Did you know that April is stress awareness month? Stress affects everybody on a daily basis. The National Institute of Health states, “There is no single definition for stress.” This is because stress affects everyone differently and is caused by many different things. Today I will tell you what stress is, its health risks, how to cope with it, and its main causes.
Stress is anything that causes mental, physical, and emotional strain on a person. Mayo Clinic says, “The body’s stress response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities. But when stressors are always present, and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on. The long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follow can disrupt almost all your body’s processes.” When you are under long-term stress, you are at a higher risk of anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension and pain, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep problems, and trouble managing your weight.
There are many different things to help cope with stress. Some common examples are taking time to unwind by doing something you like, avoiding watching or reading the news, and talking to a friend or family member can help too. Everybody has different ways to help with their stress. For some, it’s reading a book, lighting a candle, taking a hot bath, watching a favorite movie/show, taking a nap, spending time with family or friends, going on vacation, going for a walk, or being physically active. There are so many more things you can do; these are just a small selection.
Stressors are things that cause stress. There are so many stressors in our lives that cause a lot of stress in our day-to-day lives. To gain some more knowledge about common stressors, I went around my school and asked people what causes them stress. The top stressors are tensions between friends/family, school, parents, sports, and busy schedules. These days finding time to wind down and relax is almost impossible. We are constantly busy with work, school, extracurricular activities, and housework. It is essential to take time for yourself, especially if you have had a busy day. I hope you learned a lot about stress and have become more aware of your day-to-day stressors.
