Stress Management and Health

Many people are becoming aware that the state of mind we are in has a direct bearing on our overall state of health and well-being. Stressful emotions can sometimes seem to just ‘take over’. Uncomfortable and painful symptoms in the body start to show up as a result. Symptoms of stress show up as all kinds of aches and pains. As we are emotionally stressed, so we are physically stressed in turn. And some of these physical challlenges can become chronic and lead to illness and even eventually, death.

It occurs when we feel like we cannot handle a certain situation, or that the situations we cannot handle are becoming too many. We can feel overwhelmed by anxieties, fears and worries. This is when learning stress management techniques could be very useful. When we are living in a constant state of fear, worry or anxiety our body ses this as a threat. It reacts to it the way it does when we are subjected to an actual physical attack. The body isn’t aware of any difference between an imagined threat and a real one. The body basically focuses on supplying the systems which are the most “vital” in time of an attack, unfortunately at the expense of other systems. For this reason, it cannot be sustained for any great length of time. This is when we start to suffer the consequences of a body under stress.

How can we prevent the effects of mental stress reaching and damaging the body?

When we take too long thinking about something, our consciousness starts taking less note of the thinking process. Our bodies, on the other hand, do not. This goes some way towards explaining how we can sometimes feel very irritated and quite exhausted when on the surface it looks as though nothing has happened to trigger it.

Keep aware of what is going on in your head, without getting sucked into it.

If you find yourself undergoing a period of stress, allow yourself to acknowledge what you are going through emotionally, mentally and physically, but without going too deeply into it. Acknowledging unhealthy thought processes empowers you to make more positive healthy choices for yourself.At least distract yourself if the issue is out of your control.

A further important point is to be aware of but not to give in to the typical ‘immediate gratification’ desires that arise in response to stress, the sugar fix, the caffeine hit etc. Stress often results in impaired memory and concentration and lower energy levels as the energy is diverted elsewhere. You could find yourself wanting to eat, drink or smoke more in resonse to the stressful events facing you. if you constantly give in to the cravings a dependency for these things might develop which will add further strain to the body.

Being able to cope with stress has a positive impact on your mental well being and overall health. Prolonged periods of stress can develop into depression that may become chronic and feelings of anger that get out of control. Physically, these conditions could lead to fatal results such as heart attack, and socially they would have a dramatic effect on the people surrounded by you.

If your emotions take a hold in your mind, do not let them get to your body. Take some time for yourself to become calm again and re-energize through deep breathing, meditation or listening to some relaxing music.Spending time on yourself can be really beneficial, as long as it is focused on positive re-energizing and not to feed depressive tendencies. Surround yourself with people who can support you and with whom you feel comfortable and open. Push yourself toward any form of self expression, wind down the car windows and scream if you have to. Let the negative stress energy pass without holding onto it to relieve the stress. Let positive, loving enrgy take its place. Find a reason to laugh and leave stress behind.

To find out more about how stress affects health and what you can do to have a healthier, happier life, check out How Does Stress Affect Health