Too much stress affects our emotional and physical health. But understanding our reactions to stress and how we respond when we're stressed is a good first step to taking back control of our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stress is an inseparable part of modern life. There\u2019s stress from living in today\u2019s fast-paced society, stress from work (or lack of work), and stress from commuting in traffic. There\u2019s stress from caring for children or sick and elderly relatives. On top of that, there are financial worries, social pressure, meeting the expectations of others (and ourselves), and relationship challenges\u2014the list goes on. All of these demand our mental and physical resources, and that\u2019s normal. But when these demands feel greater than what we can handle, we start to experience excessive stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stress can also be caused by a lack of stimulation and challenges. Boredom and disappointment\u2014the feeling that we can\u2019t reach our full potential\u2014can be extremely stressful as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you\u2019re under high stress, you may find it difficult to concentrate or make simple decisions, get easily distracted, and feel insecure. Your sleep may suffer, and you might become irritable, tense, or tearful. You may even notice unusually aggressive behavior. Stress can also affect you physically, causing discomfort such as headaches, digestive issues, or frequent colds. Over time, it can even lead to serious health problems like cardiovascular disease. Additionally, stress can trigger or worsen mental health issues, including panic attacks, anxiety, and depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But stress isn\u2019t inherently bad: a small or moderate amount can actually be beneficial. It can make you feel excited, creative, and more productive. It can help you tackle a challenge. For example, during a job interview, the stress hormones your body produces can actually make you more alert and help you perform better. Some people enjoy the huge adrenaline rush they get from stress in extreme sports or other risky activities. But when stress becomes too much or lasts too long, it stops being helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why and how our bodies react to stress?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The physical and mental changes we experience under stress\u2014known as the \u201cstress response\u201d\u2014are a way of coping with life-threatening situations, like facing a wild animal. Within seconds, our ancestors had to decide whether to stay and fight or to flee, and their bodies produced hormones to prepare them for both options. Our bodies still enter this \u201cfight or flight\u201d mode when faced with a threat or challenge, real or imagined\u2014whether it\u2019s a quick reaction to a potential car accident, pressure from your boss to meet a deadline, or a feeling of helplessness at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The moment you sense a threatening situation, your body releases adrenaline and noradrenaline to raise your blood pressure and heart rate, delivering oxygen and glucose to your brain, muscles, heart, and lungs\u2014preparing you physically to defend yourself. This is why your pulse quickens under stress\u2014and why stress can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems and stroke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Less blood flows to the skin, digestive system, and kidneys\u2014which is why you might feel cold and get \u201cbutterflies\u201d in your stomach. Noradrenaline sharpens your senses to make you more alert, causing facial muscles to tense, teeth to clench, and hair to stand on end. Cortisol converts fat stores into energy to fuel your muscles. But too much cortisol can weaken your immune system, which is why people under chronic stress often suffer from frequent colds and infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem is that the more often the stress response is triggered, the easier it is to activate the next time\u2014and the harder it becomes to turn off. If these hormones are released too frequently, they start to cause harm. It can reach a point where even the smallest thing upsets you, and you\u2019re constantly in a state of high anxiety, with a racing heart and on edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anything that triggers the stress response in the body is called a \u201cstressor.\u201d These stressors are often negative\u2014but anything that requires energy from you can be a stressor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, in a list of the most common stressful life events compiled by American researchers, marriage and reconciliation with a partner appear alongside the death of a spouse, job loss, or imprisonment. Sometimes, the source of stress cannot be traced to a single event but results from the accumulation of many small things in daily life. Almost without realizing it, the demands on you begin to exceed your ability to cope\u2014and before you know it, you\u2019re genuinely stressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stress overload can also occur when you have to deal with a series of stressful situations or events happening too close together. For example, going through a breakup and then losing your job. Our relationships with others\u2014whether family, friends, or coworkers\u2014are a major source of potential stress, as they are closely tied to our sense of self and our ideas about our value as individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But just like external events, what happens in your own mind can also create stress. Unrealistic expectations, a negative outlook, an inability to accept uncertainty, or perfectionism can put significant pressure on you. People who are always rushing and struggle to slow down or relax create stress for themselves\u2014reacting too strongly to challenges and threats that often don\u2019t actually exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s important to note that the way we perceive these stressors or demands, and how we assess our own ability to cope with them, affects our body\u2019s \u201cfight or flight\u201d response and determines whether we feel stressed or not. What causes stress to one person<\/a>may have no effect on someone else at all. For example, some people get very angry in traffic, while others turn on music and wait patiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no precise or quick rule for how much stress is healthy\u2014what feels overwhelming for one person may be beneficial for another. Factors that influence how well you tolerate stress include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since it\u2019s so individual, it\u2019s important to recognize your own limits\u2014when the stress you\u2019re under is too much for you\u2014rather than comparing yourself to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step is to recognize the warning signs of stress we listed earlier. The second is to accept that you need to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter how out of control your life may feel, there are many things you can do to reduce your stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need guidance and support in managing stress, check out our products<\/a> and services or contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Too much stress affects our emotional and physical health. But understanding our reactions to stress and how we respond when we are under pressure,How much is too much?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What can you do?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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