What Is Stress

Most people are not aware what stress actually means! The word 'stress' is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as "a state of affair involving demand on physical or mental energy". Stress is a condition or circumstance (not always adverse), which can disturb the normal physical and mental health of an individual. 

In medical parlance 'stress' is defined as a perturbation of the body's homeostasis. This demand on mind-body occurs when it tries to cope with incessant changes in life. A 'stress' condition seems 'relative' in nature. Acute stress can prove to be quite detrimental to the human health, but according to most psychologists, stress in moderation is normal and, in many cases, proves to be quite useful.

 Stress, nonetheless, is synonymous with negative conditions. Today, with the rapid diversification of human activity, we come face to face with numerous causes of stress and the symptoms of stress and depression.

During challenging situations, the brain prepares the body for protective or defensive action—the fight or flight reaction by secreting stress hormones, viz. adrenaline and cortisone. These hormones raise the blood pressure and the body prepares to react to the situation. With a tangible defensive action i.e. fight response the supply of stress hormones gets used up in our blood stream, leading to a certain levels of reduced stress and anxiety.

When we fail to counter a stress situation (flight response) the hormones and chemicals remain unreleased in the blood stream for a long period of time. This results in stress related physical symptoms such as tense muscles, unfocused anxiety, dizziness and rapid heartbeats. 

We all come across diverse types of stressors in our day to day life, which can accumulate, if not released in an orderly fashion. Subsequently, stress compels the mind and body to be in an almost constant alarm-state in preparation to fight or flee. This state of accumulated stress can increase the risk of both acute and chronic psychosomatic illnesses and weaken the immune system of the human body.

Just about everybody, children as well as adults, even unborn infants suffer from stress! Chronic health problems, relationship demands, pressure at workplaces, traffic snarls, meetings, project deadlines, growing-up tensions or a sudden bearish trends in the bourse can trigger stress.

 People react to stress in their own ways. In certain people, stress-induced anxieties persist for a very long time and they intensify as time passes. Learning the intricacies of stress management can help you deal with counter effects of this detrimental condition.

Stress can cause migraines or headaches, stomach problems, eating disorder, allergies, insomnia, backaches, frequent cold and fatigue to diseases such as asthma, hypertension, heart ailments, diabetes and even cancer.

The words 'positive' and 'stress' may not often go together. But, there are innumerable instances of athletes rising to the challenge of stress to achieve the unachievable, scientist who are under constant stress work continuously to bring into light the most unthinkable secrets of the phenomenal world by pushing themselves to the limit. Psychologists second the opinion that some 'stress' situations can actually boost our inner potential and can be creatively helpful.

Experts have quoted that stress, in moderate doses, is necessary to embellish our lives.

Stress responses are one of our body's best defense systems against outer and inner dangers. In a risky situation (in case of accidents or a sudden attack on life et al), stress hormones are instantly released by the body to alert out senses in order to become more focused. The body is also prepared to act with increased strength and speed in a pressure situation. It is supposed to keep us sharp and ready for action.

Stress is, perhaps, necessary to occasionally clear cobwebs from our minds while we think. Through a positive approach, stress can help us let go of unwanted thoughts and principle in our life, in turn making us a better person. Very often, at different turning points of life, stress may assert the transitory nature of your experiences, and may prod you to look for the true happiness of life.

Causes of Stress

Causes of stress are very tricky to comprehend as most of us tend to misunderstand its indications. There can be innumerable causes of stress as individuals give distinct responses to same types of stressful situations. Extreme stress situations for an individual may prove to be mild for another, for yet another person the situations might not qualify as serious stress symptoms at all.

 

Stress is often termed as a twentieth century syndrome, born out of man's race towards modern progress and its ensuing complexities. For that matter, causes such as a simple flight delay to managing a teenage child at home can put you under stress.

A stress condition can be real or perceived. Even then, our mind reacts quite similar to both real as well as perceived stress by releasing certain stress related hormones in amounts equal to the stress levels that are experienced. The brain doesn't differentiate between real and imagined stress. You could experience stress while watching a horror movie or when one is apprehensive of facing some imminent danger.

Some of the causes of stress can be summed up in the following manner:

• Life’s situations:
  

Critical occurances in our lives such as chronic health issues, sick children or spouse, death, menopause, divorce, financial troubles, promotions, demotions, competition as well as midlife crisis can be framed as potential causes of stress.

 Even conditions such as prolonged unemployment or a sudden lay-off from a job can leave you under tremendous stress. One just can't wish away difficult situations. Moreover, one has to live through these situations, in the right spirit, to make living a worthwhile experience.

