Quite often in life we find ourselves in situations which cause stress. Everyone goes through stress at some point in their life. This year has been a difficult one for my family and has been quite stressful so I have found myself researching “how to combat stress” more often that I’d like but these are the times in life that are sent to teach us. I’m sure that through it all, I will come out a much wiser, much more resilient person. So here’s some of the things I have learnt this year about stress, what causes it and what you can do about it. I hope it helps.
What is stress?
Stress occurs when people have an adverse reaction to excessive pressures or demands placed on them. These pressures and demands can come from a number of sources – family tensions, work pressures, our own expectations of ourselves or other personal circumstances.
Stress is the feeling of being under too much pressure, either emotional pressure or mental pressure or feeling overwhelmed. Stress can affect someone for a short time only or for a more extended time.
When you feel stress over a longer period of time, it can impact both your physical and mental health
What are the symptoms of stress?
- Acne
- Headaches
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in appetite
- Chronic pain
- Lowered immune system – getting sick more often
- Decreased energy or lethargy
- Digestive issues
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Racing heartbeat
- A feeling of being overwhelmed
- Changes in mood
- Decreased self-esteem
- Constant worrying or inability to stop thinking (particularly at night)
- Inability to focus or make decisions
- Tense muscles, particularly in the neck and shoulders
- Dizziness
- Behaviours which are out of character, eg. drinking or smoking more, or risky behaviours
Identifying the causes of stress
Identifying the causes of stress is not always easy. If you’re not sure what’s causing your stress, it may be a good idea to keep a diary for a few weeks. When feeling ‘stressed’, note down what time, where you were, what you were doing, how you felt emotionally and physically and who you were with. Very quickly a pattern may emerge and you will be able to identify the reasons for your stress and be able to start identifying what is triggering your stress.
What can you do to reduce stress?
There are some things which have been shown to reduce stress. These things include:
- Eating well
- Exercising
- Establishing a good sleep routine
- Spending time on yourself – make yourself a priority
- Be around people who energise you
- Spending time doing things you enjoy and in which you can completely immerse yourself in, for example a hobby
- Meditation or mindfulness – there are apps to help with this
- Keeping a gratitude journal
- Having a soak in a bathtub which contains Epsom salts once a week
- Getting a massage or float tank experience can also assist to relieve stress
However, being aware when you have reached your limits is extremely important. Know when to get help and seek the help of a professional, particularly if you have tried the above and they don’t seem to be helping. Your GP may be able to refer you onto some form of counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy or prescribe medication. However, simply offering a listening ear and some ideas which you may not have thought of can be extremely helpful.
Everyone deserves peace in their lives and at times it can feel like this is a far away dream. Just remember that whatever you are going through today will not last forever, the sun will come out again and you will be happy again.
