Stress Can Make You Sick! 5 Ways To Manage It
Every day we face many situations that may trigger stress. It can be anything like an additional workload, deadlines, or personal issues with friends or family that increase our feeling of stress, and it’s a normal neurological response to any circumstance that our body and mind perceive as a threat. Therefore, what matters the most is how we respond and face stress.
Most of the time we ignore the factors that are causing us stress and bury them deep within, although at the moment we might feel relieved, in the end, we are only deteriorating our mental and physical health. Diverse studies have shown that many health issues such as overweight, heart problems, Alzheimer’s, blood pressure, digestive problems, or asthma can be caused or aggravated due to stress.
So rather than pushing it for so long, we prefer that you take care of stress in the early phases and achieve a healthy lifestyle.
HOW PROFESSIONALS DEFINE STRESS
Many health professionals agree that stress is our natural response to situations that seem hard to handle and provoke strain. Usually, stress is felt when we find ourselves in some unpleasant circumstance that can put us at risk, and we perceive that we don’t have enough control over that situation or its outcome.
But stress isn’t just an emotional response, it is also a neurobiological one. When we feel stressed, we stimulate our nervous system and our body activates the fight-or-flight response, which means that stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, are released and the body prepares itself for emergency action. By exposing ourselves constantly to stress, we might suffer damaging effects on our health. Psychiatrist and neuroscientist, Dr. Judson Brewer comments: “Our brains have tricked us into thinking that we need to be anxious to get things done and perform well. Anxiety doesn’t improve performance.”
SIGNS OF STRESS
Some signs of stress a very clear for us, we know that when our heart pounds faster, our muscles tighten, our blood pressure rises, our breath quickens, or we feel anxious, we might be facing a stressful situation, but sometimes we get so used to being stress that we might be feeling this way without even noticing.
So, Are you now wondering how you know you are stressed when everything seems to be fine on the outside? If you are feeling nervous, depressed, scared, or you start to notice in yourself a change of behavior such as: thinking about something over and over again, getting easily frustrated even over small things, a sudden lack of motivation for normal and pleasant activities like going out for a run, this might be a sign that you are stressed out.
It’s important to understand that these emotional problems can also harm your physical health and cause constant headaches, high blood pressure, indigestion, heart problems, diabetes, or other related problems. So, you must pay attention to your well-being and give yourself enough time to try to ease up the stress and relax.
5 TIPS TO DEAL WITH IT
If you are constantly stressed out, it does not mean the end of the world, but it sure means that it’s time to take control of this situation. Of course, several ways can help you deal with stress, and you can choose the one that fits you better. So rather than giving up, we urge you to move forward and join us in our quest to overcome stress. As Aesop once said, “A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.” Here are a few tips to help you deal with issues that are causing stress.
1. STAY ORGANIZED
This means not only being organized regarding your task, but also about your surroundings. Did you know that your disorganized and cluttered desk can increase your stress levels? Yes, seeing a mess of papers will not do you any good, and in terms of your efficiency it won’t help either, in fact, it takes a toll on your mind. Therefore, organizing your workspace by thoroughly sorting out everything might be a good first step.
Another great thing to do is to have an organized schedule, this way you will know how to prioritize your tasks, and you will have a better sense of control over your responsibilities. If you’d like to know more about how to get the most out of your day, check out some tips here.
And remember: a clean and organized setting will have a very refreshing effect on your mood and will help you relieve stress.
2. STOP MULTITASKING
No multitasking, no stress. When you try to do ten things at a time, you eventually overburden yourself. This is not good for your emotional and physical health. While multitasking you often feel that there are not enough hours in a day, which can cause stress and have negative effects on your mood, incentives, and output. So rather than doing everything all at once, plan a schedule and prioritize tasks accordingly, and have a little time for yourself to relax. This will not only reduce stress, but also it will increase your productivity, motivation, and satisfaction.
3. WALK AT LUNCH
Many people may think that if they take a lunchtime walk, they will be wasting their time and energy. But this is not true. On the contrary, taking a walk at lunch will be a mood booster and will improve your capacity to manage stress at work. Walking is good for mental and physical health, yet also, it can help you remain peaceful, attentive, and happy. A lunchtime walk can take your mind off things and help you develop a new outlook. Because when you are less stressed, you are more productive, and your performance is even better.
4. BE CLEAR ON REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
Self-care is important. When you feel obliged to do something without knowing exactly what you need to do, you become overwhelmed by stress or resistant. So, don’t feel ashamed of asking what is expected of you so that you can know exactly which outcome should you aim to have. Take time to talk with your team and be clear on expectations. Give your best, and don’t stress yourself because you cannot meet everyone’s expectations, especially those you don’t know.
5. BALANCE YOUR WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE
Work-life balance is very important when it comes to mental health. It does not mean that you need to split your time fifty-fifty between your work and personal life, it means you must feel satisfied in both areas. Don’t bury yourself in work, instead make a schedule, set limits and attainable goals at work, and be resourceful with your time when you are working, so that you have time for yourself to relax. Instead of spending time on your phone, spend quality time with your family and friends, or invest in a hobby that fulfills you. When you strike a perfect balance between your personal and professional life, you will feel better, and for sure this will help you cope with daily stress.