Stress also comes from our personal and social contexts and from our psychological and emotional reactions to such conditioning. Here, our mental and emotional disposition, built over the years, decides whether to accept these situations with a fighting or fleeing spirit. Accordingly, we may either remain under harmful influences of certain causes of stress or even be free from them.

Children and women subjected to mental or physical abuse are known to suffer from tremendous stress symptoms of depression, constant anxiety and burnout. Though anger, fear and other negative emotional reactions are natural and necessary we need to channel them constructively to create a balanced state in our body and mind.

• Right attitude: 
  

It is said that life acts and you react. Our attitude is our reaction to what life hands out to us. A significant amount of stress symptoms can be avoided or aroused by the way we relate to stressors. Stress is created by what we think rather than by what has actually happened. 

For example, adolescents, handling adopted children, retirements, adoption, processing tax audits, or sudden financial drawbacks can be handled effectively by having a relaxed attitude, focused will and preparedness to face the quirks of life positively. Otherwise one tends to feel stressed and reacts in anger and frustration. With a better control of attention one can feel that the world is a more congenial place to live in.

Again, in case of a marital conflict, instead of adopting an accusing and frustrating attitude, one should accept the fact that something is wrong in their understanding of each other’s opinions and should sort it out peacefully.

A right attitude can make a resilient person out of us in the face of stressful situations.

• Genes: 
  

A research article published, suggests: "The psychological state of the mother may affect fetal development." It could be caused by stress induced reduced blood flow through the arteries that feed the uterus. It could also create a mental as well as physical predisposition to certain diseases and behavioral patterns in the later life of a child. 

Specific genes have been identified, which govern the three major endorphin groups in our body that are also know as stress hormones. Hence, our rejoinders when it comes to dealing with emotional as well as physical stress could also be "genetic." In other words, how our parents or great-grandparents responded to stressful situations may in part determine how we handle stress ourselves today! 

Ways To Relieve Stress

Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events that upset our emotional balance to a great extent. We all face different obstacles, challenges in our daily life and this creates pressure, which becomes difficult to handle. You may feel stressed out due to tension, when you are not sure of satisfying others needs, or when you feel overwhelmed. Stress keeps you on toes during if you are planning to appear for tests. 

Stress can be helpful to a certain extent. It can give you a push in the right direction, motivate you to do your best, along with all of this, stress can also help you to stay focused and alert. Nevertheless, when it becomes difficult for you to cope up with this demanding world, you tend experience emotional as well as physical stress. 

There are various stress signs that can be easily identified by us, although, they vary from person to person. Stress can severely affect our body, mind and emotions. Some primary signs of stress are persistent stomach problems, skin outbreaks, and lower back pain. Hypersensitivity or crying jags are also indications of severe stress.

There are number of stress busters that help you relieve stress. Some ways to relieve stress are:

• Take three deep breaths slowly. If you don't feel like meditating or if you don't have the time to do so, just stop for a minute, take a deep breath through your nose, and let the tension drain from your muscles as much as possible. Deep breathing will relax you significantly.
  
• Making decisions and acting on those decisions can be another way to relieve stress. You can resolve everything that is bothering you. Make a list of things you want to do and get going. Sometimes letting things go can be an effective stress buster. Shopping too can be an amazing stress buster.
  
• Relax your tongue. If your teeth hold your tongue tightly, free it up so that it can just rest without tension.
  
• Take a vacation in minutes and visit to all the places you desire by means of creative imagination. You will definitely find peace and happiness through this type of exercise.
  
• Relaxing your facial muscles can be a way to relieve stress and try to maintain this relaxed face throughout the day.
  
• Slow down when you do not require moving very fast.
  
• Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter reduces stress and promotes relaxation.
•  Listen to soothing and uplifting music.
• Enjoy watching a sunset.
  
• Practice progressive relaxation or yoga.
•  Enjoy the aspects of water like bathing or swimming.
• De-stress yourself by talking to family and friends.
• Always do things that you enjoy. When you are totally engrossed in any activity, you won’t   find any room for stressful thoughts. Also, get involved in physical activities.  Physical activities include organizing or decorating your house, playing with the dog, cooking etc. These activities will help you drop your worries and keep a mental balance.
• Spend time with your partner.
• Decide your goals and formulate practical strategies to reach them.
• Go for an outing on a weekend with family or friends. This will definitely help you change your mood and will be a good way to relieve stress.
• Always exercise. The power of exercise acts as an excellent stress buster and  also alleviates our mood during depression.
• Another way to relieve stress is known as forehead release. Place your palm and fingertips on your forehead in a gentle manner. Breathe deeply but slowly. Focus on whatever that is stressing you. Do this for at least three to five minutes to get effective results.
• Another way is to concentrate on the “third eye point”. Shut down your eyes and locate your fingertips on the point between the midst of your eyebrow. Breathe deeply but slowly for about three to five minutes in the same position.  

