Why Stress Occurs and How It Can be Managed? Know Tools and Resources to Relieve from Stress for Your Life to Feel and Function at Your Best!

Abstract:

Stress management offers a range of ways to help you better deal with stress and difficulty, also called adversity, in your life. Managing stress can help you lead a more balanced, healthier life. Stress is an automatic physical, mental and emotional response to a difficult event.

If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your overall physical and mental health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. So let's understand about stress; what it is, how it generates, how to reduce or eliminate it, what resources are available to manage it.

Keywords:

Stress, Management, Resources, Tools, Strategies, Wellbeing, Healthy, Life, Functions, Process, Steps 

Learning Outcomes 

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

1. What's exactly a Stress Management?

2. What's the impact of stress in life and workmanship?

3. How stress generally generates in human beings?

4. What the different stages of stress?

5. What are the tools available to manage the stress?

6. What are the best resources available to get relief from the stress?

7. What are the process of relieving from stress step wise?

8. Tips and tricks to turn your stress into positive factor to derive great results?

9. Conclusions

FAQs

References

1. What's exactly a Stress Management?

Stress management is defined as the tools, strategies, or techniques that reduce stress and reduce the negative impacts stress has on your mental or physical well-being. A variety of techniques can be used to manage stress. These include mental, emotional, and behavioral strategies. When stress management is used regularly and in response to stressful life events, we can optimize our well-being. Signs of Stress Stress shows up in the body and mind differently for everyone. Here are some tell-tale signs of stress to look out for: Worry or anxiety Excessive anger Irritability Depression or low mood Difficulty focusing Headaches Stomach aches Insomnia Weight gain or loss Loss of appetite or a large increase in appetite Tension

2. What's the impact of stress in life and workmanship?

The stress can impact their well-being and mental alertness, making it hard for them to be present and productive. It can also create a lack of motivation and difficulty concentrating. While these situations are personal in nature, they can easily impact an employee's work life – and their team or employer.

Job stress does both positive and negative things to your work performance. Potential health problems might derail your work performance completely, and other work-related stress issues harm your productivity. Stress impacts how alert you are, your problem-solving abilities, and how well you work with others.

When stress becomes overwhelming and prolonged, the risks for mental health problems and medical problems increase. Long-term stress increases the risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, substance use problems, sleep problems, pain and bodily complaints such as muscle tension.

3. How stress generally generates in human beings?

Stress is your body's reaction to pressure from a certain situation or event. It can be a physical, mental, or emotional reaction. We all deal with stress at some point in our lives. Maybe it's your job, a family illness, or money troubles. These are common triggers.

Stress triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response. Chronic stress can cause negative health effects on your mood, immune and digestive systems, and cardiovascular health.

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate, short-term situations, stress can be beneficial. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.

The Symptoms of chronic stress include:

• irritability
• anxiety
• depression
• headaches
• insomnia

4. What the different stages and types of stress?

Stages of stress:

There are three stages to stress: the alarm stage, the resistance stage and the exhaustion stage. The alarm stage is when the central nervous system is awakened, causing your body's defenses to assemble. This SOS stage results in a fight-or-flight response.

Types of Stress

There are three types of stress: 

1. acute, 

2. episodic, and 

3. chronic.

Some brief of types of stress are following 

1. Acute Stress

Acute stress is a relatively common occurrence. Various events can cause acute stress, like a car accident, losing a loved one, or being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Witnessing a disturbing event and second-hand experiences can also contribute to this type of stress.

Acute stress can also develop in response to positive life events, including a wedding day, childbirth, a new job, or starting college. As mentioned, stress is a natural process we experience as we try new things, grow, learn, and adjust. Eustress can push us to meet and surpass a challenge or find ways to cope. However, acute stress can be concerning and negatively impact your health.

Symptoms of acute stress may include:

• Faster heart rate and breathing rate
• Increased perspiration
• Increased irritability
• Having no or reduced memory of a traumatic event
• Avoiding people, places, or things that remind you of the traumatic event
• Hyperarousal, focus, and energy as blood rushes to your muscles, heart, and organs
• Feeling numb
• Feeling detached from your surroundings
• Having distressing thoughts, dreams, nightmares, and flashbacks of the event
• Having sleep difficulties
• Feeling restless
• Being easily startled
• Having difficulty focusing your attention
• Feeling tense
• Feeling heightened irritability

2. Episodic Acute Stress

Episodic acute stress refers to frequent, consistent, intermittent, or regular stress.  This type of stress can occur with one-time or consecutive stressors, such as worrying about a past negative experience or potential future events.

Examples of episodic acute stress sometimes reflect those of non-episodic acute stress, like presenting at work, recurring doctor appointments, or meetings to discuss a divorce. Generally, naturally anxious, irritable, or short-tempered people more commonly experience this type of stress. 

Symptoms of episodic acute stress may include:

• Feeling irritable and angry
• Increased heart rate
• Heartburn and indigestion
• Muscle pain and tightness
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Frequent headaches

3. Chronic Stress

It is an ongoing and constant type of stress with no relief. Many different stressors can contribute to prolonged distress and overwhelm, such as abuse, divorce, discrimination, and a lack of support. People with health issues, disabilities, or caregiving obligations commonly report chronic stress. 

Symptoms of chronic stress may include:

• High blood pressure
• Higher risk of stroke and heart attack
• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Headaches
• Insomnia and fatigue
• Weakened immune system
• Nausea and digestive problems, including vomiting
• Weight gain 
• Fertility and reproductive issues
• Low sex drive
• Memory problems and difficulties concentrating
• Difficulty handling daily responsibilities at work
• Working at home, 
• Maintain personal life
• Anxiety 
• Negative thinking
• Feeling agitated, helpless, or hopeless
• Depression 
• Irritability
• Emotional lability
• Low self-confidence
• Substance use and abuse

5. What are the tools and techniques available to manage the stress?

The Stress Management Tools and Techniques are the following:

• Do Exercise daily 
• Take part in physical activity.
• Use Relaxation tools 
• Adopt techniques that bring some kind of relaxation.
• Effective Time Management.
• Practice Healthy lifestyle choices.
• Seeking social support wherever you can do
• Bring excellent Mindfulness  
• Maintain meditation schedules 
• Learn Cognitive-behavioural tools and techniques and apply in your care.

6. What are the best resources available to get relief from the stress?

Many people benefit from practices such as deep breathing, tai chi, yoga, meditation, mindfulness or being in nature. Set aside time for yourself. Get a massage, soak in a bubble bath, dance, listen to music, watch a comedy — whatever helps you relax. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you manage stress.

Breathe

Whenever you start to feel overwhelmed by your to-do list or your worries, a few deep breaths can steady and calm you. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, hold the breath for a moment, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat until you feel better! 

Laugh

People with a developed sense of humor typically have a stronger immune system.

People who laugh heartily on a regular basis have a lower standing blood pressure than the average person. 

Self-Compassion and Helpful Thinking

You can't change the fact that highly stressful events happen, but you can change how you interpret and respond to these events. When difficulties arrive in life, you can practice being kind and understanding rather than self-critical. 

Use Milder Wording: 

Instead of using words like ‘hate’ and ‘angry’ (as in, "I hate traffic! It makes me so angry!"), you can use words like ‘don’t like’ and ‘annoyed’ ("I don’t like traffic; I’m so annoyed"). Sounds much milder, doesn’t it?

Change Negative to Neutral or Positive: 

As you find yourself mentally complaining about something, rethink your assumptions. 

Change Statements to Questions: 

Self-limiting statements like "I can’t handle this!" or "This is impossible!" are particularly damaging because they increase your stress and they stop you from searching for solutions. Instead, try a question: "How can I handle this?" or "How is this possible?”"

Practice Mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness means intentionally bringing your attention to the present moment, without judgment, and with an attitude of curiosity and kindness. 

Be Thankful

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. 

7. What are the process of relieving from stress step wise?

Experiencing stress is inevitable, but managed well, stress can promote emotional and intellectual growth and resilience as we age.

Here are six step strategies from relieving from stress

Process / Step 1. Identify your triggers.

Once you know where your stress is coming from—a relationship, kids, workload, a health problem—you can sometimes reduce or prevent the stress. After giving the matter some focused thought, you may identify practical steps to improve the situation. Even if changing the trigger isn’t possible, a shift in perspective may help mitigate stress. For example, if a friend is pushing your buttons, stepping back and adjusting your expectations may allow you to keep this close bond. 

Process / Step 2. Stay connected.

Maintaining, improving, and increasing healthy relationships with supportive friends and family powerfully promotes resilience. Many find that connections with a faith family, neighbors, and even pets, help them feel positive and energetic, even if children and grandchildren aren’t close at hand.

Process / Step 3. Stay active.

Physical activity releases feel-good endorphins. Taking short walking breaks several times a day is a powerful tool for channeling stress. Exercising or joining yoga, dance, or tai chi classes with friends also helps achieve step 2—staying connected.

Process / Step 4. Find your “pause” button.

“After experiencing times of great change, high demand, or significant loss, it’s essential to press pause and rest. Often creating time and space for rest means saying “no” to invitations and requests for help, at least temporarily,” says Callahan. Consider spending quiet time daily: contemplation, reflection, and breathing fosters resilience and calm.

Process / Step  5. Plan your fun.

To prevent the daily rush from consuming your life, plan your fun for the day, week, month, or year. Callahan recommends, “instead of channel surfing, make a date to watch a special program, alone or with a loved one. Plan a monthly game night with friends and ask them to bring goodies to share. Identify fun activities that suit you, and schedule them.”

Process / Step 6. Reframe your thinking about stress itself.

Stress responses, including faster heart rate and breathing, evolved to improve our performance in stressful situations. Reminding yourself of stress’s evolutionary value may improve your performance and paradoxically reduce feelings of stress, in that you’re not adding “stress about stress” to the stress the original trigger aroused.

8. Tips and tricks to turn your stress into positive factor to derive great results?

9. Conclusions

Are you taking good care of yourself—body, mind, and spirit? Do you pay attention to your own health, not just physical but also social, emotional, and spiritual? Your lifestyle--including your eating habits, exercise patterns, sleep, recreational activities, social relationships and more-- can have a major impact on how you feel and function, and how well your mind and body respond to stress.

FAQs

Q.1: WHAT ARE THE HEALTHIER WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS?

Ans.: Coping with your problems one at a time helps. But there are certain situations like the death of a loved one, where you may find coping very difficult. Hence, in those situations, you should try first to accept the truth of the situation, and then try to understand your feelings, and only then you should try to manage then. And you can always seek assistance from friends and family for the execution of the last part.

Q.2.: HOW COMMON IS STRESS?

Ans. : There isn’t a single person who doesn’t feel stressed out every now and then. Some people hide it better than others, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t feel it. Though the intensity of the stress varies from person to person, and so does the coping strategies, it is not easy for anyone. And the mere fact that we are all in it together is a source of comfort for many people.

References

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