Our lives are full of frustrations, obstacles, deadlines, and demands. For some, stress has become a norm, which isn’t necessarily a negative thing. Under the right amount of stress, we can get the motivation we need to tend to our daily tasks and goals, perform better, and help react to dangerous situations. In some cases, however, stress can be harmful and interfere with our health or quality of life.
When stress becomes too overwhelming on the mind and body, physical, emotional, mental, and behavioral changes can be a red flag. The human body’s autonomic nervous system often doesn’t do a great job of deciphering between daily stressors and stressful life threatening events. By this I mean that school, financial responsibilities, or an argument might be confused as life or death situations. When our body repeatedly experiences reactions to these stressful situations, it can raise blood pressure, weaken the immune system, affect heart health, weight loss or gain, and even speed up the aging process. Depression is another common health issue related to stress overload.
Sometimes we can't recognize when we're feeling too much stress and anxiety because it becomes part of our daily norm, so pay attention to the signals your body gives you. Common symptoms of an unhealthy amount of stress are:
• Inability to concentrate or complete tasks
• Get sick more often with colds
• Body aches
• Autoimmune diseases
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Trouble falling sleeping or staying awake
• Changes in appetite
• More angry or anxious than usual
There are ways to prevent and manage stress overload. A few simple ones include:
Social engagement
Socializing is a great way to keep ourselves feeling sane. When we’re involved in social activities, thinking and feeling clearly becomes easier and body functions, like our heartbeat, digestive, and immune system begin to regulate.
Meditation
Meditation is another form of stress relief. Deep breathing meditation allows the oxygen we’re taking in to release tension which makes us feel less anxious. There are many different methods to deep breathing meditation, so the key is just finding the right one for you. This is a great method because it can be utilized virtually anywhere and anytime.
Exercise
Any form of exercise can reduce our stress hormones and increase endorphin levels, which will improve our mood and boost energy. Exercise can also make us less susceptible to stress down the road when it a lifestyle. Only about 30 minutes of daily physical activity can cause significant improvement.
Be aware of your mind and body, and make a mindful effort to recognize when you might be overly stressed. Some factors that cause stress are inescapable, but there are always methods to manage how it's dealt with.