Stress: How it affect us and how it can be managed

Stress is any change in the environment that requires your body to react and adjust in response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.

The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Stress can be positive ("eustress") -- such as a getting a job promotion or being given greater responsibilities -- keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative ("distress") when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.

Stress symptoms may be affecting your health, even though you might not realize it. You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased productivity at work. But stress may actually be the culprit.

Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, stomach upset, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.

Stress also becomes harmful when people use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to try to relieve their stress. Unfortunately, instead of relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems.

COMMON EFFECT OF STRESS

Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Common effects of stress on your body

· Headache

· Muscle tension or pain

· Chest pain, rapid heartbeat 

· Aches and Fatigue

· Loss of sex drive

· Stomach upset

· Sleep problems

· Diarrhea, constipation, nausea or dizziness

· Frequent cold or flu

Stress within your comfort zone can help you perform under pressure, motivate you to do your best, even keep you safe when danger looms. But when stress becomes overwhelming, it can damage your mood and relationships, and lead to a host of serious mental and physical health problems. The trouble is that modern life is so full of frustrations, deadlines, and demands that many of us don’t even realize how stressed we are.

Common effects of stress on your mood

· Memory problem 

· Anxiety and agitation

· Restlessness, moodiness, irritability or anger

· Lack of motivation or focus

· Feeling overwhelmed

· Loneliness and isolation 

· Depression or general unhappiness

· Inability to concentrated

· Constant worrying

· Seeing only the negative

Common effects of stress on your behavior

· Eating more or less

· Sleeping too much or too little

· Social withdrawing.

· Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities 

· Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

· Angry outbursts

· Drug, Tobacco or alcohol abuse

How to manage your stress

If you have stress symptoms, taking steps to manage your stress can have numerous health benefits. Explore stress management strategies, such as:

· Regular physical activity.

· Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or getting a massage

· Keeping a sense of humor

· Socializing with family and friends

· Setting aside time for hobbies, such as reading a book or listening to music

· Be sure to get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy, balanced diet. 

· Avoid tobacco use, excess caffeine and alcohol intake, and the use of illicit substances.

Seek help if you're not sure if stress is the cause or if you've taken steps to control your stress but your symptoms continue.