These are a few ways to relieve stress. If they are taken into consideration, these simple tips will definitely help you reduce your stress as well as other stress- related diseases. 

Stress and Exercise

One of the most overlooked methods of stress management is exercise.  Most people when thinking of stress management automatically think of calming methods or herbal relaxation.  Hard, short and intense exercise can however be a very good stress reliever.  If you are a runner a short 5 km run with 4 by 1 minute intense efforts at 90% efforts can help you relive your level of stress, but leave you feeling not too physically tired and still looking forward to doing the same again the next day.

 Chronic stress however is an altogether different as it is known to accelerate the aging process and can contribute to a variety of different physical problems, which result in continuous muscular aches and pains, naturally dissuading one from physical exercise much to your long term determent.

 Do you know that long-term stress can cause you to age at a faster rate?

 Releasing stress build up through exercise is not only healthy, but can increase how long you live.

A simple intense workout that leaves you feeling a little tired provides plenty of endorphins; a natural drug and pain killer and consequently helps with those continuous niggling plans that are associated with long term stress. And a little sweat does the body and your complexion a lot of good as well.

 The same results can be obtained from kick boxing and medium to intense aerobics. Nevertheless, some of you might need or prefer a more gentle form of exercise such as Tai Chi or joint mobility movements. Many of those who don't regularly exercise use "comfort" foods to deal with stress and that's not the healthiest way to go.

 So don't forget one of the easiest means of managing stress, especially those who are suffering from the effects of chronic stress is to get moving!

Stress Relief

Stress is linked to every disease from cancer to common cold.  Stress causes a person's energy to be disrupted and over the long run also causes recurring physical illnesses which in turn leads to mental imbalance and makes it impossible for a person to take decisions with integrity. There are many techniques that we can use to have instant stress relief.

Short doses of stress can actually work as performance enhancers for few, but continued stress all day, day after day, week after week, cannot help but lead to major health problems. Our culture has become so filled with stress that diseases linked to stress has risen up to unprecedented levels.

You can get instant stress relief if you regularly practice yoga. Yoga's most important ability is to tackle stress. Some special poses acts effective against de-stressors. Keeping this set handy will help you gain immediate sense of control.

Alphabiotics are a breakthrough when it comes to instant stress relief.  It is a therapy that increases your body's ability to overcome, handle and respond negative stress, thereby speeding up avoiding future illness. Alphabiotics helps your body gently realign all the systems towards balance.

Another instant stress relief can be a chair massage. It is a great way to relieve tension and is ideal for the work place or anytime you need a quick way to relax. This massage is carried out for 10 to 15 minutes. Chair massage majorly focuses on shoulders, arms, scalp, back and hips.

Another  instant stress relief that has been excellent till date is the power of happiness. It is important, the way you look at things. It is very important to make happiness, a priority in your life. Also, you need to create positivity all around you to balance-out your negativity. Always make a list of the things that make you happy. Happiness is like a muscle, it gets stronger, the more you exercise it.

Generally, people have the tendency to take shallow breaths which can increase tension to certain levels. Inhaling deeply helps to release toxins through your breath. Getting more oxygen into the body and releasing physical tension are effective ways by which you can achieve instant stress relief.

Also make sure that you get good night's sleep. Not resting can add to your stress levels and sometimes make you feel more overwhelmed.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation program is a technique where you tense and release all of your muscle groups, leaving your body feeling more relaxed afterwards. This can help you feel calmer and also help you understand how to handle complex situations at hand.

Another instant stress relief is to practice appreciation.  Look for three things for which you are grateful and write them on  your calender.  The more you practice appreciating what is good about your life, the bigger your bank account  will become.

Also practicing forgiveness is an instant stress relief. There is nothing you can do about it other than forgiving and moving on to make yourself happy again. Never give unhappy thoughts a home. Let the negativity drift away.

Stress

Stress is an unavoidable part of our regular lives. We cannot do away with it nor can we wish it away. In verity, we may have to figure out ways to deal with it. Coming up with a definition of stress is by no means a simple task. Over the decades, there have been many debates to come upon one conclusion on what stress really is. However, that conclusion still is not unanimous amongst the researcher's fraternity; different researchers have a different perception of stress.  

