When man used to live in caves, the only stressor was the wildlife attack. Based on this stressor, his body adapted well in the form of strong limbs externally. Moreover, on the neurochemical levels, the adrenaline rush helped. These were the ways to destress then, but how to destress your life now?
Now wild animals are the least of stress for man. However, life now faces bigger beasts that are not hungry for meat or blood, but for peace and serenity.
Stress, as the oxford dictionary defines it, is pressure or worry caused by the problems in someone’s life.
Factors that are Responsible to Stress Your Life
Do you and your granny are overwhelmed for the same reasons? Furthermore, is a person lying in a hospital bed is distressed in the same way as is a boss sitting in a power chair? No, there is a big no. Stressors tend to be different for different people.
Although these vary from having a starving body to a nerve crashing clash with one’s spouse, stressors could be either internal or external or both. Internal stressors include emotional stress. On the other hand, external stressors are financial, social, and environmental.
However, the overall effects of all types of stress on the human body and mind are more or less the same. For example, if you are hungry, you will not only experience a churning sensation in the stomach but will also feel angry and aggressive. On the other hand, if you have recently gone through a break-up, your body could show a deviated response to hunger along with the fact that your mind feels sad.
Stress in the Education Department
While the principal is worried about the funds, this, however, could be a matter of least concern for a student. Thus, everyone is posed to distinct stress in an educational department.
Causes of Stress Among College Students
Following are the main reasons for stress in collegiate:
- Firstly, meeting the assignment deadlines has always been a major stressor. Most of the students procrastinate and, hence, rush to complete their assignments at the eleventh hour. So, a day before the deadline, they are almost dead with fear.
- Secondly, fulfilling the criteria for appearing in the final exams is also one of the worst pressures in a student’s life. Many colleges have set criteria to let their students appear in the finals. For example, a specific percentage of attendance during the whole semester and the marks obtained in the previous exams.
- Thirdly, Some students have to juggle job and studies. This, consequently, makes them stressed to handle both at a time with accuracy.
- Lastly, Time management is one of the biggest issues of all time. Although the ever-increasing technological support should have eliminated this component, students these days excessively misuse the technology. For example, spending a lot of time on social media.
Causes of Stress in Teachers
If you are a teacher or ever have been, you can easily feel how different a classroom is when viewed from the rostrum. No, I am not talking about the dimensions or so. Conversely, what I want you to imagine is how it feels on the other side. Following factors could trigger stress in teachers:
- Poor results as shown by the class.
- Students who are difficult to discipline.
- The pressure to cover the curriculum in the given time frame.
- The financial burden cannot be ignored as a major stressor.
- Managing family with a job.
Causes of Stress at the Workplace
If someone says that they have an ideal workplace environment, they must be lying. Nothing like a stress-free workplace ever existed nor would it ever do. Reasons making a workplace stressful are:
- When people having different mindsets interact, it is very natural to have differences of opinion. Also, everyone has a varied approach to deal with certain specific situations. These differences are actually good in terms of providing a colourful environment. However, it doesn’t happen everywhere and every time. Unfortunately, this results in the overall deterioration of a healthy environment. Thus, people start holding grudges and the situation worsens.
- At times, the boss is too bossy to be handled and creates fuss over nothing.
- Other factors could be physical like improper workstations or lack of basic facilities.
Stress Among Different Age Groups
Wasn’t your biggest stress as a child was not being able to complete your homework before your favorite TV show? Compare it with the stresses you have now and you will come to know that evolution has taken place.
Causes of Stress in Teenage
This is a very critical time in everyone’s life. Firstly, the hormonal changes at puberty make the teens a bit crazy and they often show exaggerated responses even to minor stressors. Secondly, if someone lacks adult support, this adds fuel to the fire. The most common stressors at this age could be:
- Unable to cope with physical and emotional changes taking place at puberty.
- Lack of parental support and guidance.
- Lack of stable relationships with friends or difficulty making new friends.
- Separation or divorce of parents
- Domestic violence including physical or verbal abuse.
- Feeling negative about themselves
- Physical or psychological illness
- Death of parents or siblings.
- Insecure surrounding environment.
- Family financial issues
- Too high academic expectations of parents
Causes of Stress in Old Age
This phase of life has its own challenges and stresses. However, the most common stressors include:
- Loss of financial independence after retirement.
- Death of spouse, friends, or other loved ones.
- Inability to live independently due to physical health associated with old age.
- Inadequate pension.
- Fear of death.
- Being apprehensive about going to the old home.
- Having no one to take care of.
- Being issueless or getting abandoned by children.
- Getting obese and gaining fat body over time and unable to cut it down.
- Chronic or terminal illnesses.
Miscellaneous Causes of Stress
Additionally, there are some other stressors as well that affect the life standard adversely.
Family-Related Causes of Stress
Although the family is a source of peace and happiness, sometimes the opposite happens.
- Financial instability.
- Poor relationship with spouse.
- The infidelity of one of the partners.
- Lack of communication between family members, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts.
- Death of a family member.
- Aggressive or inappropriate behavior of one or more family members creating disturbance for the rest of the family.
