Stress: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Stress is a normal part of life, and contrary to what you may think, not all of it is bad. When your body encounters a crisis situation, it rises to the occasion to help you handle an emergency properly. This is known as the "flight or fight" response and helps us to deal with these situations quickly and effectively. However, when our bodies are exposed to stress over long periods of time, the results are not so positive. Stress can cause physical problems like headaches, stomach aches and insomnia. It can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to disease and illness. It can affect your mental state by causing you to be anxious, moody or depressed. In a nutshell, stress can make you miserable from the inside out.
How to Manage Stress
The good news is that there are things that you can do to manage stress to prevent the negative effects that can occur over the long term. This is particularly true if you can pinpoint the cause; whether it is the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or a divorce. It may be something less devastating, like dealing with a difficult boss or coworker or simply having too much on your plate at once. If you can attribute your tensions and overwhelming feelings to a particular event or situation, then you can begin to cope with the issue and manage your stress as a result. For example, if your stress is caused by an overloaded schedule, you can begin making decisions to alleviate some of your workload and learn to say no to new projects that may come along.
When you are going through a challenging time, taking care of yourself is often the last thing you think of doing. However, eating a healthy diet, making time for activities you love and getting daily exercise are essential steps in managing tension and anxiety. Relaxation techniques like deep breathing and meditation can also help to combat the negative effects of stress. So can talking to a friend or seeking professional help to sort through your feelings and learn how to deal with them. Keeping a journal is another effective way to keep your feelings in check and work through the issues that are distressing you.
Stress may be a natural part of life today, but it shouldn't have a negative impact on your body or on your life. By pinpointing the cause and learning some easy coping techniques, you can keep your stress in check and under control.
