We all experience stress daily in one form or another. The important thing is how we choose to deal with that stress. This article provides helpful information about stress and guidance on effectively managing it.
The Core Concepts of Stress
Not all stress is bad. But long-term stress can lead to health problems.
Preventing and managing long-term stress can lower your risk for other conditions — like heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and depression.
You can prevent or reduce stress by:
- Planning ahead
- Deciding which tasks to do first
- Preparing for stressful events
Some stress is hard to avoid. You can find ways to manage stress by:
- Noticing when you feel stressed
- Taking time to relax
- Getting active and eating healthy
- Finding solutions to problems you’re having
- Talking to friends and family
When you’re under stress, you may feel:
- Worried
- Angry
- Irritable
- Depressed
- Unable to focus
Stress also affects your body. Physical signs of stress include:
- Headaches
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Upset stomach
- Weight gain or loss
- Tense muscles
Stress can also lead to a weakened immune system (the system in the body that fights infections), which could make you more likely to get sick.
What Causes Stress?
Stress is how the body reacts to a challenge or demand.
Change is often a cause of stress. Even positive changes, like having a baby or getting a job promotion, can be stressful.
Stress can be short-term or long-term.
Common causes of short-term stress:
- Needing to do a lot in a short amount of time
- Having a lot of small problems in the same day, like getting stuck in traffic jam or running late
- Getting ready for a work or school presentation
- Having an argument
Common causes of long-term stress:
- Having problems at work or at home
- Having money problems
- Having a long-term illness
- Taking care of someone with an illness
- Dealing with the death of a loved one
Plan and Prepare
You can’t always avoid stress, but you can take steps to deal with stress in a positive way. Follow these tips for preventing and managing stress.
Being prepared and feeling in control of your situation might help lower your stress.
Plan your time.
Think ahead about how you’re going to use your time. Write a to-do list and figure out what’s most important — then do that thing first. Be realistic about how long each task will take.
Prepare yourself.
Prepare ahead for stressful events like a hard conversation with a loved one. You can:
- Picture what the room will look like and what you’ll say
- Think about different ways the conversation could go — and how you could respond
- Have a plan for ending the conversation early if you need time to think
Learn More: Stress Management 101
