Yeah sounds silly, and it is. How can stress be whats causing me stress? Well lets dive into what stress is.
Pressure or tention exerted on a material object.
While this is the definition pertaining to physical objects, it can also be true for ones emotions. Take the pressure of getting up for work or the tension at home because your significant other holds you to a standard that you dont stand a chance ever reaching. Society tells you you’re not good enough but you never feel like you have been givin a fair oppertunity to show your true value because you have been givin a value and its an hourly rate of not enough.
I will tell you. From experience. No one will ever pay you what you are worth. Because money isnt a payment for your value. Its a payment for your skills to preform a task that has a pre determined value behind it. And you have oppertunity everywhere to complete your own tasks with their own values, on your own time and for your reasons. But i digress.
Or take having kids, making sure they make it through the day properly clothed, fed and loved all while juggling the already seemingly insurmountable daily activities forced upon you by society and its standards.
What types of stress are their?
Given that stress has been linked as a co-factor in 95% of all diseases, a keystone of holistic, an alternative way to health and healing is learning how to effectively manage stress. This learning process begins with recognizing or identifying four specific types of stress affecting you and how these stressors are showing up or manifesting as symptoms in your life.
Stress factors fall into four types of categories:
physical stress,
psychological stress,
psychosocial stress,
psychospiritual stress.
Physical stress: trauma (injury, infection, surgery), intense physical labor/over-exertion, environmental pollution (pesticides, herbicides, toxins, heavy metals, inadequate light, too much friggin light, radiation, NOISE thats a big one for me, electromagnetic fields), illness (viral, bacterial, or fungal agents), fatigue, inadequate oxygen supply, hypoglycemia I (low blood sugar), hormonal and/or biochemical imbalances, dietary stress (nutritional deficiencies, food allergies and sensitivities, unhealthy eating habits), dehydration, substance abuse, dental challenges, and musculoskeletal misalignments/imbalances.
Psychological stress: emotional stress (resentments, fears, frustration, sadness, anger, grief/bereavement), cognitive stres (information overload, accelerated sense of time, worry, guilt, shame, jealousy, resistance, attachments, self-criticism, self-loathing, unworkable perfectionism, anxiety, panic attacks, not feeling like yourself, not feeling like things are real, and a sense of being out of control/not being in control), and perceptual stress (beliefs, roles, stories, attitudes, world view).
Psychosocial stress:relationship/marriage difficulties (partner, siblings, children, family, employer, co-workers, employer), lack of social support, lack of resources for adequate survival, loss of employment/investments/savings, loss of loved ones, bankruptcy, home foreclosure, and isolation.
Psycho-spiritual stress: A crisis of values, meaning, and purpose; joyless striving (instead of productive, satisfying, meaningful and fulfilling work; and a misalignment withn one’s core spiritual beliefs.
Overall, improperly or ineffectively managed stress usually takes a toll on the body. And if they continue over a long period of time can become very detrimental to your health.
When stress-related feelings, moods, emotions are pushed into the body, this is usually termed psychosomatic or psychogenic illness, including headaches, heart palpitations, physical/cognitive/emotional pain and suffering, constricted throat and shallow, constricted breathing, clammy palms, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, allergies, asthma, autoimmune syndromes related to an ineffective functioning of the immune system, hypertension (high blood pressure), and gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhea, upset stomach, duodenal ulcers and esophageal reflux syndrome.
Prolonged stress can result in suppressed immune function, increased susceptibility to infectious and immune-related diseases and cancer. Emotional stress can also result in hormonal imbalances (adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, etcetera) that further interfere with healthy immune functioning.
In my oppinion most of this stress is caused by stress its self. We have convinced ourselves in and out of so many problems in our lives. Take for example the fracking in Antarctica, there is a percieved problem ie not having enough oil. So that stress caused a series of events to fix this non exsistant “problem” by drilling for more in a location people dont agree with. I dis agree with the use of crude oil to begin with but you didnt ask my stamd point on fracking. So these people (Green peace) take their stress caused by stress caused by stress and they get in a giant boat feuled by the exsact behavior they are protesting in turn adding to the neccesity of the proccess they are protesting. Sounds stressfull and counter productive. But thats the dumb stuff we do everyday.
So what are ways to reduce stress?
The top of my list is canabis. But thats not for everyone. Productivity would be the most effective in my oppinion. Why? Because getting things accomplished makes you feel a whole lot better than thinking about all the stuff you have to do and havnt done. Sounds simple. Just get off your butt and do stuff.
There is something to say about the relationship between fat and stress. Most people who die of heart attacks are over weight. But stress can cause issues with the thyroid causeing weight gain therefore resulting in heart failure. Being over weight is also stressfull. Trying to tie your shoes is a chore depending on how severe. (Personal experience) so it is easy to say that these feelings are induced by ones personal decisions.
So other than action itself what actions can you take to reduce stress.
1. Take a walk.
Walks have been known to help clear the mind and are also good for keeping healthy. Once again these go hand in hand.
2.Light a candlehttps://bit.ly/2ElzY6b
There are lots of scented candles out there that can relax you. Lavender, frankencence, eucalyptus, pepermint. I use all of these essential oils as well. They are a part of my supplement package. I take them as seriously as a multi vitamin. Because of how detrimental stress can be for muscle repair. And over all mood.
3. Take a nap.
Ya have a kid? Is that kid grumpy when its tired? Doesnt it help to put the kid down for a nap? Well sorry to tell you, we are just big kids. In fact. We have more of a need for naps because much more is required of us. Find a way to incorporate a nap in here and there. Your mind body and soul will thank you.
4. Play with your pet
Sometimes we just need physical interaction and seaking it from humans comes with its own stressors and potential let downs. And your animal is sittin there waiting for the interaction. Love eachother. It helps lower stress.
5. Turn off your tv and put down your phone.
Take a break from technology. Like i expressed earlier, lights, noise, unecessary information all lead to stress. And all youre going to get from a screen are these things. What your third cousin made for her husband for dinner will still be on facebook later, im sure it can wait.
6. Spend time in nature.
My favorite place to be is in the woods at the edge of a cliff. No person in site for miles.
7. Eat healthy foods
Diet has a huge impact on how we feel. Too much caffine and too much calcium actually shortens the gap between Neuro transmitters and causes a quicker reaction between what has happened and your response. Think of how that can negatively effect your life. Food is you. You are food. So if youre eating garbage guess what. So pay attention to what you put into your body.
What ever you get from this article i want you to at least walk away with this.
Prevention is the best way to reduce stress induced symptoms. So stop making things up. There are enough stressors in life without you stressing over the little things.
I hope this helped you. Hope to continue aiding in your journey to become the BEST you that you can be and know im on the journey with you.