Tag: health&wellness

STRESS- CAUSES, EFFECTS,SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

BY DAKSHITA NAITHANI

INTRODUCTION

Stress is a human emotion that is natural and affects everyone at some point in their lives. The human body is built to recognise and respond to stress. An individual’s body creates physical and mental reactions in response to changes or difficulties (stressors). It is any sort of change that produces physical, emotional, or psychological pressure. It may be caused by a variety of conditions or life events. When we encounter anything new, unanticipated which challenges our sense of self, or when we believe we have little control over a situation, it is frequently activated.

Your body’s stress reactions assist it in adapting to new conditions. A stress reaction, for example, may help your body work harder and remain awake longer if you have an important test coming up. When stresses persist without release or times of relaxation, it becomes a problem.

To some extent, everyone is stressed. We all handle stress in various ways which also has a significant impact on your wellbeing .Genetics, early life events, personality, and social and economic conditions can all influence our capacity to cope.

TYPES OF STRESS

Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different types of stress that you might experience include:

Acute stress:  We face this type of stress in daily life it is short term and can be either positive or distressing.

 Chronic stress: Chronic stress is a type of stress that appears to be never-ending and unavoidable, such as the stress of a physically demanding profession; chronic stress can also result from catastrophic events and psychological trauma.

Episodic acute stress: Acute stress that appears to be rampant and becomes a way of life, resulting in a life of constant distress, is known as episodic acute stress.

Eustress: Eustress is a thrilling and enjoyable experience. It’s a type of positive stress that can help you stay energised. It’s linked to adrenaline rushes, as when you’re skiing or rushing to reach a target.

CAUSES OF STRESS

There are numerous factors that might generate stress in one’s life. Work, economics, partnerships, parenthood, and day-to-day hassles are all common causes of stress. Workplace stress may also be detrimental to your psychological health. Workplace stress causes people to miss an average of 24 days of work each year due to illness.

Even life changes that are positive in nature such as moving to a larger house, getting a work promotion, or going on vacation can lead to stress. If you’re anxious in certain situations, you could have a hard time understanding why, or you might be hesitant to express your thoughts with others.

The fight-or-flight response, which is usually triggered by stress, is the body’s reaction to a perceived threat or danger. The fight-or-flight response, which was called for its capacity to enable us to physically fight or flee when faced with danger when is triggered in situations where both the responses are not appropriate, such as in traffic or during a stressful day at work. The relaxation reaction does not occur frequently enough in instances of chronic stress, and being in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight might harm the body.

HOW CHRONIC STRESS AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH

When you consider the influence stress has on your life, you can see the link between your mind and body. Physical health problems might arise when you are worried out about a relationship, money, or your living circumstances. It’s also true in reverse. Wellness issues, whether you have high blood pressure or diabetes, will have an impact on your stress level and mental health.

Heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even sudden death can be triggered by severe acute stress, such as being involved in a natural disaster or getting into a verbal altercation. Stress has an emotional impact as well. While mild anxiety or frustration may result from some stress, prolonged stress can lead to burnout, anxiety disorders, and depression. When under a lot of stress, your autonomic nervous system becomes overactive, which can harm your body.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Continuous activation of the stress response creates wear and tear on the body. When a person is under stress for a long term symptoms manifest themselves in the form of physical, emotional, and behavioural manifestations.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

  • Aches and pains such as chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing.
  • Feeling exhausted all the time or having trouble while sleeping.
  • Having Headaches, High blood pressure, dizziness or shaking.
  • Muscle tension or jaw clenching (Grinding teeth)
  • Having various digestive problems.
  • It also results in a weak immune system.
  • Clammy or sweaty palms

Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms such as:

  • Anxiety or irritability.
  • Depression.
  • Panic attacks.
  • Sadness.
  • Changes in mood

Identifying Stress

Having stress for long-terms has also been related to various gastrointestinal diseases including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or stomach ulcers, as well as cardiovascular illness, according to certain studies.

Stress may originate from a variety of places, but even little everyday pressures from job, school, family, and friends can have a negative impact on your mind and body.

If you think it might be bothering you, there are a few things you can look for:

  • Difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety, and difficulties remembering are all psychological symptoms.
  • Anger, irritability, moodiness, and frustration are examples of emotional indicators.
  • High blood pressure, weight fluctuations, frequent colds or infections, and changes in the menstrual cycle and libido are among physical symptoms.
  • Poor self-care, not having time for the activities you like, or depending on drugs and alcohol to cope are all behavioural markers to look out for.

TREATMENT

There is no one particular therapy for stress because it is not a separate medical diagnosis. Change the environment, improve stress coping abilities, apply various relaxation techniques and treating conditions that may have been created by chronic stress are all part of stress treatment.

Psychotherapy, medication, and complementary and alternative medicine are some of the therapies that may be beneficial.

HOW TO COPE WITH STRESS

Stress is unavoidable, but can be managed. One can take control of their health and decrease the influence stress has on life once they understand the toll it takes and how to battle it. You can’t escape stress, but you can keep it from becoming overwhelming by using the following methods on a regular basis:

  1. Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the most effective methods to calm your body and mind. Plus it will also lift your spirits. Work up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderately intensive activity, such as brisk walks, or 75 minutes of rigorous exercise, such as swimming laps, running, or participating in other sports. Focus on creating realistic fitness goals so you don’t give up.

  • Relax Your Muscles

Your muscles stiffen up when you’re anxious. Stretching, getting a massage and other self-care activities can help loosen them up and rejuvenate your body. Taking a hot bath or shower is a great way to relax. Having a restful night’s sleep is also very important.

