Learn How to Live Without Stress and Handle Pressure

 

Stress is something that all of us have to deal with at one time or another. It can strike at any time fora variety of reasons. Some fortunate folk endure sporadic periods of stress but for others, it’s a much more pervasive condition. Stress can grab onto you with its talons and rip apart both your physical and mental well-being; eroding the health of your professional and private life.

Interestingly, a study released by Bloomberg in 2019 that ranked the most and least stressed countries in the world named countries like Norway and Luxembourg as the ‘least stressed nations’. Alarmingly, South Africa was named the second-most stressed nation on the planet. The reasons why we suffer from stress in South Africa are many and varied.  Increasing cost of living, economic woes, debt, political uncertainty and crime… take your pick. Stress ages you, it takes a toll on your health and wellbeing and it has a big impact on the well-being of our society. So, let’s face stress head on and find ways to handle it better and learn to live without it.

 

What is stress?

Stress was ‘discovered’ by a pioneer in the field of endocrinology called János H. Selye, an Austrian-Canadian endocrinologist of Hungarian origin. Even though stress had existed long before - even appearing in Homer's Iliad - no serious research was done to understand the condition until the 1930s. Selye noted that a number of patients suffering from various diseases showed similar symptoms. The term General Adaptation Syndrome was adopted as a descriptor of the body’s short- and long-term response to stress. Selye’s also noted at the time that stress influenced hormonal changes that bring on high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arthritis, kidney problems and allergic reactions. Stress was later defined as a natural response to excessive physical or mental pressure or environmental challenges that require a person's action or reaction.

Today, stress is thought of as a relationship between demands on your time, health, finances and support system. According to Johannesburg clinical psychologist, Dr Colinda Linde, if there is no balance between these elements, then we do not have the mental, physical and emotional resources to deal with everyday demands and we begin to experience strain which is commonly referred to as stress. Linde adds that work-related stress often leads to burnout; where excessive work demands over an extended period of time brings on symptoms such as extreme exhaustion, depression, negativity and despair.

 

What is stressing us out the most?

Stress lurks around every corner - including at work, at school, at home, at the doctor or dentist and while out shopping. It’s usually brought on by negative changes in your life, such as losing a job, moving house, divorce, death or illness. More commonly, it’s associated with long-term work pressure that creeps up on you and eventually leads to executive burnout. How resilient you are to stress in your life depends not only on your strength of character but also on how you handle stress.

Stress from financial difficulties is a sweeping global phenomenon and in South Africa, it’s real and brutal when compounded by negativity fueled by political unrest and crime. Many South Africans are experiencing high levels of burnout out as they work harder than ever in the face of serious economic woes and the threat of losing their jobs; often for longer working hours and less pay.

 

 

The negative impacts of stress

The effects of stress can be far reaching, and often extremely bad for our health.  We can’t cover up feelings of stress or pretend they don’t exist. We can try as much asvwe want, but the symptoms of negative stress will not disappear unless we deal with the underlying causes. Chronic stress reduces the immune system and changes blood sugar levels, resulting in mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia and metabolic issues that increase the risk of heart attack and diabetes. A stressed person also suffers from more frequent headaches, which in turn manifests as irritability and nervousness.

And the circles under our eyes and a tired expression will be revealed to us. Stress is the main reason for insomnia and other sleep disorders. They suffer from up to 40% of the respondents. Another 45% of people are admitted that their stress is irritated, 41% feel tired, and 38% of them ask for motivation. While stress is more likely to suffer from women than men, men are the ones who are more susceptible to illness and stress-related addiction - high blood pressure, aggressive behaviour, excessive drug use.

Everyone with stress is different, the most common symptoms include:

Physical symptoms such as high blood pressure and heart failure, digestive problems, loss of appetite, headaches, breathing problems, frequent appetite, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, increased sweating, double vision, frequent illnesses due to poor immunity.

Psychological symptoms such as loss of motivation, panic attacks, anger, irritability, moodiness, anxiety, depression, disorientation, chaos, lethargy, sadness, impatience, trick,

 

Is stress always a bad thing?

Of course not! Stress can inspire and motivate a person. It compels us to work productively and effectively. In a dangerous situation, it triggers the ‘fight or flight’ instinct, which can be what’s needed to save your life. In fact, many scientists believe mankind has managed to survive purely due to stress that has underpinned our ability to adapt and thrive.

The positive stress behind our successes, productivity and ability to escape intact from unpleasant situations is professionally called ‘eustress’ and is derived from two English words: euphoric and stress. Eustress only appears in our lives in the short term and motivates us during this one-time visit, giving us energy and the impulse to act. This positive form of stress can improve our productivity at work, makes us feel excited and is something that we can easily cope with.

The opposite of euphoric stress is negative stress, and this is where problems arise. It may affect us only in the short term, but for many of us this type of stress will stay for a longer period of time. It is much more difficult to manage that eustress, causing anxiety, worry, reduced performance, making us feel poor, and resulting in a number of negative mental and physical problems.

 

How to handle stress?

There are several techniques which can help to conquer chronic stress. However, none of these will work unless we take an active approach. Stress does not disappear by waving a magic wand; we get rid of it only when we recognise its root cause and actively engage in the struggle with this silent killer.

