All about stress: signs, consequences, ways to deal with stress

Work that requires complete dedication, household chores and caring for family, communication with friends and family, visiting beauty salons and fitness centers in order to maintain beauty and health. And most of us try to do all this in 24 hours a day. As a result, we experience stress.

It is very important to recognize stress in time. It is important to know yourself and be able to determine when your level is beyond your limits, because you can get used to stress and make it part of you. It can become normal and you won't even notice how harmful it can affect you. Stress will not only make you feel like life is meaningless, but it will also increase your risk of various diseases.

What is stress

Stress is a completely normal response of the body to overwork or threat. At the same time, the body tries to resist in every possible way, as a result of which we suffer. When this protection works normally, it helps a person to be cheerful, energetic, concentrated and on a pedestal. But stress often has a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health.

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Stress is a long-term, continuous, depressing emotional tension. When growing multitasking does not allow you to relax for a minute. When you constantly need to look for solutions, here and now. When everything seems global and urgent.

Genetics

Scientists have proven that stress resistance is transmitted to a person at the genetic level. Some can easily get out of any situation, while remaining almost completely calm. Others are thrown into panic even by the simplest situation. Such differences make it impossible for all people to use the same stress management techniques.

Some gene variants suggest that destructive consequences develop too quickly. People with this heredity should avoid irritants at all costs. The functioning of our nervous system depends entirely on the genes that we inherited from our ancestors.

Signs and symptoms of stress

Each person experiences stress differently. The common thing about the symptoms of stress is that it affects our mind, body and behavior. A person becomes aggressive, has a bad mood, suicidal thoughts in his head, and very often, due to nervous disorders, gets sick.

After stress, an individual becomes overly emotional and cannot sit still. Or, on the contrary, too self-contained, silent, distant, passive, unemotional. The person seems to be paralyzed by stress and at the same time seething inside. Here are a few signs of stress in a person:

inability to concentrate on one thing;
inability to prioritize – everything seems important;
irritability, anxiety, anger at the slightest reason;
sleep problems (long periods of falling asleep, insomnia);
sudden opposite emotions (laughter, tears for no particular reason);
problems with appetite;
chronic fatigue that does not go away even after sleep.

How to help yourself?

But if you constantly worry about one thing or another, neither 8 hours of sleep nor proper nutrition will help protect you from stress.
This means you need to pay attention to your mental health. First, you need to determine exactly what exactly worries and excites you, i.e. find the cause of stress. Having identified the source of the problem for yourself, look for ways to distract yourself, switch to pleasant activities, for example, meeting with friends, reading, going to the theater or concert. It also happens that the source of stress is part of your life, and there is no way to change it. But even in such a situation, no one bothers you to change your own attitude towards circumstances. It wouldn’t hurt to analyze your experiences, but do it as if from the outside. It is quite possible that it will turn out that the events that took place are not at all worth such strong emotions. Try to focus on the positive

,
because when we are upset, life situations seem much worse than they really are.

Consequences of constant stress

Heart attacks . Stress leads to increased blood pressure. Every time you get stressed, your blood pressure goes up. In addition to this, your blood flow also increases significantly, which leads to the release of triglycerides and cholesterol into the blood. People who smoke and are obese are also at higher risk of serious heart problems.
Choking . Children who are regularly stressed are at higher risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma. Studies in children have shown that stress can significantly worsen asthma. There is also evidence to suggest that chronic stress in parents can negatively impact the health of their children.
Gastritis . Some people with chronic stress suffer from gastritis, which further complicates their condition. Stress-induced gastritis, also known as stress-related erosive syndrome, can cause superficial hemorrhages and mucosal erosion in patients who are seriously ill and in people exposed to stress.

Brain mapping

For these purposes, we use advanced functional brain mapping, which allows us to study the bioelectrical activity of the brain and create a 3D map of the most significant changes. In some cases, especially if sleep disorders come to the fore, it is necessary to conduct a computer somnography, that is, to study night sleep. Based on the results of the diagnostics, the doctor will select an individual neurotherapeutic recovery program. At X-Clinic we have selected the best methods that have been created in the world to restore the psycho-emotional state and increase resistance to stress.

How to relieve stress: ways to deal with stress

It is very important not to lose composure and control. Manage your emotions using the following methods. Start in order:

Take a moment, sit down . Ask yourself about the importance of the problem that is gnawing at the moment. How will its decision or lack of decision affect the situation in 1 year, 5 years? The answer will help you understand the importance of anxiety.
Recording thoughts . Phrases, sentences, individual words - jot everything down on a draft. This will be a distraction during the acute period. Read what you wrote the next day - this way you will understand the significance of the events and the actions taken.
Stimulate your nerves . An effective method is to run your index finger horizontally across your lips. It is based on the physiological response of the parasympathetic nervous system. Quickly and effectively soothes.
Muscle tension . Gather your nerves! Tighten all your muscles, clench your fists, and grit your teeth for 10 seconds. Feel how your body switches and reacts with prolonged relaxation.
Try any classic methods : a walk in the fresh air, relaxation in the bath, herbal tea, gourmet food or delicious chocolate, physical activity, an hour for a hobby, chatting with friends, and so on.
Work on yourself . Try to turn negative into positive. Don't let stress overcome you. Spilled coffee on yourself? Think of a spoiled item as unnecessary, old, inconvenient, ready to be thrown away a long time ago.
Try to interrupt the overwhelming stressful thought . Clap your hands. Say out loud that you will definitely return to her later. Promise yourself to remember the problem at a certain hour.
Be available . Do not turn off communications. Don't ignore other people's attention. On the contrary, run away from the desire to hide from everyone. Chat on social networks. And then have a good cry.

