04/21/2008: "The Origins and Dealings of Stress"

This week my topic is the origins and dealings with stress. Basically, what causes stress and how to deal with it. Mostly all of the humans in the world has been under some type of stress in their life. They may have been different types and causes but it is still stress. There are many factors that contribute to having stress. Leading a stressful life is not healthy and above all not fun and enjoyable!

The causes of stress are very wide because there are different types of stress. The types of stress on your body could be physical, mental, anatomical, or psychological. The originate from many places also. From such places like the work environment, school environment, home environment, and even simple things such as the highway environment. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term stress is "a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation" or for an alternate definition "one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium". One can conclude that basically obsessing over something that they have a connection to or a drastic change in ones life leads to stress. The origins of stress however varies from person to person.

Scientists are studying the correlation between psychological stress and the human body's immune response to come with a better management for certain diseases. The body responds to stress in the "fight or flight" syndrome. When such a time that the body can not adapt anymore to the numerous stressful events, diseases set in. Symptoms affecting the immune system, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels occur, which often lead to certain diseases. Adverse effects include behavioral problems, weight gain, and weight loss among others. Researchers advocate that prolonged exposure to stress can lead to adverse physiological changes and that managing stress can help people lead longer, healthier lives.

Some words of advice offered:
Breathe...
Know what "triggers" your stress
Reflect and meditate often
Know your limits and what you can accomplish in a given time
Do not procrastinate, do your harder tasks first
Be organized by using a schedule for each day
Remember 'quality not quantity'
Don't dwell on what was done wrong or just was not done
Eat healthy and get some sleep!
Recognize the humor in a situation, but make sure the laugh is on you, not on the other person.
Practice relaxation techniques and mediate or focus your thoughts on something pleasant.
Try to chew gum or nibble on other things but not to the point of a habit

If you remember these things then you will do great. Just remember some of the things above and you can avoid some of the stressful moments of your life. Good luck!