 

 

One of the best-known ways for dealing with stress is the so-called 4 A’s Technique. The name is derived from the first letters of the four steps: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, and Accept.

Avoid - Avoid unnecessary stress and steer clear of the people who are causing you stress. Learn to say no, set your limits and take control of your environment. If you find you are getting stressed out when you’re stuck in traffic, try walking or cycling instead. If you hate supermarkets, shop in small local food markets or online. Avoid chaos and disorganisation by preparing a list of all your responsibilities. Put the least important tasks at the bottom of the list. 

Alter - Change your reaction to potentially stressful situations. Change the way you communicate. Instead of suppressing your feelings or opinions, assert them. Do not be afraid, do not respond to a negative situation until you have calmed down. Replace the argument with a compromise. Find the right balance between work, family and free time.

Adapt - If you can’t change the causes of stress, adapt to them. Change your perspective on the situation and find something positive about it. Get rid of a need for everything to be perfect that can stress you unnecessarily. Take a more realistic approach and don’t always expect excellence in everything you do. Be thankful for what you learn from unpleasant situations. Adapt to all changes, as it is pointless to resist change forever.

Accept - Be honest with yourself, you cannot influence or control everything in your life. Accept those stressful situations that cannot be avoided. Don’t try to control something you can’t control. Get the most out of situations, learn from your own mistakes and take them as a lessons for your personal growth. Learn to forgive because no-one is perfect, and anger will not benefit you in particular. Trust others, sharing feelings acts as a cleansing of the soul.

 

 

Tips for relieving the symptoms of stress

Rest - Give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. Prioritise quality relaxation and sleep.

Me time - Create some "me time" in your schedule during which you will devote yourself to your hobbies and interests.

Laugh - Laughter is considered to be the best natural medicine. It reduces stress hormones ( cortisol and adrenaline) in your body and promotes the happiness hormones of dopamine and endorphins.

Move - An excellent way to get your head and health sorted out is through movement. Energetic exercises will rid you of any accumulated anger or stress, and any form of exercise will give your body energy and a supply of happy hormones.

Eat healthily - Change your diet. Treat yourself to anti-stress delicacies such as peanuts, red pepper, salmon, spinach, oats, and especially dark chocolate! Cocoa and chocolate are rich in antioxidants that relieve stress. Beware, however, of excess sugar!

Relax - Learn to switch off and relax. Find activity that calms you down and frees you from negative thoughts about your work or any other worries. However, watch out you don’t slip into the trap of excessive laziness or procrastination which are symptoms of executive burnout.

Restore body, mind and soul - Yoga, meditation and body stress release (BSR) are natural ways to restore your body, mind and soul to alleviate symptoms of stress. They’re techniques that are suitable for everyone; from infants to the elderly.

 

How can body stress release help?

Body stress release (BSR) is a safe, natural technique that allows your body to naturally heal itself by releasing accumulated body stress. It works to stimulate the highly sophisticated bio-feedback system which we are naturally endowed with.

A body stress release practitioner finds sites in your body with stored tension and muscle contraction. Once these stress points have been located, he or she releases the built-up tension with a series of gentle, precise movements that stimulate the nervous system and activates the body’s self-healing response.

Body stress release has proven to be highly effective to unlock tension that builds up from normal stress and strains of everyday life. Tension becomes locked in our body’s physical structures and over time accumulates. Body stress exerts pressure on the nervous system which results in pain, numbness, muscle weakness, stiffness, distorted posture and impaired functioning.

BSR is Proudly South African. The concept was founded in the early 1980s by Gail and Ewald Meggersee who pioneered this life enhancing, non-manipulative technique to restore body, mind and soul. It is now practiced in 22 countries and there are 2 global training academies.

 

Practical ways to eliminate stress

- Switch off all mobile devices at least an hour before going to sleep

- Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages before bedtime, such as coffee and tea

- Replace coffee and soft drinks with herbal teas and mineral water

- Whatever happens at work, leave it behind when you walk out the office

- Stick to a strict bedtime routine; go to bed at the same time every night and get at least 7-8 quality hours of sleep

- Use aromatherapy oils to relax and restore your health

- Avoid eating processed foods which are high in sodium and sugar

- Surround yourself with colours that are relaxing such as green or blue

- Be aware that your feelings are not facts and work only with the facts

- Get rid of negative influences such as complaining friends, demanding family and depressing social media sites

- Stand up for yourself; learn to say no

- Don’t take on other people's issues unless absolutely necessary

- Go for long walks to clear your head ; stick to a strict exercise routine 

 

Be kind to yourself

Prolonged stress can lead to physical and emotional burnout. It’s not a condition to take lightly as it can be life-threatening. If you are suffering from high levels of stress which are affecting your health and well-being, do not be afraid to ask for help and see a professional therapist.

If need be, book yourself into a treatment centre where you can receive help from a multi-disciplinary team that’s qualified to deal with executive burnout. Participate in cognitive behavioral therapy; it’s extremely valuable in helping you identify stress triggers and provides you with the tools needed to help you live without stress.

 

Sources:

zdravie.sk
biznispoint.sk
nimh.nih.gov
psychologytoday.com
stress.org
factretriever.com
helpguide.org
adaa.org
www.positivityblog.com