Agree, there is nothing complicated in such techniques. If you turn to them for several days during times of stress, they will definitely help. Even one technique can give the desired effect, if the situation has not become critical.

Getting stress under control will reduce your risks of developing Alzheimer's disease, depression, asthma, gastritis, obesity and heart disease. All it takes is a little joy, treat yourself and relax. Even though you may think it is impossible to completely get rid of stress, small lifestyle changes will definitely improve your condition.

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Medical treatments are great for dealing with stress. Of course, the amount of time you can devote to procedures will depend on your schedule and responsibilities. However, even one hour a week spent at the spa can be very beneficial. Most salons offer a calm and relaxing environment, which is exactly what people suffering from extreme stress need. Such procedures also help to lose weight.

To keep stress to a minimum, you should adopt a low-sugar diet. Sugar increases blood glucose levels, which leads to temporary nervousness and anxiety. An excellent alternative to sweet foods such as cookies, candies and cakes - fruits and berries. They contain cortisol, which helps reduce stress.

The effect of stress on the human body

In addition to the psychological impact, stressful situations have a strong impact on the body. And it cannot be called positive:

Increased blood sugar levels. This reaction of the body activates internal defense mechanisms. But frequent releases of additional doses of glucose lead to the development of diabetes.
Weakening of the immune system through decreased production of white blood cells. A person begins to get sick much more often for no apparent reason.
Tight muscles that cannot relax begin to break down on their own. This also applies to some internal organs.
Vasodilation, the source of which leads to disruption of the cardiovascular system.
Metabolism failure. The accumulation of toxins that are not eliminated in a timely manner simply poisons us from the inside.

In addition, the person becomes irritable and aggressive. Normal sleep, necessary for proper rest, disappears. Anxiety and frequent headaches develop. All this together can lead to a complete loss of strength, which you will have to fight in the hospital ward.

Relieving stress: advice from a psychologist

In order to relieve stress, you need to be able to recognize, accept and deal with its causes:

Try to react less to minor irritants.
Look at the problem as a challenge, a way to become better, more experienced.
Accept the things you cannot control.
Surround yourself with people with a positive attitude who look at the glass and claim it is half full.
Breathe more in the fresh air, do yoga, read a motivational book.
Go in for sports, then you will not have time for bad thoughts, plus improve your memory and health.
Get enough sleep, listen to rhythmic music and spend time with loved ones.
Give yourself a hobby.

If all else fails

But what to do if you signed up for fitness, walk the dog for a long time every evening, go to bed no later than 23.00 and are seriously interested in knitting, but you still can’t cope with stress? First of all, don’t despair
and don’t get depressed.
If you don't know how to change a faucet, you call a plumber, right? It’s the same with stress: if you couldn’t resolve the issue on your own, contact a psychotherapy specialist .
psychotherapeutic techniques are used to combat stress ,

so you will have the opportunity to choose what suits you:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy – psychological training that allows you to identify negative thoughts, analyze them, change your behavior pattern, attitude towards a specific situation;
art therapy – the so-called “art treatment”, which allows you to throw out emotions and understand yourself;
auto-training – training in methods of controlling breathing and muscle tone, changing internal attitudes.

There are a lot of such methods; an experienced specialist will definitely help you choose the most suitable and effective option.

Exercises to relieve stress

These exercises help relieve muscle tension and improve your emotional state. Thanks to this, they promote restful and sound sleep. And good sleep is the key to good morning well-being, good health and beauty.

Exercise 1 . Sit on the floor with your legs wide apart. Look at your left foot. Place the palm of your right hand on your left side. Taking a deep breath, raise your left hand, exhaling, move it to the right. Repeat the exercise with your right hand.
Exercise 2 . Bend one leg under you. Exhaling, bend towards the extended leg, trying to reach its foot as much as possible. Repeat the exercise, changing legs.
Exercise 3 . Lying on your back, pull your legs bent at the knees to your chest, clasping them with both hands. To better stretch and relax your muscles, gently rock back and forth.
Exercise 4 . Lying on your back, cross your left leg bent at the knee over your right and press it to the floor with your right hand. Repeat the exercise, changing legs.

How to organize your day remotely?

Feel relaxed and able to cope with the symptoms of depression? Then it's time to start organizing your day in the home office.

