What is Stress & How to Reduce It

In a 2019 study, approximately “55 percent of adults” in the United States said they had experienced stress during a lot of their day. That number is 20% higher than the global number of only “35 percent.”

What is Stress?

Stress is the degree to which you feel unable to cope or feel overwhelmed due to pressures from a specific event or everyday life. Most of us experience stress at some point in our lives. Many of us experience constant pressure from our jobs or just having too much to do with seemingly not enough time available. Sometimes, it’s the desire to be perfect that can be the cause of stress.

Our bodies are naturally equipped to handle small doses of stress. Also, some people may recover from higher stress events more quickly and cope with stress more effectively.

Long-term Chronic Stress has Many Negative Consequences

There may be times when stress becomes excessive, and life events are too much to deal with.  When one’s stress response is activated repeatedly and/or over a long period, the effects may cause a prolonged state of the ‘fight or flight’ response.

Even the pressures from everyday life can overwhelm us or make it difficult to cope with a situation, resulting in chronic stress.  Numerous articles have documented the negative impact of stress on our physical and mental health.

The above being typical life experiences, we must realize that chronic stress can cause or exacerbate many serious health problems.  Stress hormones may also be triggered, resulting in physiological changes. During stressful times, our muscles tense up, leading to stiffness, imbalances, and chronic pain.  Unhealthy cycles of pain and stiffness may trigger even more stress.

Chronic stress changes an area of the brain — the pre-frontal cortex — responsible for learning and memory. Some of the cognitive symptoms include the inability to focus, forgetfulness, and constant worrying.

Physical symptoms of stress in our lives may include:

• Headaches
• Intestinal distress
• Tense muscles, aches, and pains
• Insomnia
• Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
• Clenched jaw and teeth grinding
• High blood pressure
• Chronic pain and/or stiffness

When stressed, you might experience changes in appetite or an increase in alcohol consumption. Depression and anxiety can also worsen with stress.

How to Cope and Relieve Stress

There are many ways to manage stress.

Here a few suggestions:

• Stay connected to family and friends
• Get regular exercise
• Meditate
• Schedule time for self-care
• Spend time in nature
• Find a confidant with whom to talk
• Get enough sleep
• Practice gratitude
• Be kind to yourself

Bottom Line: Know your stress symptoms so that you can make the changes needed to reduce your stress before it becomes chronic.  For more information on stress, check out this article: How to Identify and Reduce Negative Stress

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