Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so common place that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. Stress can be due to:
- Major life changes
- Work
- Relationship difficulties
- Financial problems
- Being too busy
- Children and family
- Inability to accept uncertainty
- Unrealistic expectations
Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems such as - anxiety disorders, depression, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, certain gastrointestinal diseases, sleep disturbances, muscle tension, headache, fatigue etc.
It is also known that people under stress have a greater tendency to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive use or abuse of alcohol and drugs, cigarette smoking, and making poor nutritional choices, than their less-stressed counterparts. These unhealthy behaviors can further increase the severity of symptoms related to stress, often leading to a "vicious cycle" of symptoms and unhealthy behaviors.
You can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself, some to the way:
- Go for a walk.
- Exercise Regularly such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing.
- Spend time in nature.
- Call a good friend or connect with others.
- Sweat out tension with a good workout.
- Write in your journal.
- Take a long bath.
- Light scented candles
- Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
- Play with a pet.
- Work in your garden.
- Get a massage.
- Curl up with a good book.
- Listen to music.
- Watch a comedy
Stress is part of life and will always be around. The keys to dealing with stress are appropriate control of stressors and management of our physical (physiological) and mental (psychological) responses. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems.
The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
Also see Backpain