Stress has been defined in conservative terms as a cause and effect relationship between the body and the environmental factors influencing it. The scientific definition of stress encompasses both the positive as well as the negative effects of stress to define this phenomenon.  A definition states that stress is a condition when a person perceives that “demands exceed the personal resources that the individual can make available.” Stress is a regarded as a medical condition and it can have a serious repercussions. It is thus, very crucial to cope up with it and to accurately pin point the cause of stress. The intensity of stress greatly depends upon the cause of stress. For example, stress could be a combination of stressors related to the work place and an individual’s inability to cope up.

Stress is a critical feature of our everyday lives. Though observed very commonly, it has numerous psycho physiological aspects. Though it sounds scary, what we need to understand is that the brain is the true origin of stress.  In order to have a reaction on the emotional or physical level, the brain must process the happening sin the surroundings and must initiate a perception and appraisal system.

The senses of our body provide the necessary inputs for this perception system. The scary part of the scenario is that the brain need not be provided with ' real' stressors; either of the sensory organs can even perceive stress and communicate as such to the brain. Thus, stress cannot have a definite form since the brain of each person works uniquely and differently. It may not even be possible to uniquely attribute stress to a particular event, since what may be perceived, as a stressor by an individual may not be a potential stressor for someone else.

Stress is known to affect the normal functioning of the body. As a result, it can cause severe illnesses. Some of the known physical signs are a dry mouth and throat, tightening of the neck and back muscles, chronic neck and back pain, indigestion, headaches, muscle tics, tremors, insomnia and fatigue. A wear down of the emotional functioning is also a result of stress. During stress, patients experience a quickening of heartbeats, increase in blood pressure and the body releases adrenaline, which quickens the body's rate of metabolism. If this situation continues for prolonged periods, it can result in a weakening of the immune system.

 Stress has been recognized as a form of illness to be regarded with due seriousness. Though stress itself does not signify a particular disease with perfectly known symptoms, it can trigger the onset of a variety of diseases.

Want to find a good simple guide on how to management stress then purchase my eBook Stress Management Guide

Heart Stress Test

The heart stress test is used for diagnosing heart diseases. The stress tests are the tests performed by an expert technician or physician to consider the amount of stress that your heart is able to manage before developing either evidence of ischemia or an abnormal rhythm. The exercise stress test is considered to be the most commonly performed stress test. The heart stress test is performed for several reasons like: 

* to determine if there is proper blood flow to your heart while developing levels of activity

* to evaluate the effectiveness of your heart medicines to manage ischemia and angina

* to test the effectiveness of procedures performed to develop blood flow within the heart vessels of those who have coronary heart disease

* to identify uncommon heart rhythms

A stress echo cardiogram is one of the major types of the heart stress tests. This test is generally known as “echo”, which is a graphic outline of your heart's movement. A stress echo can perfectly show pumping action and the motion of the heart's wall when your heart is stressed. 

Nuclear stress test is another major heart stress test that helps to find out which parts of your heart are healthy and work normally and which are not. During this test, a very small harmless quantity of radioactive substance is entered into the body of the patient. After that, the technician uses a special camera to identify the rays generated from the substance within the body. This procedure provides clear pictures of the heart tissue on a screen. Before preparing for this test, you can discuss with your doctor about any particular instructions. 

The Adenosine stress is also performed as the heart stress test and it is used in patients who are unable to do any type of exercises. During this test, a medicine is provided to make the heart respond as if the patient was exercising. With this test, a doctor can identify how your heart responds to stress. Preparation for this type of test varies from the preparation for other tests. 

Your doctor will inform you not to drink or eat anything except a small amount of water for at least three hours before the heart stress test. At the same time, you should avoid eating foods that have caffeine for 12 hours prior to the test, as the caffeine can interfere with the results of the test. You are also suggested no to take the heart medicines on the day of your test. However, if the doctor advises only then, you can take any type of medications on the day of the test. If you have any queries regarding your heart medicines, discuss with your doctor before the test. If you use an inhaler for adequate breathing, you should bring it with you into the test room. 

If you have diabetes and take insulin to control your blood sugar, then ask your physician what quantity of the medicine you can take on the day of the test. Generally, the doctors suggest to take only half of the daily morning dose. However, if you take tablets to control the blood sugar, it is advisable not to take the medicine until your heart stress test is complete. 

Stress Management In The Workplace: Handling Work Stress

Stress Management In The Workplace: Handling Work Stress
By Carl Mueller

Stress management in the workplace is a reality that most of us have to face for one reason or another and coping with it is key to long-term career success.

Some careers are more stressful than others and some companies and managers you work for might provide you with more stress than you’d otherwise like.

Having some stress can be helpful because it can provide motivation that allows you to work with a bit of a sense of urgency and purpose.

