What is stress? How does it effects on human health?

Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension which is necessary for survival and can negatively impact a person’s body. Many different situations or life events can cause stress on the human body. Stress is triggered when we experience something new, unexpected, or that threatens our sense of self or when we feel we have little control over a situation.

Feeling Stress at Work
Feeling Stress at Working period (Source: Pexels)

Sometimes, stress plays a positive role: it can help us push through fear or pain so we can run a marathon or deliver a speech. For example, stress can help you meet daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals.

However, if you take too much stress it can cause negative effects on your health. Too much stress can leave us in a permanent state of fight or flight, leaving us overwhelmed or unable to cope. Long-term stress can affect our physical and mental health.

What things make us stressed?

Many more things can lead to stress, such as divorce or separation, losing a job, or unexpected money problems. Work-related stress can also have a negative impact on the mental health of the workers. 

It promotes our positive life, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holidays can be sources of stress. Feeling stressed in these situations you may struggle to understand why or be unwilling to share your feeling with others.

What are the major signs of stress?

How you might feel:-

You may feel:

  • anxious
  • afraid
  • angry or aggressive
  • sad
  • irritable
  • frustrated
  • depressed.

How you might behave:- 

You may behave:

  • be indecisive or inflexible
  • be tearful
  • have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep
  • experience sexual problems
  • smoke, drink alcohol or take drug more than usual.

How your body might react:-

If you stressed, you may experience these problems:

  • headaches
  • nausea
  • shallow breathing or hyper-ventilating
  • sweating
  • heart palpitations
  • aches and pains

Who is most affected by stress?

Some people are more likely to experience these stressful situations than others. For examples:

  • people with a lot of financial problems are more likely to be stressed about money.
  • people with disabilities or long-term health conditions are more likely to be stressed about their health or about stigma associated with their condition.

How can you help yourself?

  • Recognize when stress is a problem: This is more important to connect the physical and emotional signs you’re experiencing to the pressures you are faced with. Don’t ignore physical warning signs, such as tense muscles, tiredness, headaches or migraines.
  • Build supportive relationships: Choose close friends and family who can offer help and practical advice can support you in managing mental stress. Joining a club or a yoga class can help to expand your social network and encourage you to do something different. Some activities like volunteering can change your perspective and have a beneficial impact on your mood.
  • Eat healthier foods: A healthy diet can improve energy in your body. Getting enough nutrients (including essential vitamins, minerals etc) and water can help your mental well-being.
  • Be aware of your smoking and drinking behavior: Cut down of your smoking and drinking behavior if you can. They may seem to reduce mental stress but actually make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can increase feelings of anxiety.
  • Exercise: Physical exercise can help reduce the effects of stress by producing endorphins that boost your mood. 

Get professional help:

If you continue to feel uneasy by stress, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. It doesn’t mean you are a failure. It is important to get help as soon as possible so you can start feel better. Talk to your consultant about how you’re feeling. They should be able to advise you on treatment and may refer you for further help.