Stress is the feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure.
What is stress?
Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life events can cause stress. It is often 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.
We all deal with stress differently. Our ability to cope can depend on our genetics, early life events, personality and social and economic circumstances.
When we encounter stress, our body produces stress hormones that trigger a fight or flight response and activate our immune system. This helps us respond quickly to dangerous situations.
Sometimes, this stress response can be useful in helping us push through fear or pain so we can do great things such as running a marathon or delivering a speech. Our stress hormones will usually go back to normal quickly once the stressful event is over, and there won’t be any lasting effects.
However, too much stress can cause negative effects. It can leave us in a permanent state of fight or flight, leaving us overwhelmed or unable to cope. This can affect our physical and mental health in the long term.
What makes us stressed?
Many things that can lead to stress: bereavement, divorce or separation, losing a job or unexpected money problems. Work-related stress can also have a negative impact on your mental health. People affected by work-related stress lose an average of 24 days of work due to ill health.
Even positive life changes, such as moving to a bigger house, gaining a job promotion or going on holiday can be sources of stress. If you feel stressed in these situations you may struggle to understand why or be reluctant to share your feelings with others.
What are the signs of stress?
How you might feel
You may feel:
anxious
afraid
angry or aggressive
sad
irritable
frustrated
depressed
These feelings can sometimes produce physical symptoms, making you feel even worse.
How your body might react
If you’re stressed, you may experience:
headaches
nausea
indigestion
digestive problems such as constipation, bloating or diarrhea
shallow breathing or hyperventilating
sweating
heart palpitations
aches and pains
How you might behave
You may behave differently if you’re stressed. You may:
withdraw from other people or snap at them
be indecisive or inflexible
be tearful
have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep
experience sexual problems
smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs more than usual
If the stress is long-lasting, you may notice changes that can vary including affected sleep and memory, change in eating habits, or you feel less motivation to exercise.
Some research has also linked long-term stress to gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or stomach ulcers, as well as conditions like cardiovascular disease.
FEELING STRESSED?
Ask for help. Call NHS 111 or talk to your GP.
Who is affected by stress?
All of us can probably recognise some of the feelings described previously. Some people seem to be more affected by stress than others. For some people, getting out of the door on time each morning can be a very stressful experience, whereas others may be less affected with a great deal of pressure.
Some people are more likely to experience stressful situations than others.
For example:
people with a large debts or financial insecurity are more likely to be stressed about money
people from minority ethnic groups or who are LGBTIQ+ are more likely to be stressed about facing prejudice or discrimination
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?
If you're feeling stressed, there are some things you can try to feel less tense and overwhelmed.
1. Recognise when stress is a problem
It’s 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.
Think about what is causing your stress. Sort them into issues with a practical solution, things that will get better with time and things you cannot do anything about. Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve.
Make a plan to address the things that you can complete. This could involve setting yourself realistic expectations and prioritising essential commitments. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help and say no to things you can’t take on in your current frame of mind.
2. Think about where you can make changes
Are you taking on too much? Could you hand over some things to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise things and reorganise your life so you’re not trying to do everything at once.
3. Build supportive relationships
Find close friends or family who can offer help and practical advice that can support you in managing stress. Joining a club or a course can help to expand your social network and encourage you to do something different. Activities like volunteering can alter your perspective and have a beneficial impact on your mood.
4. Eat healthily
A healthy diet can improve your mood. Getting enough nutrients (including essential vitamins and minerals) and water can help your mental wellbeing.
5. Be aware of your smoking and drinking
Cut down or cut out smoking and drinking if you can. They may seem to reduce tension, but make problems worse. Alcohol and caffeine can also increase feelings of anxiety.
6. Get some exercise
Physical exercise can help manage the effects of stress by producing endorphins that boost your mood. It can be hard to motivate yourself if you're stressed, but even a little bit of activity can make a difference. For example, you could aim to walk for 15-20 minutes three times a week.
7. Take time out
Take time to relax and practise self-care, where you do positive things for yourself. For instance, you could listen to our podcasts about relaxation to calm your body and mind. Striking a balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in reducing stress levels.
8. Be mindful
Mindfulness meditation can be practised anywhere at any time. Research has suggested it can help manage and reduce the effect of stress and anxiety.
9. Get some restful sleep
If you’re having difficulty sleeping, you can try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume and avoid too much screen time before bed. Write down a 'to do' list for the next day to help you prioritise, but make sure you put it aside before bed. For more tips on getting a good night’s sleep, read our guide ‘How to sleep better’.
10. Be kind to yourself
Try to keep things in perspective and don't be too hard on yourself. Look for things in your life that are positive and write down things that make you feel grateful.
Get professional help |
If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It’s important to get help as soon as possible so you can start to feel better. Talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling. They should be able to advise you on treatment and may refer you for further help. They may suggest talking therapies such as:
If your stress is work-related, our page on work-life balance may help. If you feel comfortable, talk to your manager or HR team about how you're feeling to see if they can make changes to your workload or hours. If your workplace has an Employee Assistance Scheme, you could contact them for confidential support or counselling. |
How can I identify the signs of stress?
Everyone experiences stress. However, when it is affecting your life, health and wellbeing, it is important to tackle it as soon as possible, and while stress affects everyone differently, there are common signs and symptoms you can look out for:
feelings of constant worry or anxiety
feelings of being overwhelmed
difficulty concentrating
mood swings or changes in your mood
irritability or having a short temper
difficulty relaxing
depression
low self-esteem
eating more or less than usual
changes in your sleeping habits
using alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs to relax
aches and pains, particularly muscle tension
diarrhoea and constipation
feelings of nausea or dizziness
loss of sex drive
If you are experiencing these symptoms for a prolonged period, and feel they are affecting your everyday life or are making you feel unwell, you should speak to your GP. You can ask for information about the support services and treatments available to you.
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