Stress Managment

Summary:-

Stress is a common word nowadays. But When we consider it for married women and especially housewives or, homemakers, it's become somehow difficult to identify the stress and its management.

This blog will give you clarity about what is stress. How to recognize it? And handle it? If you find the summary and takeaway of this blog useful, please read this blog patiently and apply the techniques of stress management in daily life.

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When you google the definition of stress you will find it as 'Worry and pressure that is caused by having too much to deal with.' Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress is the change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Everyone experiences stress to some degree.

But the way you respond to stress, however, makes a big difference to your overall well-being. Stress affects both the brain and body. A little bit of stress is good for people to perform and protect themselves but too much stress can devastate them leading to fighting, a flight, or a freeze response. So learning how to cope with stress is important for mental and physical well-being.

There are 3 types of stress:-

•Acute stress

•Episodic acute stress

•Chronic stress

1. Acute stress is the stress that results from your body’s reaction to a new or challenging situation. It’s that feeling you get from an approaching deadline or when you narrowly avoid being hit by a car. And Acute stress is classified as short-term. Usually, emotions and the body return to their normal state relatively soon.

2. Episodic acute stress is when acute stresses happen frequently. With this type of stress, we don’t get time to return to a relaxed and calm state.

3. Chronic stress is the result of stressors that continue for a long period. This type of stress feels never-ending. We often have difficulty noticing any way to improve or change the situation that is the cause of our chronic stress.

Now let's see the causes of stress:-

There are many different causes of stress, and each one can affect you differently. If you can find the root cause of your stress, it can help you manage and even settle it.

Here are some of the most common reasons we experience stress.

1. Financial obligations:- Not being able to meet financial obligations is a big stressor for a lot of people.

2. Death of loved ones:- Most of us have experienced the devastating emotional impact of the passing of a loved one. For many of us, it is not only grief that we feel. As well as the stress from a major loss, some people experience a mix of other emotions like loneliness, setbacks even anger.

3. Emotional well-being struggle:- Every one of us experiences worry and low mood. But these emotional states can lead to chronic stress without the right emotional regulation skills. In turn, this can develop into anxiety and depression.

4. Relationship issues:- All relationships create stress and many types of stressors are relatively mild and we can easily handle it. But when there are larger issues within relationships, such as divorce or an unhappy marriage, that produce a lot of stress for the people involved.

Now the question is how to recognize the stress. Here are the symptoms:-

When it is Acute stress, the symptoms are:-

1. Pupil dilation:- As part of the fight-or-flight reaction, our pupils widen to allow more light to enter the eyes and enable us to see our surroundings more clearly.

2. Heart rate increases:- This is another part of the fight-or-flight reaction that can be disconcerting if it feels like heart beatings.

3. Perspiration:- When we are stressed, our body temperature rises, which causes us to sweat more.

4. Fast and heavy breathing:- This symptom is also part of the fight-or-flight reaction. This intends to introduce more oxygen into the body's systems so it can more effectively react to stress.

5. Anxiety:- This is the feeling of worry and fear that results from exposure to a stressor.

6. Emotional ups and downs:- In other words, irritability and mood swings.

7. Poor sleep:- Our sleep is often disrupted by our anxiety and the cocktail of hormones produced by the fight-or-flight reaction.

When it is Episodic acute stress, the symptoms are as follows:-

1. Muscle tension:- This is meant to help our body to guard against injury and pain. When exposed to episodic acute stressors, our muscles don’t get the opportunity to relax.

2. Feeling overwhelmed:- This is the feeling of not being able to cope nor able to visualize effective solutions to the causes of your stress.

3. Uncontrolled anger and irritation:- We find ourselves lashing out more often and with less inspiration. We may also find ourselves reacting strongly to things that normally we would tolerate.

4. Migraines:- These are often the result of muscle tension. The frequency and severity of migraines are likely to increase under episodic acute stress.

5. Hypertension:- A majority of people will be unaware of having high blood pressure. The only reliable way to detect hypertension is to have your blood pressure measured by a health professional.

And finally, when it is Chronic stress, the symptoms are:-

1. Weight gain:- This is often the result of “Stress eating,” but it can also result from long-term hormonal imbalances caused by chronic stress.

2. Insomnia:- Difficulty in falling and staying asleep, often resulting in not feeling slept from whatever sleep you did get.

3. Panic attacks:- Sudden onset of feelings of fear and anxiety attended by the symptoms of acute stress.

4. Chronic headaches:- Frequently occurring tension headaches, generally defined as occurring more than 15 days in a month.

5. Emotional fatigue:- This manifests as feeling tired a majority of the time, irrespective of the type of rest you’re getting or sleep.

* Now let's see how we can cope with stress or manage the stress.

Let's look at 7 different types of stress management activities you can do to make stress work for you.

1. Exercise:-

Immersing in regular physical exercise is an excellent way to help manage your stress. Ideally, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.

2. Utilize mindfulness:-

Mindfulness and meditation are relaxation techniques that can be practiced anywhere. Focused, deep breathing promotes self-awareness and can reduce the effects of stress and worry.

3. Try therapy and coaching:-

Professional therapy and coaching can help to develop stress management techniques. Seeking professional help also helps excavate the under causes of chronic stress.

4. Spend time in Nature:-

Spending time in nature can be very remedial. If you have a pet then that is a good thing to spend time with your pet. In addition to fresh air and sunlight, self-care practice provides an excellent space to slow down.

5. Eat healthy:-

Maintaining a nutritious diet ensures that getting the right nutrients and enough water promotes physical and mental health. A healthy diet can improve and help stabilize moods.

6. Spend time with friends and family:-

To maintain connections with close friends and family, will develop a social support network. Spending time with these people is a great method of stress relief, whether it’s asking for advice or simply taking a moment to laugh together.

7. Time management:-

Effective time management is about finding the right work-life balance. Good time management provides time to do positive, nurturing things.

By developing good habits and stress management techniques, we can reduce the chances of suffering from the long-term health impacts of stress.

**If you feel that you can’t manage your stress or stress-related symptoms, it’s important to obtain professional help.

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Takeaway:-

Stress is a recurring condition in our lives. But it doesn’t need to become a long-term problem. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Instead of that

1. Spend your time in nature,

2. Eat healthily,

3. Spend time with friends and relatives,

4. Do regular exercise,

5. Manage the time for the right work-life balance.

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