For Fast-Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
By Hannah Boesche
What does your body feel when you hear words like exams, finals, projects, or presentations? More than likely you tense up and feel stress. We’ve all experienced stress whether it was positive or negative. Some people have minor stress and some on the other hand suffer from chronic stress. Many people don’t realize the impact on your body when you are experiencing stress. In this blog, I will be explaining what stress and how short-lived and chronic stress can have an impact on your body. Lastly, I will end with some tips and tricks to help you get out of your stressful mindset.
What is stress? According to MedlinePlus “Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But when stress lasts for a long time, it may harm your health”. Stress is a natural reaction, in both the mind and the body. The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Our bodies feel positive stress like keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. Stress can become negative when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.
Short-lived minor stress can have an impact on you. How you handle it can determine the impact it takes on your body. Symptoms of minor stress are stomachache, racing heart, and sweaty palms to just name a few. Fortunately, your body can handle acute stress far better than chronic stress since it typically goes away quicker. The major distinction between minor stress and chronic stress is the duration of the stressful period. Typically, short-term stress lasts for a period of minutes to hours.
On the other hand, stress can also be chronic. Chronic stress is a type of stress that interferes with your ability to live a normal life. According to AFC “This is the type of stress that seems never-ending and can negatively impact your health”. Symptoms of chronic stress include depression, anxiety, moodiness, anger, isolation, and more. According to the APA “The longer the stress the worse it gets for your mind and body”. Studies have shown that sudden emotional stressors, especially anger, can trigger heart attacks and even death. Chronic stress can cause disease, a decline in your mental health, and an impact on your home and work environment.
According to the NASD, “Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. Stress can interfere with your physical functioning and bodily processes. High blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease have been linked to stress factors. Other stress-related ailments include ulcers, allergies, asthma, and migraine headaches. Most health professionals agree stress can be a contributing factor in making existing medical problems worse”. Chronic stress can cause disease, a decline in your mental health, and an impact on your home and work environment.
Today, “two-thirds of US adults have higher stress levels at work in the past year than they were five years ago”, according to a new Korn Ferry survey. If you find yourself in a stressful period in your life, find ways that help to reduce your stress. One example to reduce your stress would be to identify what’s causing your stress. Monitor your state of mind throughout the day. If you feel stressed, write down the cause, your thoughts, and your mood. Another way to reduce stress is to build strong relationships. Reach out to family members or close friends and let them know you’re having a tough time. Lastly, a great way to reduce stress is to rest your mind. According to APA, “stress keeps more than 40% of adults lying awake at night. Research shows that activities like yoga and relaxation exercises not only help reduce stress, but also boost immune functioning.”
Stress is a normal human function. However, if you feel it getting out of control, get help. There are many different resources you can utilize to help alleviate your symptoms. Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel better right now, but it may also protect your long-term health.
References
American Psychological Association. (2013). How stress affects your health. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/health
Joey, S. (2019, April 15). What is the difference between chronic and acute stress? AFC Urgent Care. https://www.afcurgentcarehixsontn.com/what-is-the-difference-between-chronic-and-acute-stress/
Korn Ferry. (2021, April). Workplace stress continues to Mount. Korn Ferry. https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/workplace-stress-motivation
National Ag Safety Database. (2019). Stress management for the health of it. NASD. https://nasdonline.org/1445/d001245/stress-management-for-the-health-of-it.html
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2020). Stress and your health: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm