Stress. We’ve all experienced that feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with pressure at some point in our lives. Some of us more than others.
To learn how to cope with and manage stress, we first need to better understand it. Stress is a feeling that arises as an emotional or physical response to an event or thought that causes us some amount of challenge or demand.
While it gets a bad rap, stress is not always inherently “bad”. In short bursts, it can be positive. For example, when faced with a big exam or major project at work, stress can drive you to study, prepare and meet deadlines. Cumulative, long term stress however can lead to more complicated conditions such as anxiety, depression and difficulty sleeping.
The harmful effects of unmanaged stress
Acute stress, or short-term stress, can come and go quickly. Brought on by dangerous or exciting situations, acute stress is extremely common and can often have a positive impact. It’s when we experience stress over a long period of time, chronic stress, that may lead to health problems.
What can contribute to chronic stress?
Ongoing challenges with finances, relationships, work, school, or other stressors that exist for weeks, months or longer can cause chronic stress. If you are constantly in a state of stress — heightened/hyper arousal — things can escalate and impact several areas of your life.
Signs and impact of chronic stress
Sleep disturbance, disruptions in daily functioning, withdrawing from social situations or school, work or home responsibilities, anxiety, and depression — a domino effect occurs if you will. Constantly feeling overwhelmed and as though life is unmanageable can be an early warning sign of chronic stress.
Because your body’s response to stress is chemical, chronic stress can also put you at an increased risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, acne and menstrual problems.
4 Tips to Help Manage Stress
1. Sleep Hygiene
Getting a good night’s sleep is so important. But, it may not be as simple to achieve as just laying your head down on a pillow at night.
Good sleep hygiene means creating the right bedroom environment and daily routines that support consistent sleep. Tailor your sleep hygiene routines to your needs. Try maintaining a steady schedule or creating a relaxing, distraction-free bedroom environment.
2. Physical Activity
Physical activity does more than just impact your body, exercise can also help your mental health. Exercise regulates the secretion of dopamine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters linked to treating depression.
Maintaining a regular exercise routine can help improve your mood and promote better sleep, while reducing stress and anxiety. Good for your body and your brain.
3. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention to the present. Practicing mindfulness can help us deal with potentially high stress situations as well as manage daily stress.
Not sure how to get started practicing mindfulness? Try a 5-minute guided mindfulness meditation on YouTube. It’s a few minutes a day to help you objectively check in and ground yourself.
4. Create Healthy Boundaries
By learning how to create healthy boundaries in your life, you can help ensure that you are not generally overextending yourself. Perhaps it’s setting boundaries in relationships or in managing your work-life balance. Or maybe it’s in prioritizing your exercise regimen or time management. Remember, there’s only so much of you to go around.
Stress is a part of life. There will always be sudden events that occur like the death of a loved one, parenting challenges, illness, etc that are out of your control or you can’t extract yourself from. We all need to learn to tolerate a certain amount of distress to manage life’s more uncomfortable moments. But, by developing healthy coping skills and daily routines of self-care, you’ll be better prepared to manage the stress of life’s many curveballs.
Having trouble managing stress and anxiety and looking for a little guidance on how to navigate it? Contact me at Balderman Wellness or visit my advice page ‘Ask Lisa Balderman’ on Instagram to submit a question.