Are you stressed out? Does your body ache? Do you always feel sick? Is life getting to you? Are you feeling hopeless or overwhelmed? Are you short fused and frustrated? You might be stressed out!
What is stress? Stress is the bodies natural way of responding to the everyday demands of life, work, family, crisis or a threat. Stress can be real or imagined, positive or negative.
Some stress is good and can invigorate you while other stress can be overwhelming and even make you sick. In this article we are focusing predominately on negative stress and some coping skills.
What Causes Stress?
Stress varies from person to person. What stresses one person may not even affect another person. Stress when working properly can help you stay focused, alert or energized. When your body is not handling stress, or you’ve had long term stress it can manifest in negative symptoms. These symptoms can create long-term health risks, depression, anxiety, weight gain or loss, or the inability to function in normal situations.
Top Ten Stressful Life Events
According to the widely validated Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, these are the top ten stressful life events for adults that can contribute to illness:
- Death of a spouse
- Divorce
- Marriage separation
- Imprisonment
- Death of a close family member
- Injury or illness
- Marriage
- Job loss
- Marriage reconciliation
- Retirement
Symptoms of Negative or Long Term Stress
According to Helpguide.org you may be experiencing long term stress if you are experiencing these symptoms
Cognitive symptoms:
- Memory problems
- Inability to concentrate
- Poor judgment
- Seeing only the negative
- Anxious or racing thoughts
- Constant worrying
Emotional symptoms:
- Depression or general unhappiness
- Anxiety and agitation
- Moodiness, irritability, or anger
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Loneliness and isolation
- Other mental or emotional health problems
Physical symptoms:
- Aches and pains
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea, dizziness
- Chest pain, rapid heart rate
- Loss of sex drive
- Frequent colds or flu
Behavioral symptoms:
- Eating more or less
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Withdrawing from others
- Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
- Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
- Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)
Coping With Stress
When coping with stress there are several things you can do to help your body relax, unwind, focus on positive change and coping skills to decrease the side effects of stress.
- Meditation: Meditation is an easy way to center yourself, unwind and let your mind wonder to someplace else. The recommended time to meditate varies, but I find that just ten minutes a day lets my head relax and re-energize my soul.
- Exercise: Experts recommend 30 minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise. Exercising 4 to 5 times a week can drastically reduce your stress levels. Exercise is a great way to stay physically fit and improve your stamina. I recommend incorporating other exercises to increase your strength and flexibility like weight lifting, yoga, Pilates and stretching.
- Eat Healthy: If you fill your body with junk you feel like junk. Excessive sugar creates inflammation in the body which can create sore joints, sugar burn-out and weight gain. Eat real foods that provide the body with crucial nutrients.
- Sleep: I know easier said than done when you are stressed but it can be done. Better sleep patterns occur when you eat healthy and get the recommended amount of exercise. Sleep aids can help when natural methods don’t. Consult your physician.
- Ask for Help: If you can’t get control of your stress, reach out to medical professionals, support groups family and friends. If your stress is caused by care-giving, illness, family crisis or something else, chances are there is a support group out there for you. I have found comfort with some on line support groups. I don’t have time to go to meetings, so on line groups give me a chance to share freely and get support from others like me.
Practice Self Care To Reduce Stress
- Find a friend: This could be a new friend, old friend or family member. It just needs to be someone that you can talk to. Share a glass of wine, cup of coffee, take a drive and freely express your concerns or ideas that are creating the stress. Talking to friends can be very comforting.
- See a doctor or medical professional: If you are stressed out and it is consuming you making it hard to complete every day tasks, are feeling depressed, confused or having negative feelings, contact your doctor. You don’t have to do this alone, and medications might be warranted to help you have a better quality of life.
- Prayer, spirituality and faith: Faith and spirituality provide a sense of purpose, allow people to connect to something greater than themselves, and enable us to release control.
- Massage: Get a massage or go a spa. Massage is a great way to release the body from negative stress. Stress can cause stiffness, aches and pressure on your body. A really good massage can help you escape the stress for 30 to 90 minutes.
- Educate yourself: There are many other therapeutic things that can help with relieving stress. Essential oils, journal, girls trips, medication, saunas, boxing classes, vitamins and nutritional’s are all good tools to reduce stress. Find out what works best for you.’ Make time for yourself.
Health Issues Caused By Long Term Stress
- Fertility problems
- Autoimmune disease
- Heart Disease
- Obesity or Extreme weight loss
- Skin problems
- Depression or anxiety
- Sleep problems
- Mental instability
- Digestive health
- Memory loss
- Foggy Brain
- Unexplained pain
- Headaches
“How we perceive a situation and how we react to it is the basis of our stress. If you focus on the negative in any situation, you can expect high stress levels. However, if you try and see the good in the situation, your stress levels will greatly diminish. “Catherine Pulsifer
Stress can be your friend or your worst enemy. Learning to cope with stress is crucial for your total health. I wish you luck and hope that some of these ideas help you.
That’s such a really helpful guide. Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Thank you, I am glad it helped.
I am reading Girl Wash Your Face & highly recommend it. Seeing a psychotherapist is a great option to medication or a combination of medication and psychotherapy depending on the situation.
I have several friends that have read Girl Wash Your Face, it does sound like an interesting read, I will check it out. I agree there are so many better options than drugs for sure. thanks for the recommend.
Very thoughtful article with a lot of great information
Thank you Linda.
Very helpful and specific, especially the lists. It makes it very easy for anyone to understand more about how they are feeling and the impact that stress has on our lives. Thanks!
Thank you Candi. I hope it reaches others and can help.
Excellent article! Well informed, and for many of us, is quite relatable! Personal self-care that includes time to unwind & de-stress is essential – yet stress management is something we often do not prioritize.
Yes it is. I ran a caregiving agency for years after I say what full-time care giving did to my mother while she cared for her parents. It really can suck the life right out of you if you don’t learn to cope with stress and give yourself some love.
Yup I qualify…super long term stressed…
but now all I can think about is that I want a Bob Ross Birthday party…
It would be fun right?
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