Stress Management

Stress can affect individuals of all ages and backgrounds. This article will explore what stress is, common causes, its impact and some strategies for managing stress.

Stress Management

Stress can affect individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Although stress in moderation can provide motivation and focus, excessive or long-term stress can have a negative physical and psychological impact. This article will explore what stress is, common causes, the impact on the body and an individual’s life as well as some strategies for managing stress.

What is stress?

Stress is a human response to both real and perceived threats in which the body is in a state of preparation to confront or flee danger. This is also known as the “fight or flight” response. Stress can be acute (short-term in response to a specific event) or chronic (long-term, due to a sustained stressor).

What can cause stress?

  1. Work
  2. Education
  3. Finances
  4. Relationships
    Health
  5. Major life changes/events (e.g. moving house, getting married, having children or bereavement)
  6. Environmental (e.g. noise and overcrowding)

What are some of the side effects of stress?

Physical Effects:

  1. Tension headaches and migraines
  2. Back or neck pain as well as exacerbation of other existing musculoskeletal pains/conditions.
  3. Digestive issues such as nausea, stomach pain and irritable bowel syndrome.
  4. Increased risk of cardiovascular problems ranging from chest pain and palpitations to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.
  5. Immunosuppression (weakened immune system), which increases susceptibility to infections and illnesses.
  6. Poor sleep
  7. Rashes and skin 'breakouts’

Mental and Emotional Effects:

  1. Anxiety and depression
  2. Difficulty with memory and concentration
  3. Mood swings and irritability
  4. Burnout (emotional exhaustion and decreased performance at work or in your personal life)

Stress Management Tips:

Managing your stress levels helps your overall wellbeing, which can include helping pain levels relating to musculoskeletal conditions.

Everyone experiences and copes with stress differently but some good starting points to manage stress and build resilience include:

  1. Identify the source of stress - Perhaps keep a journal to highlight your triggers, how you felt and how you coped, which in turn can be used to manage your stress levels.
  2. Practising mindfulness -
    • Being present in the moment and focussing the mind has been shown to help reduce stress. This can involve using deep breathing and/or imagery to help relax the mind and muscles.
    • Sensory techniques can often help in moments of acute stress. For example: looking at a favourite photograph; lighting a scented candle; wrapping up in a warm blanket; eating a piece of dark chocolate or listening to an audiobook.
    • Although mindfulness has been shown to be beneficial for many, it does not work optimally for every person. If you feel this is the case for you, participating in anything you enjoy such as spending time in nature or listening to music would be beneficial too.
  3. Physical exercise - Physical activity has been shown to reduce stress and back pain. Our brain releases endorphins amongst other chemicals which help our mood and pain. Try adding in some movement throughout your day, even if it is a quick walk around the room every 20-30 minutes at work or a short walk during your lunch break.
  4. Support system - Strong social support can help relieve stress and build resilience whether it be a distraction from a trigger, confiding in a friend or seeking a support group.
  5. Taking breaks - Breaks from tasks help to reduce the likelihood of burnout. It is important to spend your breaks doing something you enjoy to give yourself time for self-care. Routine in general also helps reduce stress, so scheduling time for yourself is a brilliant technique.
  6. Setting realistic goals - Breaking your goals up into small chunks will encourage you to celebrate your progress rather than feeling overwhelmed at the journey to the end goal. When starting the process of reducing stress, start with making small changes and build from those new habits over time.

Conclusion

Stress management is not about eliminating stress entirely, but about learning how to identify and manage stressors, build resilience and form healthy habits to reduce the impacts of stress to have a happier and healthier life.

While stress can be a normal part of life, if it becomes overwhelming and persistent, it may lead to further mental health issues. Therefore, if you find yourself unable to cope with your stress; your stress is impacting your health; you start turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms and are unable to carry out your normal day-to-day tasks, you may need to seek professional help. The Mental Health Foundation has a great bank of suggested contacts with multiple options and varying levels of support if you are struggling.