We remove the word “organize” and there is no need to try to plan and somehow “switch yourself”, “not pay attention to what is happening around.” We need to move away from the “run, save, panic” mode (=autopilot mode) to the “awareness” mode. To do this, I offer you a list of conscious actions:

Spending time in nature
Walk a different route
Watch the sky
Buy a flower
New rituals (sit on a different chair, take a different phone, write with a different pen, new perfume)
The habit of walking 15 minutes a day simply and without purpose
Turn off the computer or put away the phone if this is no longer needed and you have already done your business
Watch how coffee or tea is brewed or how you make juice
Write down 10 pleasant things that happen to you today
Stop and listen to what's going on around you

Have you done one or more things from the list? Now we are trying to return to a conscious life, and not to autopilot

1 step. Choose something you love and can do for the next week (5-6 days). If nothing comes to mind, choose, for example, your favorite music. Listen to it and let it be your leisure activity until you can try something else.

Step 2. Whenever you do what you love, feel how each moment unfolds, how each moment lasts. Immerse yourself in this moment as deeply as possible. Make every movement conscious. Take in the sights, smells, sounds and sensations that arise.

Step 3. Notice that the mind has wandered off somewhere again, gently bring it back to the present moment.

You need to move away from the “run, save yourself, panic” mode (autopilot mode) to the “awareness” mode.

How can you avoid gaining weight if you constantly have the urge to chew something at home?

The fact is that at home there is a kitchen nearby. And there is a full refrigerator with supplies for the duration of quarantine. How to avoid gaining weight in this situation? Here are a few simple rules that I adhere to myself.

Don't eat when stressed. Relax before eating. Before eating, practice deep relaxation techniques for 10-15 minutes to relieve physical tension and calm your emotions. Use major muscle relaxation (especially the stomach and legs). We use diaphragmatic breathing, as it gently “massages” the gastrointestinal tract.
Eat when you are hungry. Define “hunger” from “false” or “emotional” hunger, which occurs when there is nervous tension around the abdomen. If you continue to feel hungry even when your stomach is relaxed and you are emotionally calm, you are truly hungry.
Under stress, get adequate nutrients: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), calcium and protein.
Remember about mindful eating: don’t eat in front of the TV.

Remember to properly organize your day and eat mindfully.

Evening yoga for stress

If you like yoga, two simple poses will allow you to achieve complete relaxation and help you calm down after a busy day.

Pose 1 . Sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Place your hands on your knees. Try to focus all your attention on the pose you have taken. The base of the spine should be as close to the floor as possible, and the head should be raised high. Imagine that your spine is stretching.
Pose 2 . Lying on your back with your legs wide apart, place your hands, palms up, about 15 cm from your torso. Slowly rotate your limbs, first outward, then inward. Turn your head from side to side. Imagine that your legs are separated at the knee joints, that your head is separated from your shoulders. Breathe with your stomach, imagine that you are being pressed to the floor by the force of gravity and with each inhalation it becomes stronger and stronger.

Help yourself: simple relaxation techniques

Get rid of muscle tension and information overload

Take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news, including social media. Give yourself “worry time,” for example, 10 minutes a day for information about coronavirus. Remove rumors and use in speech about the coronavirus and its pandemic. For your psyche, coronavirus is just a stimulus, a set of letters that is written or you read it. It is you who attribute this or that meaning to this stimulus. And here the question arises: should you attribute an overly catastrophizing meaning to this stimulus, or can you respond to it more flexibly? Take a white piece of paper, draw a dot on it and label it coronavirus. Look at this piece of paper and tell me, what else do you see besides this point? That's right, you see a white area that for some reason is not filled with anything. Your life has become one-dimensional, fill it with volume and those things that are truly and literally valuable to you at the moment.

Take care of your body

First, remove the fussiness. Notice when you start to either hold your breath or breathe rapidly (this especially happens when you read information about the coronavirus, or talk about it, or start thinking about it). the “quiet place” technique once a day find a place where you feel alone and, if possible, close the door. Sit comfortably. Take 5 deep breaths. As you exhale each time, breathe out the air through pursed lips. Give yourself permission to feel anger or disappointment. Notice where they are located in your body? Allow these emotions to rise within you. Watch them reach their peak. At this moment, imagine that you are rushing on waves of emotions. Look at yourself from the outside. Let your emotions carry you, let them grow. Now let them sleep on their own. Mentally direct your breath to the place where your emotions were hidden. Relax your body, straighten your shoulders, relax your abdominal muscles. With every breath, feel that balance is returning to you. Allow yourself to be with the emotions that are unpleasant for you without judging yourself.

Enter mindful walking

Remove all gadgets and music. Walk rhythmically, at a pace that is comfortable for you. Breathe evenly through your nose in time with your steps. Move your arms and let them relax. Lower your shoulders (remove the “stress penguin”). There is no need to swing your arms too much, just gentle swaying that relaxes your shoulders is enough. Notice what's around you. Feel how your feet step on the ground, how your arms sway. Watch your posture and how you hold your head. Notice what you see, pay attention not only to your thoughts, but also to smells and sounds.

Protect yourself from the news, monitor your mental and physical condition.

Dance

By performing voluntary dance movements, we release the tension that has accumulated during the day. Be relaxed and move slowly, making movements that you enjoy.

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Let the music sound inside you. Belly dancing, for example, is a great at-home fitness activity that can help relieve stress.