stress
HEALTH COMPETENCE 5/6Stress
Stress is a normal human reaction. Our bodies push the alarm button in challenging situations. Hormones start to flow in our bodies and we prepare for a fight. We also undergo physical changes, such as the rise in the heart rate and blood pressure.
Stress can lead to a mental and physical illness if it is intense and lasts for a long time. Short-term stress usually does not cause problems – it pushes people to do their best.
The working day should consist of both demanding and easy tasks. The body should be able to recover from ‘standby’ every now and then. Excessive boredom is also straining.
How to identify whether you are stressed
The causes and effects of stress are individual. When stressed, you may feel nervous and even experience feelings of concern and fear. Being quickly transient and not too strong, these feelings are normal.
You have to get worried if
- your mood and your behaviour change, you are irritated, you have difficulties making decisions or
- you do not get the ordinary work done.
- you feel that you do not survive or cannot control your life.
- alcohol and tobacco fill your food circle.
- your health collapses, you have recurrent headache and you have difficulty sleeping.
Did you know?
Many people try to balance their nerves with a smoke. In reality, smoking maintains the stress state in your body. Restlessness, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and irritability – the most common withdrawal symptoms – surely do not lower your stress curve. A new dose of nicotine alleviates the withdrawal symptoms for a while, but the situation only improves permanently by ditching smoking completely.
What helps with stress?
You can find solutions to the situation if you are stressed
- by trying to change stress-causing circumstances
- if it is not possible to change the circumstances, you can change your own attitude towards the circumstances
Remember that social relationships are a good buffer against stress. Is your social life in order? Read about Biletaral relationships from the Hobbies and cooperation skills section.
