The festive season is well underway, but it can often be
overlooked that the financial, social and emotional pressures associated with
this time of year can be a major source of stress. So now is the perfect time
to consider the ways in which we can aim to reduce the impact of stress on our
day to day lives.
What is stress?
Stress is a physical response to a challenging or
threatening situation, initiated by an increase in ‘fight or flight’ hormone
adrenaline. It is characterised by an increase in heart rate and breathing rate,
sweating and tensing of the muscles. Once the situation is overcome, the body
can quickly return to the usual relaxed state. However, if the difficult
situation is long-term, such as financial worries, workplace pressures, family
or relationship problems, illness, or bereavement, it can cause chronic stress,
which can lead to the development of stress-related symptoms. (1)
What are stress-related
symptoms?
Chronic stress can manifest itself in various forms.
Emotionally, it can make you feel overwhelmed and helpless. You may find you
have a short fuse and snap at people easily. Your confidence in yourself and
your abilities may drop, and you may feel anxious and uncertain about the
future. (1)
Stress can make it difficult to concentrate on tasks, with
fleeting thoughts constantly popping up in your mind. You may worry
excessively, and sometimes irrationally. Decision making can become very daunting
as you over-analyse each option and its outcome. (1)
Physically, you may experience frequent headaches, feel
tired and/or dizzy, have trouble sleeping and develop muscle pain as a result
of constant tensing. Stress can also affect our diet – some people find they
feel less hungry or forget to eat, meaning they don’t eat enough; others find
they turn to food for comfort and eat too much. Other unhealthy behaviours that
may be adopted during times of stress include heavy drinking, smoking and
recreational drug use. (1)
How can I beat stress?
It’s often not possible to completely remove the factor that
is causing stress from your life – at least not immediately. Therefore it’s
important to try to find coping mechanisms to reduce the impact stress has on your
health and wellbeing. If chronic stress is not tackled, it could lead to mental
illnesses including anxiety and depression, and changes in diet could lead to
poor physical health – undereating potentially leading to being underweight,
deficiencies and muscle wastage, and overeating to being overweight or obese,
with associated problems such as raised blood pressure and cholesterol and
increased risk of diabetes. (1, 2)
Talk to someone about your stress
Talking to people close to you about the causes of your
stress can not only help you to feel less alone in your struggles, but to gain
a different insight and receive advice which could help to solve problem(s).
Spending quality time with friends and family can help you to wind down and
focus on enjoying the moment. (1, 2)
Alternatively, you can speak to your GP, or there are a
number of organisations which have helplines available to offer advice and
support, often 24 hours a day, including SupportLine
and AnxietyUK.
(1, 2)
Look after number one
Many people find work begins to become the centre of their
life, or they strive to look after others whilst neglecting their own needs.
Try not to let this happen - make sure you take time to do the things you
enjoy. Whether it’s something as simple as setting an hour aside in the evening
to do some reading, to going for a family meal, to booking a short break to
escape from the stresses of day to day life for a few days. Finding a new hobby
can help to refocus your thoughts and renew your sense of purpose. (2)
Get moving
Physical exercise can also help to clear your mind and boost
levels of mood-enhancing chemicals (called endorphins) in the brain. Not to
mention the clear benefits to your physical health! Find a form of exercise
that works for you – whether it be going to the gym, a walk or run, swimming,
cycling, attending a dance class, or even gardening! (2)
Offer a helping hand
Doing your good deed for the day can be surprisingly
uplifting and increase your resilience. It can be something as small as
pointing someone who’s lost in the right direction to donating to a charity of
your choice or volunteering for a good cause. (2)
Count your blessings
Remember the positives in your life. It’s easy to take them
for granted when something else is really getting you down. At the end of each
day, try writing down three things that you enjoyed or that you’re grateful
for. This should help you to put things into perspective and think more
rationally. (2)
There is a new article on Stress Relief by Katie Holmes, where she has compiled some
fantastic comments from 34 different therapists, psychologists, social workers and
others on how to overcome stress. (3) With suggestions including:
- Practice deep breathing exercises
- Develop strong relationships and let yourself be
surrounded by your loved ones
- Practice mindfulness
- Take a trip in your mind with guided imagery
- Disconnect from technology
And much more.
References
- NHS Moodzone. How to deal with stress
[cited 10 December 2018]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/understanding-stress/
- NHS Moodzone. 10 stress busters
[cited 10 December 2018]. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/reduce-stress/
3. How To Relieve Stress: 34 Comments From Therapists, Psychologists and people Who’ve Overcome Stress at: https://outwittrade.com/how-to-relieve-stress
Author
Gabby
Gallagher MPharm
Medically
reviewed and updated by
Superintendent pharmacist Margaret Hudson BSc(Hons)MRPharmS
17/12/18, updated 24/09/20