Guest post by Paula Borba Controlling Stress in Our Daily LivesWhen we talk about the frenetic day-to-day life, full of tasks to be done or current illnesses, the name stress arises somewhere. That's because stress affects about 90% of the world's population, according to international health organizations. But after all, what is stress? Evolution of StressStress is something ancient, with different evolutions. We can say that Man was already living under this greater tension, which is stress when he needed to fight against animals, hunt, and seek survival. There were tribes, guerrillas, and disputes between civilizations until the World War, which is an undeniable fact of great stress and trauma in the population. Today, in a more civilized world, we can say that there are other forms of stress: pursuing good jobs, having a good social status, facing market competitiveness, overload of daily activities, needing to experience a bit of everything, seeking overall life satisfaction. Living with StressIs it possible to live with stress without suffering health damage? Yes, there is the positive side of stress, which is that physiological sensation, in other words, that energy that our body needs to keep us motivated to achieve our goals. It is necessary to learn to recognize if this "stressful" pace allows the individual to maintain good functional performance and engagement in their activities, so we can say that the person is underproductive stress. However, suppose one perceives that the stress level is leading to a loss of quality of life, impairments in functionality and performance, or the emergence of signs or symptoms that did not exist before. In that case, alerting to a possible pathological stress level is good. It is usually associated with prolonged and constant exposure to stress. Physical and Psychological ImpactsWhen stress becomes an illness, we can observe its manifestation in two ways: physical and psychological. The individual may start to experience an excess of physical complaints such as chronic pain, excessive fatigue, muscle tension, changes in bowel function, whether diarrhea or constipation, changes in appetite, either more or less and sleep disturbances, including excessive drowsiness or insomnia. In terms of psychological changes, we may notice anxiety, distress, lack of joy in daily life, disinterest in things they used to enjoy, easy crying, irritability, and loss of sexual interest, among others. At this point, it will probably be necessary to reevaluate one's life, make lifestyle changes, distance oneself from potentially stressful situations, and sometimes seek the help of a mental health professional or related fields such as lifestyle medicine and psychology. Managing StressWhat could be done to avoid being affected by the stressful daily life? It's essential to understand each person's limit. A certain pace of life may be stressful for someone but not for another. Seeking to prioritize one's life and following more or less a schedule can help avoid overextending oneself with tasks and commitments. Striving to balance daily life with moments of rest, leisure activities, physical exercise, healthy foods, and sound, restful sleep are strategies to escape stress. Do you think you'll need to set aside such special moments or large spaces in your schedules to put good moments on your agenda? Not exactly; it's simpler: noticing yourself is essential. Stop! Notice how you're feeling. This can be done with small breaks in your day, like stopping to move your body, stretch, and have some water, tea, or coffee. Stand up for 5 to 10 minutes, enjoy a beautiful view beside you, and appreciate nature and a sunset. Your brain will stop the autopilot stimulus and reconnect with yourself. Processes like these are scientifically proven to generate adequate well-being substances called neurotransmitters. After these breaks, you'll return to your tasks with more energy, physical and mental disposition, concentration, and even new ideas! After all, our brain must relax to retain new information and perform well. Take care of your body and mind, always! One is the language of the other. In stress, our body speaks when we don't perceive it mentally. Pay attention to your limits, take care of yourself, and love yourself more daily! This way, you'll use stress's positive side to make significant lifestyle changes! Enjoy and start now!
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AuthorArielle Haughee is the owner and founder of Orange Blossom Publishing. Categories
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