recognize your body's responses to stress: Are you having difficulty sleeping, are you easily angered, are you more irritated, are
you feeling sluggish?
Stay in touch and talk regularly with friends, family, and community organizations.
At the end of the day, take pride in what you've accomplished, not what you haven't finished.
Do not dwell on your problems and if you find this coping strategy difficult for you, you may want to seek out a mental health
professional.
Exercise everyday for 20- 30 minutes.
Set priorities: What should you get done today and what can wait?
Explore stress coping programs (yoga, tai chi, meditation, or therapy dogs).
Recognize your body's responses to stress: Are you having difficulty sleeping, are you easily angered, are you more irritated, are
you feeling sluggish?
Stay in touch and talk regularly with friends, family, and community organizations.
At the end of the day, take pride in what you've accomplished, not what you haven't finished.
Do not dwell on your problems and if you find this coping strategy difficult for you, you may want to seek out a mental health
professional.
Exercise everyday for 20- 30 minutes.
Set priorities: What should you get done today and what can wait?
Explore stress coping programs (yoga, tai chi, meditation, or therapy dogs).