Stress is the body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When danger is sensed or perceived, the body’s defenses kick in a rapid automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction or the “stress response”. The “stress response” is the body’s way of protecting you, when the “stress response” works properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert.
Stress can also help you meet challenges, like keeping you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpening your concentration when you’re attempting a game or trying to get a job done, driving you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching television, but beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.
Stress is dangerous because it can easily creep up on you, you get used to it, it becomes familiar and you don’t notice how much you are affected even as it takes a heavy toll. That is why it is very important to be aware of the common warning signs and symptoms of stress overload. Symptoms could range from cognitive to emotional, physical to behavioral, some of which includes: Memory problems, inability to concentrate, constant worrying, depression or general unhappiness, anxiety and agitation, moodiness/ irritability/ or anger, aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, frequent colds or flu, eating more or less, sleeping too much or too little, using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax.
Because of the damage stress can cause it is important to know your limit. Too much stress and too little stress is dependent on the individual. Here are a few lifestyle choices you can take to manage stress: It is advised to get a healthy eating diet, exercise regularly, prioritize things, learn to recognize when you are stressed, rest and talk to someone about it.
