Stress Awareness
The question is, can you avoid stress? No! As long as you are alive on God’s green earth, you are going to be under one level of stress or the other. So, the best thing you can do for yourself right now is to know how to manage it.
Firstly, what is stress?
This stress that everybody’s talking about is simply your body’s way of responding to an event or condition that it thinks will harm your life. Basically, there are three kinds;
Acute Stress
Episodic Acute Stress
Chronic Stress
Acute stress is the result of the daily pressures and demands we all face. Acute stress only lasts for a short period e.g., a rush of customers over the lunchtime period, getting a report finished against a tight time deadline.
Episodic acute stress occurs when acute stress is experienced frequently. Having to deal with so many deadlines in a short time, over and over again is an example. If you have episodic acute stress, you may feel like you are always under pressure or that things are always going wrong.
Chronic stress can result when a person is subjected to persistent stress. It could be due to an unhappy relationship or everyday traffic. The accumulated stress that develops from the various stressors experienced can lead to serious physical or psychological illness.
Now that we have explained the types of stress, let us identify the common stress triggers.
- Work hassle
Sometimes, the pressure at work can be overwhelming- pending emails, deadlines, or that angry boss that’s never satisfied. Over time, trying to deal with everything can cause stress.
- Sapa.
Of course, we’re all familiar with this one.
- Relationship problems.
Some of you are in relationships that you probably should not be in and you’re always fighting. Those things are adding to your stress.
- Loss of a loved one.
- Stress could be due to a car accident or any form of natural disaster.
Stress can be caused by any of these factors and much more, so you must identify what may be causing you stress and can tackle it.
Now that we have explained the types of stress, let us identify the common stress triggers.
- Work hassle
- Sapa.
- Relationship problems.
- Loss of a loved one.
- Stress could be due to a car accident or any form of natural disaster.
Let’s talk about how stress affects you.
During stress, three main hormones are secreted; Epinephrine, Norepinephrine, and Cortisol.
Epinephrine and Norepinephrine are hormones that prepare you for fighting or flying- you either want to run or you want to fight. These hormones make your muscles tense, they increase your blood pressure, and you notice that your heart rate increases. That’s why you notice that Lagos drivers, who get stressed, are always ready to fight, you know-fight or flight!
Now, the major hormone in stress that you should be careful about is the hormone we call cortisol. Cortisol, normally, removes all the glucose in your body system so that you can have the energy to fight. But if it’s too much, cortisol starts to increase your appetite. You notice that you start reaching for dense calorie foods- pizza, junk, meat pie, soda, and the like. You just keep reaching for those sugary foods so that your body can replenish its energy. This feeling is one we commonly describe as stress-eating and it often leads to weight gain and metabolic syndromes, so you know!
Cortisol can also affect the inner lining and then when it affects the inner lining, if you have something called atherosclerosis, it can block certain important blood vessels in your heart and either lead to a stroke or a heart attack. So, my dear, these are just a few of the things that stress can do to you.
How do you now manage it?
Control your emotions.
You need to understand that certain things are out of your control. For instance, the weather is bad and you’ve been told that your flight will be delayed by a couple of hours. You start shouting, “Do you know how much I paid for this flight?”
This way, you’re spiking your blood pressure, forgetting that there’s nothing you can do in that situation. There are just certain things that are out of your control. The more you keep responding to these things, physically, emotionally, and psychologically, the more you’re going to increase your stress levels.
So, instead of getting angry or fussing over situations you cannot control, take deep breaths and drink water.
How do you now manage it?
Control your emotions.
You need to understand that certain things are out of your control. For instance, the weather is bad and you’ve been told that your flight will be delayed by a couple of hours. You start shouting, “Do you know how much I paid for this flight?”
This way, you’re spiking your blood pressure, forgetting that there’s nothing you can do in that situation. There are just certain things that are out of your control. The more you keep responding to these things, physically, emotionally, and psychologically, the more you’re going to increase your stress levels.
So, instead of getting angry or fussing over situations you cannot control, take deep breaths and drink water.
Exercise.
I know some of you see people that are on the slim side in the gym and wonder;
“Do you want to disappear?”
“What are you looking for in the gym?”
Contrary to the popular opinion that exercise only helps you burn fat, exercise also helps relieve stress.