Know stress and manage stress to have an enjoyable life

We are proud that we are living in a modern era. But modern life carries certain byproducts like targets, obstructions, tensions and stresses.  Every day, we face different kinds of challenges and demands.  How our body reacts to such a situation is termed as stress. Our body releases different kinds of hormones to face a threat.  Our body reacts to the situation through faster breaths, higher blood pressure, sharpened senses, activated muscles etc.  Stress is divided into two: positive and negative. Positive stress motivates you and causes you work under pressure thus bringing out the best in you.  But when the stress crosses the comfort zone, you enter the negative and bad stress zone that adversely affects your health and mental peace.

 What are the causes of stress? 

Knowing the cause of stress is the best way to manage stress. Different sources of stress are 
a.    Failure of effective management of time and no time for relaxation result in fatigue and overwork stress. This builds up over a period.
b.    Survival stress occurs when your body realizes a physical threat from someone or something.  This stress helps you to escape from the situation through fight or flight mode. 
c.    Internal stress is the product of worrying for no reason or over things that we do not have any control.  
d.    Environmental factors such as sound, light, crowd, dust , pollution etc lead to environmental stress.  

How does a human being regulate stress?

There are three major ways of response to a stress. 
a.    A challenge that requires either offence or defense leads to mobilization stress. Body releases hormones energizing the body for necessary reaction. Once the danger is over, body comes back to normalcy.
b.    Social interactions like listening, understanding and engaging keep one calm and safe.  Social engagement is the most evolved response to a stressful situation. 
c.    When the above two responses fail, body develops the least evolved response of immobilization. You land in an angry and panic-stricken stuck zone leading to a life threatening situation. 

What are the effects of stress?

Our nervous system does not differentiate between a normal stress situation and life threatening situation. So the body reacts in similar way in both situations. Repeated stress exposures result in increased blood pressure, malfunction of digestive system, increased chances of heart attack and stroke and a number of mental problems.  Sleep disorders, depression, migraine, allergies, asthma,  heart diseases, weight problems, over eating and stomach ailments are some of the major negative side effects of stress.  Unreasonable worry, poor decisions, negative attitude, sense of loneliness and isolation, general sadness,  agitated mood and disorder heart beats are some of the symptoms of stress. 

How can we control stress?

Our ability to cope up with stress depends on the quality of life, support from friends and family and healthy routines.  Major factors that enable us to fight stress are 
•    Social circles and support from family and friends
•    Regular exercise  and engaging in hobbies
•    Diet with a proper mix of vegetables, fruits and proteins
•    Confidence in oneself  and belief in  own strengths 
•    Positive attitude and outlook
•    Emotional balance
•    Awareness about stressful situations and proper planning to handle them
•    Sufficient rest and  sleep 

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