Stress is something that we will all encounter at some point in our life. The degree of stress depends on a lot of things, and some people will feel the effects more than others unfortunately.
It can stem from a lot of places, some of the following being the most common:
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Working too much
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Not sleeping enough
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Moving job
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Moving to a new house
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Divorce
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Losing a job
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Losing a loved one
I could write a list a couple pages long. Something that causes you stress may not necessarily cause someone else stress. It's very individual.
Stress isn’t good for anyone. It also doesn’t discriminate; everyone is susceptible to it and the negative effects it can have on our body and life. We are all aware of the feeling that stress can give us, it's not nice. What’s more worrying however, is the negative effect it can have on our bodies. Let’s have a little bit of a closer look at the negative effects it can have.
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Headaches
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Lack of motivation
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Depression
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Inability to stay or fall asleep
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High blood pressure
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Weaker immune system
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Higher risk of heart attacks
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Increased cortisol levels (this can lead to increased fat gain and muscle loss)
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Tense muscles
I think it's fair to say, none of these look very appealing.
So, what can you do to decrease your stress levels and lead a happier, healthier life?
Exercise – if you don’t already, this should be the first thing you look to do if you are feeling stressed. I don’t just mean the off session (although that can blow off some steam) but a more solid workout program that you can stick to. When you exercise, you release ‘feel good’ hormones and you will also feel an increase in fitness, as well as seeing positive body changes if you stick to it long enough with a good diet. This can be very rewarding.
Sleep more – sleep is so underrated. I say it all the time. It can fix so many problems, way before you reach for the cabinet full of pills. When you sleep, your body repairs itself. It repairs your muscles, replenishes your batteries and resets your body to a healthy state ready for the next day. But only if you get enough of it. If your sleep schedule sucks, look at it and improve it. Exercising regularly will also help you sleep better.
Take a break from alcohol, caffeine and smoking – after a stressful day it's very common to head for your favourite drink or have a smoke. However, this is doing more damage than it is good. Instead of doing either of these, start to replace it with exercise of some kind.
Keep a stress diary – this is a great technique to use, if you act on it. At the end of each day, write down anything that you feel has stressed you out that day, no matter how big or small. At the end of each week do a review of what has stressed you out and see if there is any way you can reduce these stressors next week.
Eat healthier – ditch the fast food and make sure you are eating a healthy diet. Your diet can play a huge role in how you are feeling mentally and physically.
Drink more water – do you know if your body is only 3% dehydrated then it can affect how you feel emotionally and how you perform mentally and physically? If you aren’t fully hydrated, you are decreasing your body’s ability to perform optimally and not giving yourself the best chance to defend against stress.
I don’t know anyone who enjoys being stressed. Make sure you are taking the right steps towards limiting the amount you have in your life.
