Stressed out? Deal with it now, before it deals with your Health!

Stress - You better take it serious!!

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Everyone is exposed to one form of stress or the other. No one is immune to it. While some people have mastered the art of managing stress, others are still grappling with it. The reality is that if you don’t deal with stress, it could lead to something more dangerous. Before we go any further, let’s briefly define what stress is.

Stress is any physical, mental or emotional strain caused by overwork or anxiety. The sad thing about stress is that when unchecked, it can exacerbate all other health conditions. To state how serious stress is, here are some health issues that stress could lead to:

1. Obesity
   Stressed out people seem to pile up fat in their belly area which poses a higher risk than fat on the hips or legs. A hormone – cortisol – is responsible for depositing fat in the abdomen which predisposes the individual to obesity.

2. Premature aging
   Stress can accelerate the rate at which individuals age. Researches that have been carried out showed that stress can actually make one look 9 -17 years older than the person’s real age.

3. Heart disease
   It may sound surprising but a study also revealed that stress can directly increase blood flow and heart rate which causes the body to release triglycerides and cholesterol into the blood stream. This results in heart disease over time.

4. Headaches and Migraines
   This is probably one of the common effects of stress. You may have noticed that the moment you are stressed out, it triggers a headache or even migraine.

5. Anxiety and Depression
   This is another common effect that stress has on people. When stress is not managed and it reaches a certain chronic level, it could lead to anxiety and depression. This is most common among people who are into abusive relationship, or people who do not like their jobs or have a very demanding job/employer.

6. Untimely death
   studies have shown that people who are under stress and could not put it under control are more likely to die a premature death than those who were able to handle stress.

To some people, stress is just a feeling in the head that goes away whether attended to or not. But this isn’t so. Stress is how your body psychologically reacts to threats. This leads to an increased heart rate, and a bloodstream loaded with adrenaline and cortisol which could result in other health issues...

3 Possible Steps to manage Stress

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First step – Breath in deeply
It may sound funny, but breathing in deeply in a moment of stress can calm the nerves and restrain the heart from beating faster. This prevents cortisol and adrenaline from getting to the bloodstream. Keep taking in a deep breath until you feel better and no longer anxious.

Second step – Refocus your attention
Alright, things are already getting out of hand and you are wondering why we are telling you to refocus your attention. The situation might seem really bad, but if you can make up your mind to focus on other good things aside from the bad situation, you will notice that the negative effect of that situation starts wearing off. For instance, it could be a loss of a relationship you cherish. Although it might hurt at the moment, but if you can take your mind off it and think instead: “what if it had gone farther and worst”? You will realize that it’s better the relationship was broken off instead of lingering on and wasting your years fruitlessly. There is always something good in every bad situation. Find one and focus on it.

Third step - Talk to a friend
You may have heard that a problem shared is a problem half solved. If you are in a stressful situation, you will find that when you discuss it with someone close to you or a psychologist, you will feel a lot better. Chances are that the person will comfort you and become a shoulder you can lean on. Do not wallow in self-pity, talk to someone today!

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