How Stress Effects Health, Learning and Performance in Professionals? What's the Signs, Symptoms of Stress? How to Control Stress for Overall Wellbeing?

Abstract:

Stress is a normal reaction the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and intellectual responses. Stress is a natural reaction to not being able to cope with specific demands and events, but ongoing stress can affect a person’s health and wellbeing. When humans face a challenge or threat, they have a partly physical response. The body activates resources that help people either stay and confront the challenge or get to safety as fast as possible. The body produces larger quantities of the chemicals cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. 

These trigger the following physical reactions:

1. increased blood pressure

2. heightened muscle 

3. preparedness

4. sweating

5. alertness 

Stress management training can help you deal with these changes in a healthier way.

Keywords: Stress, Sign, Symptoms, Management, Prevention, Control

Outlines of the Contents

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following:

1. What's stress?

2. Types of stress

3. Signs of stress

4. Symptoms of stress

5. Strategies for Management of stress

6. Prevention of Stress

7. Useful Tips and Tricks - How to control and manage stress?

8. Frequently Asked Questions 

9. Conclusions

10. References

What is stress?

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone.

Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to our overall well-being.

In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

What are the types of stress?

There are several kinds of stress, including:

1. acute stress

2. episodic acute stress

3. chronic stress

Acute stress

Everyone has experienced acute stress. It’s the body’s quick reaction to a new and challenging situation. It’s the kind of stress one may experience when escaping an accident.

These incidents of acute stress don’t typically cause any harm. They may even prove to be suitable for a person under certain circumstances. Stressful situations provide the body and brain with the practice of developing the best response to future stressful scenarios.

It’s important to know that severe acute stress is entirely different. This stress, like a life-threatening situation, can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other mental health problems.

Episodic acute stress

Episodic acute stress is when one has frequent episodes of acute stress. It may occur if a person is often anxious and worried about things they suspect may happen soon. As with severe acute stress, episodic acute stress can affect a person’s physical and mental health.

Chronic stress

When one experiences high-stress levels for an extended period, they have chronic stress. Long-term stress can create a negative impact on a person’s health. 

It may contribute to the following:

anxiety

cardiovascular disease

depression

high blood pressure

a weakened immune system

Chronic stress may also lead to frequent ailments such as headaches, an upset stomach, and difficulties sleeping.

What happens to the body during stress- the signs?

Stress makes it hard for us to relax and can come with a range of emotions, including anxiety and irritability. When stressed, we may find it difficult to concentrate. We may experience headaches or other body pains, an upset stomach or trouble sleeping. We may find we lose our appetite or eat more than usual. Chronic stress can worsen pre-existing health problems and may increase our use of alcohol, tobacco and other substances.

Stressful situations can also cause or exacerbate mental health conditions, most commonly anxiety and depression, which require access to health care. When we suffer from a mental health condition, it may be because our symptoms of stress have become persistent and have started affecting our daily functioning, including at work or school.

To sum up, Stress affects both the mind and the body. A little bit of stress is good and can help us perform daily activities. 

1. Too much stress can cause physical and mental health problems. 

2. Learning how to cope with stress can help us feel less overwhelmed and support our mental and physical well-being.

3. The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more.

4. Its built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body face stressful situations.

What's the symptoms of Stress?

When a person has long-term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms develop.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

Aches and pains.

Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.

Exhaustion or trouble sleeping.

Headaches, dizziness or shaking.

High blood pressure.

Muscle tension or jaw clenching.

Stomach or digestive problems.

Trouble having sex.

Weak immune system.

Memory loss

No remembrance

Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

Anxiety or irritability.

Depression.

Panic attacks.

Sadness.

Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviors, including:

Drinking alcohol too much or too often.

Gambling.

Overeating or developing an eating disorder.

Participating compulsively in sex, shopping or internet browsing.

Smoking.

Using drugs.

What are the probable causes of stress?

Every person has different stress triggers. Work stress aces the list, according to surveys. Causes of work stress include:

Being unhappy in the job

Having a heavy workload or a huge responsibility

Working for long hours

Having poor management and unclear expectations of work

Working under dangerous circumstances

Being insecure about the chance for progress or risk of termination

Stage fright

Facing discrimination or harassment at work

Life scenario-triggered stresses can also have a significant impact, like:

The death of a loved one

Divorce

Loss of a job

Increase in financial obligations

Getting married

Moving to a new home

Chronic illness or injury

Emotional issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, and low self-esteem

Looking after a sick or aged family member

A experiences trauma-causing events, including natural disasters, theft, rape, or violence against a person or a loved one.

