Some Common Signs and Tips to Fight Against Stress

Stress can be defined as a biological response to any kind of threat. It occurs due to hormones and chemicals surging in the body. Sometimes stress can help to respond to certain problems but facing too much stress can cause health issues. It triggers the fight-or-flight response of a person. After a particular response, the body must feel relaxed. But having constant stress can cause negative effects.

Is stress always bad?

No, having stress is not always bad. Stress can be helpful for survival like avoiding accidents or meeting deadlines at work etc. From teenagers to adults, everyone can face stress at some point in life. The stress can vary from person to person. Not all types of stress are bad. Most people face some stress on their wedding day, but it is common. Facing temporary stress is normal but having prolonged stress can cause mental and physical harm.

What are stress hormones?

Stress is a biological response to a dangerous and ungreat situation. When a person faces stress, the body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Due to this, the heart starts beating fast and sends more blood to muscles and organs. 

Whenever a person senses any kind of danger, the hypothalamus starts reacting and sending nerve and hormone signals to the adrenal glands. These hormones prepare the body for any kind of danger. Due to these hormones, the body faces various changes:

1. Increased heartbeat
2. Increased breathing date
3. Contract blood vessels
4. Stimulate respiration
5. Reduce insulin production

The immediate surge in adrenaline can cause various negative effects on the body:

1. High blood pressure 
2. Damaged blood vessels
3. Anxiety
4. Weight gain
5. Insomnia
6. Headaches
7. Risk of stroke or heart attack 

Types of stress

Acute stress

Acute stress is very common and occurs in everyone. It is a normal and immediate reaction of the body toward any challenging situation. This stress appears when you are about to get the results or riding a roller coaster, etc. Acute stress can be a thrill while skiing or playing any adventure sport. This type of stress does not cause any harm and might provide a thrilling experience. Once the situation passes, the body returns to its normal state. But sometimes people with lots of acute stress can face PTSD or other types of mental conditions. 

Episodic acute stress

It is a condition where the person faces frequent episodes of acute stress. This problem appears when the person starts worrying about what may happen next. The person starts thinking about the condition often and faces episodic acute stress. People with professions like firefighters, law enforcement, etc may face this type of stress. It can cause problems with physical and mental health.

Chronic stress

This is a condition where the person is facing high-stress levels for a long time. Chronic stress can have lots of negative impacts on the body. This type of stress can cause issues such as depression, anxiety, social phobia, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and a weak immune system. You should get a social phobia treatment Pennsylvania to prevent future issues.

Common causes behind stress

1. Living in a natural or manmade disaster
2. Surviving a life-threatening illness or accident
3. Living a chronic illness like cancer
4. Being a victim of any crime
5. Issues in a family or relationship
6. Poor financial status
7. Having a dangerous profession
8. Long working hours
9. No work-life balance

Common symptoms of stress

1. Chronic pain
2. Lower sex drive
3. Overeating
4. Poor eating
5. Difficulty in concentrating
6. Poor decision making
7. Fatigue
8. Insomnia
9. Other sleeping issues

Stress ulcer

A stomach ulcer is a type of peptic ulcer that causes soreness on the lining of the stomach. This occurs due to the long-term use of NSAIDs, rare types of cancers, and tumors. This type of physical stress can affect the physical body. You can face physical stress due to any surgical procedure, any long-term injury, any trauma, etc.

Stress headache

Stress headaches are commonly known as tension headaches. These headaches appear when the muscles in the head, face, or next get tensed. Common symptoms of stress headaches are mild or moderate head pain, tenderness of the scalp, and a band of pressure around the forehead. Certain things can trigger stress headaches like long working hours and issues in the family etc. 

Best ways to relieve stress

Increase your physical activity

A person can face stress due to a lack of physical activity. Sitting and thinking all day can worsen stress issues. You can remove the stress by increasing aerobic exercises. Engage yourself in more physical activities. You can start jogging, running, swimming, etc. A daily routine of 30 minutes of exercise or any physical activity can decrease stress levels.

Eat healthily

Your diet affects your health a lot. A poor diet can lead to poor mental health. Some research shows that having ultra-processed food with added sugar can increase stress levels. When a person is stressed, he often starts eating highly processed food to lighten up the mood. It might help to reduce stress temporarily but can cause other harm. You may start facing acute stress often. To manage your stress, you should start having a healthy diet. Eat whole food including veggies, fruits, fish, nuts, grains, seeds, etc.

Reduce the screen time

One of the common causes of stress is watching too much screen. Today computers and phones have become unavoidable gadgets of life. You can’t stop using these gadgets. But if you are facing stress then you should try to reduce screen time. Do not use your phone when you are not doing any important work. Also, avoid using your phone on your bed. It not only increases stress but also reduces your sleep hours. Avoid keeping a TV in your bedroom. These screens can increase stress levels and other mental issues.

Practice self-care

Self-care can be very helpful in reducing stress levels. You can practice any kind of thing like walking outside, getting a massage, reading a book, lighting candles, having a good dinner, sauna bath, etc. You can also try aromatherapy. The scent of essential oils like rose, lavender, bergamot, geranium, etc can help in reducing the stress level.