June 22, 2018
It feels like it happens out of nowhere…one day you’re a student with only simple responsibilities, and then, all of a sudden, you have a home to take care of, bills to pay and people who depend on you. Naturally, all of this adulting can lead to a lot of stress in your daily life.
Did you know that the phrase “stressed out” wasn’t even coined until the 20th century? Let’s face it — society today functions at a much faster pace than it did 50 or 100 years ago. So even though our daily responsibilities haven’t changed much over time, our environment and culture have changed significantly and have contributed to higher-than-ever levels of stress.
Why are we feeling more stressed now?
While there are times that stress can be a good thing, the trouble starts when we have constant or chronic stress and don’t know how to manage it in healthy ways. Frequent stress over time makes us less productive and cranky — and worse, research has shown that chronic stress has a significant effect on our immune system that ultimately shows up as illness. In fact, the following health issues, diseases, and disorders have all been linked to stress:
• Head
— Headaches, dizziness, grinding teeth
• Mind
— Anxiety, depression, anger and panic disorders, substance abuse,
addiction
• Heart
— Increased heart rate, stroke, heart disease, hypertension,
arrhythmias
• Gut
— Digestive disorders, abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers
• Weight
— Weight gain, obesity, diabetes types 1 and 2
• Other
— Chronic fatigue, insomnia, muscle tension, fibromyalgia, asthma,
sexual dysfunction, skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis)
The good news: You can control the extent to which stress affects you if you learn to recognize the symptoms.
We can control how we respond to stress by first becoming aware of our body’s response to it (e.g., tightened/tense muscles, increased heart rate, quicker breathing). If you can quickly recognize your body’s stress response, you can use stress management techniques to diffuse the stress. Here’s how:
While you can eliminate some stressors that are within your control, you will inevitably come across stressful situations, big and small. But if you can learn to recognize how your body responds to stress and practice applying stress management techniques when those moments arise, you’ll have a chance at lessening the toll that stress has on your body and staying healthier over time.
This article was originally published on IBX Insights.
I’ve always enjoyed learning about health and wellness topics and believe in the approach of making small changes consistently. But now the stakes are higher as I attempt to raise two little ones and impart healthy habits for nutrition, exercise, and mental health. As a copywriter at IBX, I enjoy working with other health-minded people to get new ideas and keep me on track. Outside of work, I love to spend time outside, cook, bake, and catch up on my favorite TV shows after I tuck my kids in for the night.
