Stress: how to deal with it?

Stress is a natural reaction and an automatic response to the events that make us feel threatened, fearful or upset our balance in some way. Faced with danger, the body kicks into gear, flooding the body with hormones that elevate our heart rate, increase our blood pressure, boost our energy and prepare us to deal with the problem. The stress response is mainly considered as an emergency action. After sensing fear or threat, a nervous system of a human body releases stress hormones which prepare body for the emergency action. 

Rising of blood pressure, pounding of heart at higher rate, being shorter to breath, and senses becoming more sharp etc. are the reactions in response to stress. Increased strength and stamina speeds up the reaction time and enhances focus preparing us to either flee from or fight with the situation.

Signs of stress:

• Negativity
• Memory  related problems
• Unable to concentrate
• Anxiety
• Unhappiness
• Sense of isolation
• Agitation
• Sleep problems
• Aches
• Digestive problems
• Dizziness and frequent cold related infections
• Nervousness
• Irritation and anger related issues
• Weight issues

In order to avoid short term and long term health problems, reducing and managing your stress is the must. Here are some points which could help in reducing stress levels.

• Identify the stress causing problem and develop a plan to address it. Imagine its importance, for example, 'if done what happens, if not, what happens'. Then branching out, deal with the problem specifically eliminating the non-essential points.
• Manage your anger related issues. Since, short temper is a contributing factor for increasing stress levels, walk away or back off from the situation where you think you cannot control your anger anymore.
• Building a strong relationship can reduce the level of stress since talking about your hard time to someone close to you like your family members will help you to get rid of unnecessary stressful situations.
• Get enough of rest because lack of proper relaxation time enhances the stress level in the body.
• Learn to accept the things you cannot change. There are many invincible situations in life that you can do nothing about. So learn to accept the things you cannot do anything about, this helps in management of stress in an efficient way.
• Develop healthy eating habits and exercise regularly, at least for 30 minutes per day. Working out regularly releases a hormone called endorphin which reacts against the pain and stress mechanism of the body.