When stress in the workplace reaches a high level and carries over to your personal life in a negative way though, this is a sign that you need to do something to properly manage it so that it doesn’t spiral out of control further.

Here are some suggestions for successful stress management in the workplace:

1. Try to address issues that might be affecting your stress level that you might not readily think of, especially the ones you can change. Do you drive 1 hour to work each day and feel beaten up by the time you get into the office each morning? Are there ways you can lighten your workload? Do you need to learn how to say “no” to certain requests from time to time? Look for ways of changing how you to things especially ones you have some control over.

2. Look for ways to improve your time management. Often, stress is a result of simply not having enough time to complete everything you need to do. Stop wasting time talking with colleagues and making personal phone calls, stop surfing the Internet for personal reasons, and eliminate other time wasters. Shut your office door if you have trouble with people walking in and distracting you or find a quiet office where you can work undisturbed if necessary.

3. Find some sort of athletic endeavor to take part in. I like working out at the gym but you might find jogging, playing squash or taking yoga classes will help. Try something athletic that gets your mind off work. Start by going for a walk at lunchtime just to get out of the office for a bit.

4. Don’t neglect your personal life. Remember to try to find the proper balance between your work life and your work outside of work. Try when possible to leave work at work. A separation between work and personal life is paramount.

5. Carefully consider whether or not you are in the right job. If successful stress management at work is just not possible and if you yearn for your time with a previous employer when things were better, maybe you’re in the wrong job. Do you like what do you or is it simply a job to you? If it’s simply a job there might be other jobs that are less stressful that are better suited to your personality.

Stress management in the workplace is critical to your long-term career and long-term health. When stress management is simply not achievable through change, consider consulting a doctor for a medical opinion in case you are suffering from more than just stress.

Carl Mueller is an Internet entrepreneur and professional recruiter who wants to help you find your dream career.

Visit Carl's website to separate yourself from other job searchers: http://www.find-your-dream-career.com

Sign up for The Effective Career Planner, Carl’s free 5-day course: http://www.find-your-dream-career.com/effective-career-planner.html

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Dealing with Stress

Stress affects everybody and anybody these days. There is a persistent prejudice that only grown-up adults are prone to stress. In the fast-paced life of today, anybody from a child of ten to a person of eighty can experience different levels of stress. Here are some ways  of identifying and dealing with stress.

Stress symptoms include mental, social and physical changes that a person experiences. These include exhaustion, headaches, crying, sleeplessness, oversleeping, loss of appetite and feelings of frustration, rage, apathy.

If you feel that you are stressed out and this stress is interfering with your normal activities then you must seek professional guidance. Sometimes, dealing with stress can be easy and you can do it on your own. Look around and see whether you can change, the situation that you are in. Set realistic goals for yourself so that you reduce the number of events that are going on in your life. It stops the circuit overload that you experience. This can sometimes become very serious and can cause a nervous breakdown. 

More tips include;

1) Prioritize the series of events that go on in your life. 

2) Do not fret over the entire workload. Instead, dissect it in small bit and pieces and perform them one by one. 

3) Meditation and breathing exercises help a lot in controlling stress and cleansing your mind of all the disturbing thoughts.

4) Get your mind off all the worries of your life. Get busy, do something for others and keep your mind occupied so that you ignore all the stressful situations. It helps in reducing stress but that happens to a small degree. If you stop and have a rest then all that will come back and you will feel that you are not caring enough for yourself. This can increase the stress manifold. The best way is to treat the stress before it ensnares your life.

5) Get just the right amount of sleep. Do not keep awake when you know that you need rest. Lack of sleep aggravates stress. 

6) Exercise is a most important tool when dealing with stress. When you exercise, your heart pumps blood faster which increases the blood flow to the brain. This is refreshes you a lot. The increased heart rate, breathing and blood flow contribute to the release of serotonin, a feel-good hormone in your body. It relieves the stress and combats the cortisol in our body. (Cortisol is the stress-hormone of our body.)

Note that being pessimistic is a number one symptom of stress and depression. Try to think positive and go easy on yourself. Face any situation that you encounter and then think about it in a positive way. Twist the message of the situation to tell yourself that it is in fact good for you. 

Remember one thing, a little bit of stress is like a small cup of coffee. It stimulates you to be alert and precise. You need some sort of pressure to keep you at bay and to keep you working efficiently. But too much of stress can lead to many physical problems which can lead to other graver problems like migraine, chronic depression, nervous breakdowns and so on. Stress weakens your immune system and hence, makes you more susceptible to diseases. Bearing stress is probably the worst way of dealing with stress!