Hey Earth’s Enrichers, what exactly do you know about stress? On a superficial note, you know stress is uncomfortable, unfavorable, and makes a day seemingly longer than necessary. You know that it can cause tension in the body, which leads to other forms of discomfort like headaches, muscle pains, and even nausea. We already have tools and means of relieving stress but how is stress defined. What is stress? What causes it? What types of stress are there? What are its short-term and long-term effects? These are things you deserve to know!
What is stress?
Stress is the reaction the body has to being thrown off its homeostasis (balanced) network. It can have mental effects, which affect a person’s ability to function in everyday tasks. It can be a temporary but reoccurring state of the body. It can corrupt a person’s ability to deal with daily issues because the problem solving function is being corrupted by unfavorable distractions. It can also have physical effects on the body. These effects are usually unintentional on your behalf because you are not purposely causing your body pain. For instance, have you ever noticed yourself grinding your teeth or all of a sudden your neck starts to hurt out of the blue. This could be attributed to stress.
What causes stress?
In simplest terms, stress can be caused by stressors. These could be anything from a certain individual to an accumulation of tiresome or irritating events. Anxiety can also play a big role in causing stress. In response to that stress, the body has what is called a stress response (go figure). These are mental, physical, or behavioral changes that take place because of the stressor.
What types of stress are there?
To be more specific about the type of stressors and what may cause stress, eustress and distress are two different types of stress. Eustress are stressors that are positive and promote improved quality in different aspects of life. Distress is not all that great, this is caused by negative stress. This can be counterproductive and harmful.
What are short term and long term effects of stress?
Stress can cause short-term and long-term effects on the body. These effects vary on individual health. Some examples of short-term effects are migraines (headaches), backaches, neck aches, mood swings, and hyperventilation. Chronic stress, which is stress that can be detrimental to your health, can have serious long-term effects. These effects could range from heart disease, chronic pain, depression, and even reduction in the body’s resistance to diseases. It could worsen already existing illness as well like MS, blood pressure, and anxiety.
The EE 411: Stress – Looking After Your Environment
Now that you have a deeper understanding of what stress is and its effects, it’s time to apply some solutions to stress situations:
- Laughter goes a long way- find your favorite comedy, or check out your favorite comical blog. It will help you relax because laughter releases endorphins into the body.
- Detox- select a nice time of the day and produce a comfortable environment for yourself. For example, if you like long baths, you should take one. Include in your bath water bath salts. Not only will the bath salts relax and release tension from your body, but the scent that they provide is also good aromatherapy which de-stresses the mind. If you’re more of an active person, turn on your favorite music and jam. Make space for me time!
- Re-evaluate your work load making sure you can physically and mentally handle everything you sign up for. If you can’t, it may be time to let some things go for your own benefit.
- Take some time to do yoga and meditate; it can help you make time to think about the next few steps in your life.
(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments. Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog. More information about our company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!)