Stress: Causes, Effects, and Management

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Stress is a normal part of our daily life but if not handled well, can leave you exhausted and weak. Prolonged unmanaged stress can eventually affect your health negatively so it’s important to know and identify when you are getting stressed, what’s causing it and how to manage it. 

What causes stress? 

Any situation or event that gives you pressure can cause stress. Bills to pay, a demanding boss, or your annoying neighbor are just some of the common stress triggers. According to a 2020 report by the American Psychological Association, aside from the pandemic and the uncertainty of the country’s future, work-related stress, life stress, and self-induced stress are among the top biggest source of stress. 

Some causes of work-related stress: 

• Job loss 
• Not happy with your job
• Heavy workload 
• Long working hours 
• Unsafe work
• Insecurity with keeping the job or losing it 
• Discrimination  

Some causes of life stress: 

• Death in the family
• Sickness in the family
• Heavy financial obligations
• Chronic pain 
• Relationship problems 
• Emotional issues 
• Traumatic experience 

Some causes of self-induced stress: 

• When you’re expectations are not realistic
• Major life changes
• Negative views in life
• Uncertainty of the future 
• Fear of what’s yet to happen

Effects of stress 

Your stress level depends on your disposition and your response to stressors. When you are faced with a distressing situation, your sympathetic nervous system stimulates the adrenal glands to release hormones that help get ready to fight or escape. This is known as the body’s “fight or flight” reaction. When this happens, you will feel your heart racing, faster breathing, muscle tensing, and sweating. This momentary reaction is known as acute stress and the body normally recovers from it immediately. 

Chronic stress, on the other hand, happens when the stress occurs regularly over a long period of time. This type of stress can lead to serious health issues or worsen existing health problems.   

Signs of acute stress: 

• Headache
• Exhaustion
• Easily irritated
• Trouble sleeping 
• Stomach ache
• Trouble focusing 

Signs of untreated chronic stress:

• Cramps
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Ulcers
• Heartburn
• Depression
• Hypertension
• Heart problem
• Arrhythmia
• Heart attack
• Atherosclerosis
• Weight gain
• Obesity
• Weight loss
• Skin issues
• Trigger asthma attack 

Stress management

How one handles stress is different for everyone. There are many simple ways to manage stress and there are many self-care products you can use to make you feel calm and relaxed. Here are 8 products that could help you fight stress: 

Pamper your feet  

After a long day of working, parenting, or doing house chores, one of the best ways to destress is to pamper your feet. Soothe and rejuvenate your overworked feet with the Bubble Mate Foot Spa.

It has massage water jets and raised nodes that will work to revitalize your feet by gently soothing and massaging your tired feet. It comes with Removable Pumice, has a Splash-Proof feature, and has a very convenient Toe-Touch Control that lets you turn the machine on and off without getting your hands wet. 

Have a good sleep 

Another great way to destress is to have good quality, adequate sleep. If you are frequently having difficulty sleeping for a full eight hours at night then the MZOO Sleep Eye Mask might help you. 

This eye mask can effectively block the light and let your eyes blink freely without putting pressure on your eyelashes. Very suitable for napping, travel, meditation, and people suffering from insomnia. This product is made from top-quality fabric with low-rebound memory foam and has a wider and deeper eye space design that lets you sleep in comfort. 

Make it better 

Still on sleeping, nothing can make you sleep better than having new comfy pillows that will lull you to a deep, relaxed slumber. You can try changing your pillows with the Beckham Hotel Collection Bed Pillows.

These pillows are made of super plush materials and are tailored to ensure utmost comfort when sleeping in any position. 

Learn to let go 

Practice meditation and mindfulness with the Original Buddha Board. 

You can relax by painting, drawing, or writing beautiful soft images and letters that look very much like Japanese artwork. Then watch your masterpiece slowly disappear as you practice the art of letting go. 

Take a relaxing bath 

 A nice warm bath can be both rejuvenating and healing. Make your bath more relaxing with the LifeAround2Angels Bath Bombs. 

These moisturizing and therapeutic bath bombs are made from premium natural ingredients that fizz with colors that will not stain your tub. 

Be in a better mood 

Another natural way of relieving stress and anxiety is through Aromatherapy. Try the Lagunamoon Essential Oils. 

This set features lemongrass for calmness & clarity, peppermint for concentration & clear thinking, orange for optimism & peace, lavender for cognitive functions & alertness, eucalyptus for optimism & concentration, & tea tree for mental strength & calmness. 

Get some light 

Being exposed to sunlight is thought to boost the brain’s production of serotonin. This hormone is considered to be a natural mood booster that helps you keep calm and relaxed.  However, not everyone has the time or opportunity to get some sunlight. If this is your case, you can try the Miroco Light Therapy Lamp. 

This lamp has Safe & UV-Free LED Lights, Adjustable Brightness, Touch Control, and  Memory Function. 

Sound it out 

Another way to help you decompress from all of your busy day’s stresses is to listen to white noise. Aside from shutting out undesirable noises, white noise can help your mind get some peace and quiet. You can try the Letsfit White Noise Machine. 

This white noise machine comes with 14 Soothing Sleep Soundtracks, Adjustable Night Light, Auto-Off Timer, and Memory Function. 

A fair amount of stress can help you perform better when it comes to challenging situations but chronic stress can affect your health tremendously. Learn how to manage stress and remember to ask for help and support if you feel that you can’t manage it on your own. 

You might also be interested to read 15 Simple Ways To Help Boost Your Energy and How Does Alcohol Affect Your Body?