Sometimes the stress comes from within rather than outside. 

All of these factors may lead to stress:

Fear and uncertainty

Attitudes and perceptions

Unrealistic expectations 

Change in the current life

How is stress diagnosed?

Stress is subjective — not measurable with tests. Only the person experiencing it can determine whether it's present and how severe it feels. A healthcare provider may use questionnaires to understand your stress and how it affects your life.

If you have chronic stress, your healthcare provider can evaluate symptoms that result from stress. For example, high blood pressure can be diagnosed and treated.

What are some strategies for stress relief- the management?

You can’t avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily strategies:

Exercise when you feel symptoms of stress coming on. Even a short walk can boost your mood.

At the end of each day, take a moment to think about what you’ve accomplished — not what you didn’t get done.

Set goals for your day, week and month. Narrowing your view will help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.

Consider talking to a therapist or your healthcare provider about your worries.

What are some ways to prevent stress- the prevention?

Many daily strategies can help you keep stress at bay:

Try relaxation activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation. Programs are available online, in smartphone apps, and at many gyms and community centers.

Take good care of your body each day. Eating right, exercising and getting enough sleep help your body handle stress much better.

Stay positive and practice gratitude, acknowledging the good parts of your day or life.

Accept that you can’t control everything. Find ways to let go of worry about situations you cannot change.

Learn to say “no” to additional responsibilities when you are too busy or stressed.

Stay connected with people who keep you calm, make you happy, provide emotional support and help you with practical things. A friend, family member or neighbor can become a good listener or share responsibilities so that stress doesn’t become overwhelming.

How long does stress last?

Stress can be a short-term issue or a long-term problem, depending on what changes in your life. Regularly using stress management techniques can help you avoid most physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms of stress.

When to consult a doctor about stress?

You should seek medical attention if you feel overwhelmed, if you are using drugs or alcohol to cope, or if you have thoughts about hurting yourself. Your primary care provider can help by offering advice, prescribing medicine or referring you to a therapist.

How Stress Effects the performance of students and professionals?

Yes, it is natural to feel stressed in challenging situations such as job interviews, school exams, unrealistic workloads, an insecure job, or conflict with family, friends or colleagues. 

For many people stress reduces over time as the situation improves or as they learn to cope emotionally with the situation. 

Stress tends to be widespread during events such as 

major economic crises, 

disease outbreaks, 

natural disasters, 

war, and 

community violence. 

Useful Tips and Tricks - How to control and manage stress?

There are many proven ways to control and manage the stress. Some the well adopted Techniques are pointed below:

Learn self help stress management techniques from peers, literatures and books etc

Doing what matters in times of stress – aims to equip people with practical skills to cope with stress. A few minutes each day are enough to practise the self-help techniques. 

Keep a daily routine

Having a daily schedule can help us use our time efficiently and feel more in control. Set time for regular meals, time with family members, exercise, daily chores and other recreational activities. 

Get plenty of sleep

Getting enough sleep is important for both body and mind. Sleep repairs, relaxes and rejuvenates our body and can help reverse the effect of stress.

Be consistent. 

Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.

If possible, make your sleeping area quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature.

Limit your use 

of electronic devices, such as TVs, computers and smart phones, before sleeping.

Avoid 

large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.

Get some exercise. 

Be physically active

 during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

Connect with others 

Keep in touch 

with family and 

friends

share your concerns and feelings 

with people you trust. Connecting with others can lift our mood and help us feel less stressed.

Eat healthy

What we eat and drink can affect our health. Try to eat a balanced diet and to eat at regular intervals. Drink enough fluids. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables if you can.

Exercise regularly 

Regular daily exercise can help to reduce stress. This can include walking, as well as more intensive exercise.

Limit time following news 

Spending too much time following news on television and social media can increase stress. Limit the time you spend following the news if it increases your stress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can stress seen as a weakness – particularly in industry?

