Stress Management-3 Steps to Manage Stress| UNWIND

Stress management is a widely used term consisting of techniques and therapies that help you control and manage stress and keep it at healthy levels required for normal functioning. Different people use different techniques to manage stress because stressors are different for everyone. Moreover, everyone has a different personality, cultural background, life experiences, and coping style. 

To find out how you can reduce stress, let's know about the stress first. 

What is Stress?

Stress is your body's natural response to threat or danger, whether imagined or real. Whenever you anticipate or experience threats, the natural response of your body, the "fight or flight" response kicks in. During the "fight or flight" response, as the name suggests, your body prepares itself to fight a certain situation or flee from it. 

The body prepares itself by dilating the pupils, increasing the blood flow, using the stored sugar levels, and much more. After the threat, your body brings itself back to a normal state. Thus, you can say that normal levels of stress are necessary for our normal daily functioning. Moreover, such stress is also essential for survival. For instance, if you are going to an unknown place, you will take the necessary precautions to be safe, but if you are not stressed about it and are relaxed, you will not do anything that will save you if something dangerous happens. 

A question that emerges here is, if stress is beneficial, then why it is harmful, and why it is important to learn to manage and reduce stress. Let's know why. 

Why is stress harmful?

You may know very well that, anything that goes beyond normal is harmful. Similarly, if stress stays for long, your body will stay in the fight or flight response all the time, not coming back to its normal, relaxed state. Imagine what happens when you stretch a rubber band for a long time. It gets lost right! In the same way, your body's systems get damaged if it stays under stress for long periods. That is why it is necessary to manage stress. 

Symptoms of stress:

Symptoms of anxiety and stress are somewhat similar. Stress can be identified by its physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms.  

Physiological Effects of Stress:

• Low energy
• Tense muscles
• Chest pain
• Rapid heart rate
• Upset stomach
• Nervousness
• Reduced sexual desire

Cognitive Effects of Stress:

• Racing thoughts
• Poor judgment
• Constant worrying
• Forgetfulness
• Disorganization

Behavioral Effects of Stress:

• Nervous Behaviors such as fidgeting or pacing
• Drug abuse/alcohol
• Procrastination
• Isolation
• Avoidance

What is the difference between anxiety and stress?

Another question that may come to your mind is, what is the difference between anxiety and stress, as both seem similar. Well! Stress is a response to some stressors, whereas, anxiety is the stress response. Anxiety is the constant worry and anticipation of threat, or perceived threat in the future. In anxiety, you keep on worrying about the stressor and find ways to avoid it. In the long run, anxiety changes your thinking and behavior, affecting your normal functioning. 

Anxiety and stress are helpful if both are under control. Otherwise, they may have harmful effects on your body, mental health, cognition, and your behavior. 

Stress Management Techniques:

To manage stress, you must keep the following three steps in your mind:

• Identify your stressors:

As the life of everyone is different, so does the stressors. If you don't know what is the reason for your stress, how can you reduce the stress caused by it? Therefore, you must observe the stressors such as what, why, when, and how something stresses you, and write them down. Once you have identified your stressors, the next step is to find ways to manage the stress caused by them. 

• Find ways to reduce stress:

Eliminate the stressor:

One way to reduce stress is to eliminate the stressor from your life. In some cases, it is difficult to eliminate stress at all, then you need to learn ways to manage the stress and try to eliminate it when possible. 

Don't Procrastinate:

Procrastination is one of the reasons that causes stress because you don't handle the situation at once. Try to deal with things as they happen because procrastination leads to building up emotions and unsolved problems that result in increased stress. 

Sleep and eat healthily:

We all know that an appropriate amount of sleep is very important for our normal functioning because our body needs rest. If you keep on using your body beyond its limit, it is going to malfunction. Similarly, to perform well, your body needs healthy food at the proper time. Therefore, make sure you sleep properly and eat healthily if you want to be happy and at your optimal mental and physical health.

Schedule worry time:

Scheduling worry time means you need to take some time, for instance, 15 minutes, and assign that time to think about what causes you to worry, analyze, and find solutions to your problems. by doing this, you won't spend your entire day worrying about different things, of which most are usually useless. 

Meditate daily:

Daily meditation makes you calm, and focused and brings peace to your life.

Exercise daily:

When you exercise daily, that physical activity keeps your body healthy by breaking down chemicals that result in increased stress. Moreover, your body utilizes energy and keeps you energetic. 

Manage time:

When you organize your life and manage your time, you become more productive and less stressed. Declutter your mind by categorizing and organizing your thoughts, feelings, and your life. You can make a Self-Improvement Plan to be focused and organized. Also, don't forget to do what you love. It can be anything that makes you feel happy and accomplished such as dancing, listening to music, cooking, etc. 

• Take Action:

After you have identified the stressor and found ways to reduce stress, it is time to use these stress management techniques and make necessary changes in your life, to manage stress. Try to be clear, and don't overwhelm yourself with comparisons and unrealistic standards. 

Conclusion:

Although stress is a natural response, if left unchecked, it can seriously affect your life. Make sure you take time for yourself and when you feel overwhelmed and occupied, try the mentioned stress management techniques to manage stress. And if stress is getting worse, contact a therapist immediately.