Everyone experiences stress, even babies. However, the degree of stress each person feels depends on the environment, situation, and person. In a stressful situation, the body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which directly affect physical responses. You may notice that when you’re stressed, your heart rate goes up, and you start to sweat. Sometimes stress can be a good thing - helping you finish the work you procrastinated on. But it can also be a negative force. Worst-case scenario, it can become chronic and detrimental to your mental health.
Eustress, which is what psychologists call “good stress”, is the stress we feel when we are excited. It’s the nerves you feel before a roller coaster drop or a first date. Good stress makes life exciting and interesting. It also has a positive impact on mental health, encourages people to take on more challenges, feel happier and healthier, and improve their concentration.
Stress that evokes negative emotions is less beneficial to your mental health. Some people may have physical responses such as stomachaches, headaches, and insomnia, while emotional responses to stress include irritability, anxiousness, and low confidence. Other behavioral responses include changes in eating behavior, social withdrawal, and use of substances. These symptoms occur even with short-lived stress.
What’s worse is long-term stress that interferes with daily life, which is known as chronic stress. The longer the body is exposed to stress, the more stress hormones it releases. Consequently, bodily processes start to deteriorate, thus taking a toll on mental and physical health. Some consequences of chronic stress include anxiety, depression, digestive issues, problems with concentration and memory, weight gain, heart attack, stroke, and more.
In these ways, stress has both short and long term consequences. In the stress-ridden world we are in, here are a couple of ways to reduce it and live a safer and healthier life.
Address the stress: Pinpoint the stressor, use tactics, and develop a plan to address it. This could be through planning or prioritizing certain tasks.
Build strong relationships: Form strong relationships with people whom you can ask for support in times of need. Toxic relationships can often be the cause of stress, so cutting people off may be necessary at times.
Get rest: Sleep is truly important. Get adequate sleep (7-8 hours is advised). Yoga, meditation, and other relaxing sources of movement are shown to improve mood and reduce stress as well.
At the end of the day, stress will never leave us, as it is an essential element to survival. However, excessive stress on a daily basis is unhealthy and can damage all facets of health and well-being. If and when you notice stress taking a toll on your life, it may be a sign to make some lifestyle changes.
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