Understanding and managing stress (adapted from APS- Australian Psychological Society)
What is stress?
Stress is often described as a feeling of being overloaded, wound-up, tense and worried. We all experience stress at times. It can sometimes help to motivate us to get a task finished, or perform well. But stress can also be harmful if we become over-stressed, and it interferes with our ability to get on with our normal life for too long.
What are the signs of stress?
When we face a stressful event, our bodies respond by activating the nervous system and releasing hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol. These hormones cause physical changes in the body which help us to react quickly and effectively to get through the stressful situation. This is sometimes called the 'fight or flight' response. The hormones increase our heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, metabolism and muscle tension. Our pupils dilate and our perspiration rate increases. Some symptoms of stress include:
- Failure to concentrate
- Poor judgment
- Memory problems
- Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
- Low immune system
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Loss or extra gain of appetite
- Moodiness or feeling tearful
- Depression, anxiety
- Weakened immune system
- Anger, irritability
- Upset stomach, indigestion, diarrhoea
Tips on how to manage everyday stress.
Identify your warning signs
These vary from person to person. For you they may include, tensing your jaw shoulder, neck or head pain, tearfulness or irritability.
Identify triggers
You may have some already identified triggers; things that you know will raise your stress levels and make it more difficult for you to manage. If you know them, you can anticipate them and calm yourself down beforehand, or even remove the trigger (if possible). Triggers can include, late nights, certain people, hunger or being overtired.
Establish routines
Having a predictable rhythm to your life can be calming and reassuring. These can include:
- Regular times for exercise and relaxation
- Regular meal times, waking and bedtimes
- Planning ahead to do particular jobs on set days of the week
Spend time with People who care
Spend time with friends and family that you find uplifting (sometimes friends and family can be the source of stress, so try and minimize this contact). Share your thoughts and feeling with others and don't bottle it up
Look after your health
Make sure you are eating healthily and getting regular exercise. Take time out from your busy life for some calmness, such as listening to music, having a bath, taking a walk. Avoid using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs as a method for reducing stress.
Notice your 'self-talk'
When we are stressed, sometimes we say negative things over and over in our head. Statements like, "I'm too busy," "I can't cope," "It's not fair," if repeated can make you even more stressed. Use more helpful statements like, "I'm coping pretty well, given all I have on at the moment," "breathe easy," or "Life just isn't fair sometimes."
Practise relaxation
Make time to relax and allow your whole nervous system to settle and readjust. Things like, yoga, gardening, listening to music, reading a book can all help you reduce your stress levels. Also, check out the PeopleSense blog on Meditation and see if this is something you are interested in.
High levels of stress, if continued, can interfere with you ability to enjoy a healthy life If you have any concerns related to your current symptoms e.g. poor sleep, negative thought patterns, low mood, etc, contact PeopleSense on (08) 9388 9000 and we can talk about whether psychological treatment or counselling will be of benefit to you.