interpersonal wellness
The Physical Impact of Stress
Stress is a difficult term to singularly describe because every person responds to stressful stimuli in different ways. Similarly, the effects of stress manifest in unique ways from one person to the next. What is known is that stress can have weighty physical consequences if left untreated. Blood clotting, increased heart rate and blood sugar have all been linked to unmanaged stress. Aside from the impact on your heart, stress can prove to aggravate the symptoms of diabetes, ulcers, and muscle and joint pain. While we may never be able to completely remove ourselves from the everyday hustle and bustle, there are ways to better identify and confront the major stressors in your life.
The way that we internalize and respond to stressful stimuli ultimately dictates how we let stress affect us. Listed below are several methods that you can practice to help you better cope with the stress in your life.
Identify your stress triggers. Learn what makes you tick. Start journaling! Tracking your stress level throughout the day may reveal some surprising discoveries about what causes you the most stress. This can allow you to take time to think about ways to better cope with and prepare for these situations.
Accept what you can’t control. Stress oftentimes comes in a form that is beyond our immediate control. Successfully coping with your stress may mean letting go of the things you cannot control in favor of finding proactive solutions to manage the situation at hand.
Meditation. A simple and commonly used relaxation and stress reduction technique. Meditation is great way to transfer yourself into the present moment, allowing yourself to release the pent up anxieties surrounding what has been or what could be.
Regular exercise. Exercise has been shown to activate you brain and improve your mood.
Get enough sleep. Poor sleep and stress often go hand in hand. Ensuring that you get a full night’s sleep may mean unplugging before bedtime.
Allow yourself some “down time”. Be sure to schedule some time away from work. Take time to do something just for you.
Alleviating stress is the first step in improving both your interpersonal wellbeing and your overall physical health. Health Concerns has a number of formulas that can be used to treat the painful symptoms of stress. Click each product to view the monograph.
