The Real Dangers of Stress and What You Can Do About It
The Real Dangers of Stress and What You Can Do About It
Truth: stress can kill you, or at least too much of it can. If unchecked and unmanaged, the exposure to stress can wreak havoc in all aspects of your life.
Notwithstanding the fact that being overloaded isn’t a good feeling in general, but uncontrolled stress can also have ripple effects in your personal and professional lives, at work and at home.
Consider these real dangers of stress:
1. Immune System. Both chronic and acute stress can weaken your immune system, putting you more at risk for everyday illnesses. Individuals who manage their stress well have fewer bouts with the common cold, allergies, and seasonal flu.
2. Other Health Risks. Exposure to stress, especially uncontrolled stress, takes a toll physiologically on your body.
- Certain chemicals, such as dopamine, epinephrine, and other neurotransmitters are released during times of stress. You may experience higher blood pressure, increased heart rate, and other symptoms when you’re stressed./strong>
- High stress levels have been linked with many health challenges and illnesses. You are at a greater risk for strokes, heart attacks, headaches and migraines, and other cardiovascular diseases if you don’t have a system in place for dealing with and managing stress.
- Cancer has even been linked with uncontrolled stress in some research studies.
Your Mental and Physical State Without Stress
As you can see, the case can certainly be made for examining the stressors in your daily life and working towards eliminating some of the issues. Effective stress management plans will make you feel better overall, in both your physical and mental health.
You’ll experienced a greater amount of energy, experience less physical pain, and
enjoy more quality of sleep because your mind won’t be preoccupied with stress.
In terms of your mental state, lower stress levels may lead to better concentration
and focus, a calmer mood, and less irritability. Lower rates of depression, adjustment
disorders, and other mental health issues are also experienced with lower stress
levels.
Managing Your Stress – Putting Yourself First
If you say to yourself that dealing with stress is part of your job, that you just “deal”
with it, or that you work well under pressure, then you may be doing more harm to
yourself than good.
Indeed, many employers, institutions and organizations today are putting into place
“wellness plans,” which are sometimes focused on stress management.
Creating an Individual Plan
There are all sorts of ways to get your stress under control. Perhaps the best way for
you to work on getting your stress down is by coming up with a plan that is
individually tailored to you and your schedule.
Consider adding these stress-reducing practices to your plan:
1. Meditation and mindfulness. Meditation and mindfulness have been shown to
have a positive effect on a person’s stress level and their ability to manage
stress.
- These practices involve setting aside at least five or ten minutes each day
to spend in a quiet space, free of distractions. - Paying attention to your body’s natural breathing patterns is an important
part of these practices. Focus on your breath and alleviate your stress.
2. Exercise is also a way to de-stress. The release of endorphins to your brain acts
as a buffer against stress, and is almost like a natural antidepressant. Whether
you go for a daily run or take a trip to the gym, the physical activity is good for
both your brain and body.
The most important part of stress management is establishing a routine. Setting
aside a specific portion of your day, even if you have to schedule breaks in your work
day, ensures that you’re giving yourself the time you need to de-stress.
Failing to get your stress under control, however, will lead to negative repercussions
in your physical, mental, and overall well-being.
Start reducing your stress today with a regular routine of meditation, mindfulness,
and exercise. Soon, you’ll be singing the praises of your practices as you see your
stress melt away and you enjoy greater health.
Featured Personal Development Ebook:
Contentment is the place where we don’t need anything. We’re completely satisfied as we are, as our life is.
Think of how many things you do each day in an effort to feel more content. You say or do things to impress others, you say or do things to avoid being ridiculed by others, you work at a job you don’t like so you can make more money to buy things you want or to impress others and, you exercise and diet beyond what is reasonable in order to look a certain way. The list is really endless. We spend a lot of our day trying to feel more content. However, these things aren’t the path to radical contentment.
In this guide, discover how compassion will free you, heal you, and will lead you to radical contentment.
You will receive the file/s below (in one ZIP file) for your personal use:
MAIN EBOOK:
- Self-Acceptance (30-page PDF)
WORKSHEET:
- Self-Acceptance (6-page PDF)
BONUSES:
- 15 Ways to Have Your Best Year Ever (67 Slide Decks)
- 15 Ways to Have Your Best Year Ever (3 Slide Decks)
- Grayson the Go Getter Gopher Fable (4-page PDF)
- Top 5 Causes Behind Overeating and How to Avoid Them (3-page PDF)
View more gifts at PersonalDevelopment.