Everyone is bound to experience some level of stress at some point throughout their lives. However, the trick is to make sure you prevent stress from taking over, and to limit its ability to impact your quality of life.
It is important to know just how harmful stress can be not only to your mind and body, but also your relationships, professional life, and general ability to make it through the day. Plus, more importantly, it is essential to find the best stress management techniques that work for you so you can successfully reduce stress and live happily and harmoniously.
Keep reading to learn more about stress—including causes, signs and symptoms, and treatment options.
First, let’s discover what stress is exactly. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, stress is
However, it is worth noting that not all stress is bad. In fact, stress can motivate us to perform better in certain scenarios (like when taking a test), or even protect ourselves or our families when faced with danger.
With that said, stress as many of us know it usually earns the bad reputation it has, as it can affect:
When stress is chronic (present over a long period of time), anxiety may be present, which itself includes a range of diagnosable mental health disorders.
It is rare to meet anyone who has not encountered some form of stress in their lifetime. In fact, your levels of cortisol (which is often referred to as the “stress hormone”) are
However, if you are unsure if you are experiencing stress—whether mild, moderate, or intense—at any given time, you may want to be mindful of signs and symptoms that typically accompany it.
While there are many signs and symptoms associated with stress, these are among the most common:
Stress affects people differently, though it most often leads to undesired changes that can negatively impact your health. For this reason, it is important to recognize stress when it hits and to practice your preferred stress management techniques so you can bring your mind and body back into balance.
Here are a few helpful ideas that can come to your aid to help manage stress:
Know your triggers. If certain people, foods, situations, or anything else contributes to stress, recognize this and try to limit them to the best of your ability.
Stay physically active. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress naturally. Whether you enjoy taking a walk, swimming, using weights, or any other type of physical activity, know that you are doing wonders for your mental health and physical health alike.
Explore the world of self-care. Self-care can include anything from making sure to nourish your body with the right nutrients and reading your favorite book to taking a soothing bath and listening to calming music. It could even be setting up a “phone date” with a loved one once a week—or even setting your phone to silent after sundown. The idea here is to find small, simple things that bring you joy and positivity, and to incorporate this into your routine on a consistent basis. While you don’t have to do things that are not to your liking, such as yoga or meditation for instance, these are also wonderful modalities that offer a range of stress-reducing mind/body benefits.
However, if your stress is very difficult to manage and/or you have a long history of struggling with stress or anxiety, be sure to discuss more advanced treatment options with your provider.
If you are not currently taking prescription medication for anxiety, your care team may find that this option will be favorable for you to help reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life. In addition, talk therapy with a psychologist or therapist may also be advised.
Related Articles:
Content contained on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your health care provider before beginning any new fitness or dietary plan. References provided are for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources. Should you have any health-related questions, you should contact your health care provider.