You awaken in the morning, have a fast shower and consider yourself lucky to catch a cup of coffee before going to work. On the way to and from the workplace, you endure the rush hour traffic, including at least an hour or two to your everyday commute. At work, you confront a great deal of deadlines, things to do, your demanding boss and worse, office politics.
Let’s see…
Things are almost the same at home – the children need help with their college works, oftentimes arguing as to who gets what or who gets to do something original, bills should get paid, the laundry has to be cared for, errands to be achieved. The list continues on and on. If this describes you, odds are, you may be suffering from chronic stress. You may not understand it but the tension caused by these apparently petty things may develop over time causing many maladies and physical and psychological disorders.
What is Stress?
In medical terminologies, anxiety is most frequently described as a physical or psychological stimulation that could create psychological strain or physiological reactions which may lead to different illnesses. It’s the body’s natural means of responding to certain specific events or occurrences in our lives that prompt us to grow to confront the challenge and prepare to satisfy up with the situation head on.
What causes stress?
Events that provoke stress are called stressors, of which there are two different types. There are inner (orderly ) stressors and outside (processive) stressors. Internal stressors can be physical (e.g. presence of inflammation or infections which might lead to an imbalance in a person’s state of health) or emotional (as in stressing about an event that might or might not occur). External stressors can be described as components in the environment that could be perceived by an individual as possible threats.
These might be in the kind of adverse physical conditions such as extremely cold or hot temperatures, pain, extremely loud sounds or too bright lights. Or it might also be the presence of stressful psychological environments like poor working conditions or abusive and problematic relationships. What’s the difference between acute stress and chronic stress? Stressors can be categorized as either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).
Acute stress
It is the body’s response to a direct threat, which arouses the “fight or flight” response. This is most critical during emergency situations, which involve instantaneous reactions. Acute stress might also be triggered by a perceived threat, whereby there isn’t any real imminent danger. Noise, crowding, isolation, hunger and disease are examples of acute stressors. Normally, when the danger has passed, the nervous system quickly returns to normal and the body experiences the “relaxation response”.
Chronic stress
Chronic Stress, on the other hand, is brought on by long-term stressful circumstances that sadly dominate modern life. Examples of these are highly competitive working environments, family conflicts, long-term relationship issues, limited financial capacities and not having enough time to unwind. Long-term stressful situations can create continuing low-level anxiety, which might diminish the body’s immune system and lead to other health issues.
To avoid stress from overpowering your own life and causing disorders, observe these important tips. Have a wholesome lifestyle. A wholesome diet and exercise can normally improve an individual’s resistance to stress. Avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine and tobacco since they reduce the body’s natural defense against anxiety.
Conclusion
Be realistic. Nobody is perfect and nobody expects you to be. If you need assistance with something, do not be afraid to request support. Learn how to say “no”. If you’re feeling tired or overstretched, learn how to say no to further tasks or requests. Learn relaxation methods. This helps your body to unwind and produces an awareness of well-being and calm. Get enough sleep. Sleep restores your body to its exceptional shape, making you better equipped to take care of any negative stressors.
