The dangers of stress
Stress can pose a serious threat to your health and wellbeing and so it is essential that you find a ways to better deal with and reduce stress levels. Stress stimulates your body’s fight or flight response and causes different reactions in people including:
- Increased pupil dilations
- Perspiration
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Rapid breathing
- Muscle tension
- Less blood flow to the skin, kidneys and liver and more to the brain, heart and muscles.
- Increased blood sugar, fats and cholesterol
Stress related illness
Stress can cause a number of illnesses and can also aggravate any presenting conditions. Stress relief is needed to help improve your overall health and wellbeing. Stress related illnesses include:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Ulcers
- Digestive disorders
- Skin complains
- Headaches and migraines
- Depression
Dealing with stress
Stress relief is important to help you achieve balance in the entire body and reduce the threat of stress related illnesses. Stress relief will allow you to achieve a more positive and calm outlook. Stress relief techniques offer different ways to help you effectively deal with the factors that are causing you to become anxious and worried.
Stress relief involves controlling the effects of stress so we can improve our mental, physical and emotional health. Getting to the underlying causes of stress is also a beneficial means of stress relief.
Some people tend to stress and worry more than others so some changes to your lifestyle or routine may offer stress relief. Some believe that positive thinking is a beneficial means for stress relief. Thinking positively in a stressful situation will allow you to avoid feeling overwhelmed or disparaged and instead let you be focused on your strengths and opportunities.
Stress cam also stem from an overload of work and pressure from the home or office. Time management and organisational skills will allow you to prioritise duties and help you reduce and better deal with stressful situations.
Having an outlet can also assist with stress relief. Gentle and regular exercise offers a break from a stressful routine and can help clear the mind. Taking a break, whether for a walk to clear your head or a much needed vacation also does wonders for stress relief. Remember that it is important to express your feelings and worries. Having friends, family or colleagues to talk to acts as a beneficial support system for stress relief.
Food choices and stress relief
Healthy eating means a healthier you. Making sensible food choices will benefit your overall health and will improve your body’s ability to relax and cope with stress. Having a healthy and balanced diet of the correct foods will improve energy and mood, nourish the nerves and increase circulation and support the immune system. This overall with promote a positive and calm feeling in all aspects of your wellbeing.
For stress relief try removing unhealthy foods from your diet such as items with preservatives, sugar, fats and salts. Supplementing with vitamins and minerals helps improve deficiencies as a result of stress.