A: Yes. If an individual works in an organisation, where for example, there is the possibility of imminent redundancies, he/she may seek to cover up any signs of stress in the belief that they may be regarded as unable to cope with their job and might be regarded as dispensable.

Q: Does stress affect everyone equally?

A: No. An employer or Manager should appreciate that not all members of their team will react in the same way to any given problem. What one person perceives as merely pressure, another may perceive as stress.

Q: What makes events stressful?

A: Negative events are more likely to be stressful than positive events – although not exclusively so. Uncontrollable or unpredictable events are more stressful than those that are not and ambiguous situations are often perceived as more stressful than those that are clear-cut.

Q: How do I recognise stress in myself?

A: Depending on the individual, stress can manifest itself in different ways including heart palpitations, mood swings, panic attacks, over-dependence on caffeine, anxiety, loss of confidence, aggressiveness, headaches, poor time management and lack of concentration.

Q: Why do we become stressed?

A: Fundamentally, it is the way that you think about a situation rather than the situation itself that causes stress. Problems occur when the pressure you are under seems to be overwhelming or out of your control.

Q: I have been called a stress ‘carrier’ – what is it?

A: ‘Stress Carriers’ are people, very often in a management or supervisory position, who have the ability to cause stress in others, by intentionally raising the anxiety level of all those around them without suffering any adverse effect on themselves. Only you can answer the question as to whether you are one or not!

Q: I feel that my workload is too much for me What can I do about this?

A: First of all, you need to be very clear as to whether your workload is too great or if you have received insufficient training to carry it out. If it is a case of too much to do in too little time, then you need to talk to your boss and discuss it in a clear and concise way. You will need to look at the urgent priorities and have this as a point of discussion at your meeting.

Q: What is the importance of support network to me at times of stress?

A: It is important to be aware that coping with stress can be made demonstrably easier with the support from colleagues, family or friends. Strong and caring friendships are an essential benefit in helping you to learn how to cope with pressure and to counteract stress. ‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ is a rather well-worn phrase, but in the area of stress management, it is undeniably true.

Q: What are the early warning signs of stress in my team?

A: Here are some key indicators:

Unexplained absenteeism

Reduced work performance

Loss of concentration

Increased work errors

Poor timekeeping

Working unnecessary long hours

Frequently reporting sick

Irritability or aggression

Avoidance of face-to-face contact

Loss of ambition

Q: What are some of the common causes of work-related stress?

A: Poor management and insufficient training combined with a lack of communication, are three primary causes. The style and methodology with which management tackles day-to-day issues is clearly important in order to preclude them from becoming real problems. At all levels, there will usually be a pressure to perform in respect of workloads and targets. However, if this pressure is prolonged, it can be stressful. It is therefore most important that the particular management style employed achieves the appropriate balance between consultation and control. In situations, where work is delegated, adequate management training and support should be sufficient to pre-empt the emergence of problems that could well have been foreseen.

Q: Can you give me some stress management interventions that are working in industry today?

A: The following are the stress management initiatives can be taken up at times of need:

Rationalise the stress management function: Review the needs of the organisation and its workforce and provide a business case for the phased provision of stress management training and support and routine risk assessment.

All organisations should have a policy for managing stress, designed for the protection of the employee and the employer and these policies should be constructive and not adversarial if they are to be effective.

Stress Awareness training for employees at all levels in the organisation is desirable with the aim of encouraging a supportive corporate culture and philosophy.

Stress Management training for all those in a supervisory or management role to assistant them in recognising, managing and reducing stress levels in their staff.

Stress Mediation should be introduced providing neutral arbitration between management and employees to avoid situations escalating out of control.

Stress Counselling for employees requiring a telephone and / or face to face counselling service

Conclusions 

Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures, but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave.

By causing mind–body changes, stress contributes directly to psychological and physiological disorder and disease and affects mental and physical health, reducing quality of life.

So necessary measures must be taken for reducing stress. The stress can be reduced by healthy habits, maintaining good characteristics, socializing, culturalizing self etc.These approaches have important benefits for physical and mental health, and form critical building blocks for a healthy lifestyle.

References

1.https://www.who.int › stress › mental_health

2.https://www.medicalnewstoday.com › 

3.https://healthlibrary.askapollo.com ›