Internal Causes of Stress
Internal stress is the form of stress that comes from within an individual due to a certain type of behavior and set of thoughts. This type of stress induces anxiety and depression.
- Setting unrealistic goals and expectations.
- Fear of public speaking.
- Always seeing only one side of the picture.
- Pessimism.
- Negative self-talk.
- Comparing oneself with others.
- Lack of flexibility in thoughts and behavior.
External Causes of Stress
Contrary to internal stress, it comes from external factors that are mostly not under our control or are difficult to handle. These include:
- Separation or divorce.
- Complicated relationships.
- Loss of job.
- Death of a loved one.
- Lack of a peaceful environment at workplace or home.
- Chronic disease or disability.
- Non-cooperative family or friends.
- Natural calamities like drought, earthquake, or flood.
- War.
Modern Life Stressors
Didn’t you expect an easier and stress-free life after all these inventions? Well, I expected, and, to my dismay, nothing like that happened. In fact, modern life has become even more stressful. We have a lot of gadgets to save time but still, we are always busy. Here are some common pinching points for a modern man.
- The ever-increasing demand for excellence in every walk of life.
- Peer pressure.
- The stress of having a good job with competitive incentives.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Poor health in spite of the availability of improved health facilities.
- A state of constant connection with the outside world.
- Unstable relationships.
This is How You Can Destress Your Life and Make It A Real Charm
Kill the stress before it kills you. Constant stress can badly affect lifestyle. So you need to take your stress by the collar and get rid of it. We have some tips for you that can help in managing stress in a better way.
Change Your Routine
Do you ever feel that the only reason behind your stress is your monotonous routine? You can easily destress your life by modifying your routine. Keep a track of what you are doing daily and see what you are doing to make yourself happy. I am pretty sure that no pleasing activity is on your list. Well, now it is the time to add one.
Change Your Habits
You can destress your life by changing your lifestyle. We present to you some simple tips:
- Firstly, Consuming a lot of junk food or not consuming enough healthy food is detrimental to your physical health. On the whole, mental health also suffers. Add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. Stay hydrated as well as minimize the intake of junk food.
- Secondly, Exercise causes the release of endorphins (mood-elevating hormones) that elevate the mood. You can join a gym or can just have a morning and evening walk on your lawn.
- Lastly, focus on sleep hygiene. Maintain a sleep cycle according to your age. Go to sleep early at night and rise early in the morning.
Decorate Your Surroundings
Imagine entering your room and finding it decorated with your favorite flowers and balloons. How would you feel? Undoubtedly, amazing. It is a proven fact that well decorated, well-organized surroundings have a relaxing effect on mood and relieve stress.
Add Colours to Your Thinking
You keep on adding new colors to your wardrobe. In a similar way, colors have to be added to your lifestyle in the following ways:
- Be grateful for what life has given you.
- Try to forgive others even if they don’t apologize.
- Help others.
- Arrange shelter for stray and abandoned animals.
- Engage in spiritual activities.
- Spend some time with yourself in solitude.
Destress Your Life by Finding Goals and Objectives
A purposeless life is not life at all. It becomes a burden, instead. Add meaning to your life. Set easy goals and chase them. These could be as simple as losing some extra pounds. Furthermore, you can also plan to deep clean your house in order to engage yourself in simple tasks of daily routine.
Take baby steps to reach your aims and objectives.
Look on the Brighter Side
There are always two sides to the picture. Train your mind to view both. Try to find the positive in every situation, no matter how hard it is.
Share With Your Loved Ones
It is good to blurt it out. One of the best ways to de-stress your life is to share what is bothering you.
Destress Your Life by Burying the Past
Let the bygones be bygones. If you are carrying the heavy baggage of a sorrowful past on your back, it’s time to throw it away. Move on.
Seek Professional Help
If nothing goes right, go to a professional counselor. You could possibly have some anxiety disorder or depressive illness. In such cases, medical help, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy, is offered.
How Stress Can Affect Your Life
It can have the following effects on your life:
Stress Affects Your Body; so it is better to destress your life
Yes, it does. The brain reacts to emotional stress in the same ways as the body reacts to physical stress. It, consequently, reduces immunity and makes you vulnerable to many diseases. It can lead to somatization disorder.
Stress Can Gather More Stress
While in stress, mind and body do not work at the optimum level and overall productivity is decreased. This leads to further stress and the cycle goes on viciously.
Differences Between the Efficacies of Stressed and Unstressed People
Seeing the adverse effects of tension, it is very obvious that stressed people are less productive than those who are stress-free.
Stress Can Sometimes Lead to Death
When no sign of hope is visible, one finds relief in death. If not managed properly, stress can not only lead to certain diseases but also has the tendency to kill its victim.
“Despite progress, one person still dies every 40 seconds from suicide,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Destress Your Life and Conquer the World
By getting rid of the stress, you can not only be productive to yourself but can also have a great influence on your society. The world needs more positivity. Thus, it would be a very peaceful place to live in if its inhabitants are stress-free.
What is the Bottom Line?
Stress affects the body from head to toe. It causes increased levels of epinephrine and initiates a fight or flight response. So change your daily routine activities in such a manner that you stay calm throughout the day and become capable of conquering any type of stressful situation.
