Juggling the constant demands of modern day life can be a difficult balancing act. Whether you are facing the challenge of a busy work schedule or the burden of money troubles, it can place you under immense mental strain. When we are no longer able to cope with this pressure, we become stressed.
Know the Signs
Stress can influence how you feel, think and behave. It can even affect how your body operates, with sleeping problems, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty concentrating being some of the telltale signs. You may also experience headaches, muscle tension or dizziness, as well as feelings of anxiety and irritability.
Understanding Stress
If stress is not addressed it can lead to serious illness, which is why it’s important to recognise the signs and symptoms as early as possible. Recognising the cause of your stress early can also prevent you from adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms like smoking
and drinking.
If you aren’t sure how to identify your personal stress triggers, doctors recommend keeping a stress diary to note down the time and place of a stressful episode, what you were doing and who you were with. Once you have identified what the triggers are you will be able to develop mechanisms to deal with that situation in the future. While there is no quick-fix stress buster that works for everyone, there are many simple measures you can take to manage common life stressors. Learning how to relax is key, as releasing tension from your body and clearing your mind will leave you better equipped to deal with the anxiety you are feeling. When you become stressed, your body goes into ‘fight or flight’ mode by releasing a surge of hormones that enable you to deal with the pressure. Usually, once the threat has passed, your hormone levels return to normal. However, if you are under constant stress the hormones remain in your body and trigger the symptoms of stress.
Dr Chris’s Top 10 Stress Busters
1. Time to get moving: Exercise won’t eliminate your stress entirely, but it will help reduce the emotional intensity you are feeling and help to clear your thoughts. The extra blood circulation that results from exercise also releases feel-good endorphins which help improve your mood almost instantaneously.
2. Take Control: Passive thinking often makes stress worse, and the feeling of loss of control is a common cause of stress. The act of taking control is empowering in itself, as is finding on a stress solution that works for you.
3. People Power: As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. Talking your problems through with a friend or family member can help you see them in a different way, and even help you find new solutions. Fun activities with friends can also offer a few laughs and help you relax.
4. ‘Me’ Time: According to the NHS, the UK’s workforce work the longest hours in Europe. If you suffer from work-related stress, set aside some quality time for yourself at least two nights a week, and don’t be tempted to work overtime!
5. New Goals: Setting yourself new goals and challenges, like learning a new language or taking part in a new sport, will help build the confidence you need to fight stress. By learning something new you are making a proactive step towards taking control of your life.
6. Banish Unhealthy Habits: Do not become dependant on unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol, smoking and caffeine. Avoidance behaviour will not solve your problems in the longterm, and will only delay your efforts to solve the true causes of your stress.
7. Perspective: At the end of each day, write down three things that went well or that you are grateful for. Your ability to see the see the glass as half full will enable you to shift your perspective in life.
8. Help Others: Research shows that people who help others through volunteering or community work become more resilient to the symptoms of stress. If voluntary work doesn’t fit into your schedule, simply try and do someone a favour each day—no matter how small, the good deed will boost your mood.
9. Work Smart: Setting yourself new goals and challenges, like learning a new language or taking part in a new sport, will help build the confidence you need to fight stress. By learning something new you are making a proactive step towards taking control of your life.
10. Acceptance: It can be very difficult coping with stressful situations that are hard for you to influence for the better. If you do have a stressful situation, try to be philosophical and cope by recognising that stressful situations don’t last forever. You will handle the situation more effectively by thinking positively and realising that change continually happens and specific stressful situations do come to an end.
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