Recognizing Stress and Stress Management
Stress, as defined by The World Health Organization, is “A state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.” Too much stress can have negative effects on both your mind and body, so learning to cope with stress can help you feel less overwhelmed. There are actually 3 types of stress: acute stress, episodic stress, and chronic stress. Being able to identify what type of stress you're dealing with will make it easier to manage the stressor and help you live a more well rounded life. The most common type of stress out of the three is
Acute stress.
Acute stress is your body’s reaction to a new or challenging situation. It’s the little everyday things like a deadline or finding out you’re short staffed for the day. Acute stress activates your fight or flight response causing increased heart rate, pupil dilation, and perspiration- among other things. It can easily be managed by taking a short moment to breathe and gather your thoughts and or emotions. In everyday practice, Acute Stress can last no less than three days, and no more than four weeks.
Next we have Episodic stress, which is when acute stresses happen frequently. An example of this would be the highstakes fast paced environment of healthcare workers. They are consistently dealing with emergencies; running from one crisis to the next without time to relax. People dealing with episodic stress often experience muscle tension, irritability, and high blood pressure along with other painful issues. To relieve episodic stress you must be more mindful with your time and the things you do. Taking time to plan out your day and managing your time will help with the burnout and make hectic days seem easier. A balance is really important for stressors that are consistent. Chronic stress, however, is a lot trickier than both acute and episodic stress because it usually feels out of your control.
Chronic stress is when stressors continue for a long time. This type of stress feels like it will never go away because it happens so often. Say you're living in an area with a lot of crime, this can cause chronic stress because you're always worried something might happen. Chronic stress can cause issues such as weight gain, insomnia, and panic attacks. When you start to feel chronic stress it’s important to focus on the things you can do, instead of the things you can't. If you’re in a bad neighborhood and unable to move, instead of focusing on moving you should focus on what you can do to improve your safety as much as possible. You should also try and exercise, as it helps release endorphins, allows you to maintain a healthy weight, and helps you become tired enough to sleep. Finding the right balance of rest, self compassion, emotional regulation, social connection, and focus can help keep stress to a manageable level. I hope this has helped someone!
Thank you for taking the time out to read this blog, and maybe you’d like to share your favorite ways to manage stress. If so please let us know in the comments below. Until Next Time- Prioritize Your Mind, Elevate Your Life: Here’s to a Happier Healthier You!
