Stress can be a normal reaction to everyday life. However, some people react to stress with aggression or anxiety. In these cases, stress impedes one’s ability to function normally. At times, this impairs one’s health and well-being. Managing your stress is key in preventing these negative outcomes.
When you’re under stress, your body produces the hormone cortisol. This is a survival reaction that helps you fight off danger- hence its presence during times of peace. Your body reacts to stress by increasing blood pressure and heart rate. It also breaks down muscle proteins, glycogen and body fat for energy. Increased levels of cortisol can lead to anemia, dizziness, digestive problems and weight loss. Essentially, your body under stress executes emergency measures to stay alive.
Knowing how your body reacts to stress can help you manage your emotions and behavior.
How to reduce stress
First, understand that most people experience a combination of emotions when they’re under stress. These include anger, anxiety, fear, guilt and sadness- as well as physical reactions such as fatigue, pain and fever. Plus, changing how you eat and exercise can positively affect your health. Knowing which emotions to target first will help you improve your mental health.
Secondly, it’s important to recognize how your brain reacts to stress. This is where the mental part of your approach comes into play. You should start by identifying negative thought patterns that drive you crazy under pressure. Examples include self-doubt, excessive worrying or repeated thinking patterns like mindlessly clicking your fingers or eating junk food. Once you identify these thought patterns, practice replacing them with positive ones like self-confidence, mindfulness and kindness toward yourself and others.
Your physical state also matters when it comes to coping with stress. Many common lifestyle choices affect one’s state of mind without them even realizing it. For example: not drinking enough water makes you feel fatigued and hungry which perpetuates emotional eating behavior and stress eating. Additionally, not exercising makes you feel more lethargic which feeds into a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet choice(s). Hence, making simple adjustments in these areas can make a big difference in reducing stressors on the physical level.
Stress is a normal response to life’s pressures; without it, we wouldn’t survive long without colliding with danger every second. However,- as with any negative emotion – stress has an adverse effect on one’s mental health if left unchecked.
The reactions you have when stressed are largely dependent on how you handle your mental state first. That said – there are plenty of easy choices that anyone can make to reduce their state of mind before reducing their physicality under said state of mind.