  • Deep Breathing

Stopping and taking a few deep breaths can immediately relieve stress. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel. Simply take these five steps:

  • Sit with your hands in your lap and your feet on the floor in a comfortable posture.
  • Close your eyes for a moment.
  • Consider yourself in a soothing environment. It may be on the beach, in a lovely field of grass, anyplace else that helps you feel calm.
  • Slowly inhale and exhale deeply.
  • At a moment, do it for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Eat Well

Eating a good well-balanced, regular diet will make you feel better overall. It may also aid with mood regulation. For energy, your meals should include plenty of vegetables, fruit, healthy grains, and lean protein and make sure you don’t forget any. 

  • Slow Down
  • 5 to 10 minutes ahead of time, set your watch. You’ll be able to arrive a bit earlier and avoid the worry of being late.
  • Switch to the slow lane if you’re travelling on the highway to prevent road rage.
  • Break down projects into manageable chunks. If you don’t have to, don’t try to respond to all 100 emails; instead, respond to a handful of them.
  • Take a Break

 To give your mind a break from stress, schedule some genuine leisure. It may be difficult for you at first if you are someone who enjoys setting objectives for the day. But if you stay with it, you’ll come to like these times. Meditation, Yoga, Tai chi, Prayer, Listening to music, and spending time in nature are all relaxing activities.

  • Make Time for Hobbies

You must schedule time for activities that you like. Every day, try to do something that makes you happy, it helps you to relax. It doesn’t have to take a long time; 15 to 20 minutes would suffice. Reading, knitting, doing an art project, playing golf, watching a movie, doing puzzles, and playing cards and board games are all relaxing activities.

  • Talk About Your Problems

If anything is troubling you, talking about it might help you relax. Family members, friends, a trustworthy priest, a doctor, or a therapist are all good places to start.

So, when you’re worried, pay attention to what you’re thinking or saying. Change the negative message you’re sending yourself to a positive one. Don’t tell yourself, “I can’t do this,” for example. Instead, tell yourself, “I can do this,” or “I’m doing the best I can.”

  • Go Easy On Yourself

Accept that no matter how hard you strive, you will never be able to achieve everything with perfection. So, do yourself a favour and quit being hard over yourself and stop overestimating your abilities. Also, remember to retain your sense of humour. Laughter is one of the most effective ways to relax.

  1. Eliminate Your Triggers

Determine the main sources of stress in your life. Is it your job, your commute, or your schooling that’s the problem? If you can figure out what they are you may get rid of them or at least decrease them in your life.

Importance of Meditation

When we hear the word meditation, we feel like we have to get immersed in a deep concentration. We feel like we have some magical powers for the same. But today I am here to brief you about what meditation is. It is a calm and lovable state of mind. It is a journey of slowing your thinking process and also a path towards positive thinking. So, meditation is a state of mind which should incorporated in your life. In times of crisis, where the pandemic has significantly affected our mental health ,we should spare at least 5 mins wherein we could sit in peace, let the thoughts and emotions flow. 

Photo by Prasanth Inturi on Pexels.com

So yes , it is rightly said that we thrive every moment to turn our lives into a positive direction. 
But only a calm, relaxed and blissful mind can pave the way for a successful and well lived experience on this planet. To do so , we have to acknowledge and adopt meditation in our culture.

Now let’s take a look at some benefits of meditation 1- regular meditation helps in coping with anxiety attacks- practicing meditation decreases grey matter in the areas of the brain associated with fear and anxiety, and increases grey matters in areas where compassion and love exist. 

2- helps in getting rid of unwanted/ negative thoughts- As an idol is created after removing unwanted stones, in the same way, meditation helps you to remove unwanted thoughts and a beautiful personality comes before everyone. 

3-Meditation improves concentration and memory- the calmer the mind is , the more you can focus on things and see them clearly ; which also makes it easier to remember. 

4- increases your productivity- when you’re in a peaceful state of mind , you would be able to determine which tasks are most important and which aren’t urgent.

To conclude, when we start meditating we start seeing significant changes in our life. Therefore, start meditating today to live a stress free , productive life.

How to stay mentally healthy

Good mental health is characterised by a person’s ability to fulfil a number of key functions and activities, including : the ability to learn, the ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions, & the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others. Who doesn’t want to be strong mentally?

Here are some methods for good mental health :

1. Value yourself

While self-worth is more emotional, self-value is more behavioural. This is where we take the foundation of how we feel about ourselves and put it to work. Self-value is the driving vehicle that allows us to walk the walk and act in ways that align with what we value. This shows up in the way we talk to people or in steps we take to speak our truth. Both self-worth and self-value feed off of one another, but it’s helpful to point out the subtle differences. Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism. Make time for your hobbies and favourite projects, or broaden your horizons. Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another language

2. Give yourself

Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You’ll feel good about doing something tangible to help someone in need and it’s a great way to meet new people.

Healthy Ways to Take a Mental Break :

  • Get Outside. Getting outside and enjoying the fresh air is a great way to renew your energy
  • Be Active
  • Meditate
  • Treat Yourself
  • Drink Water
  • Make Time to Socialise

3. Take care of your body

Taking better care of our bodies means increased energy levels, and a better ability to accomplish our daily goals. It means better ability to concentrate on any given task, and that our tasks will take less time to complete. Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be sure to :

  • Eat nutritious meals
  • Avoid smoking and vaping
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods
  • Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes to a high rate of depression in college students. 

4. Surround yourself with good people

When you surround yourself with positive people, you’re more likely to adopt empowering beliefs and see life as happening for you instead of to you. Just as you benefit when you surround yourself with people who make you happy, you suffer when those in your business or social circles are negative or narrow-minded. People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet new people, such as a club, class or support group.

5. Quiet your mind

Try meditating, mindfulness or prayer. Relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you feel calm and enhance the effects of therapy. Silencing the mind does not mean stopping to think at all. It means thinking when you need to think, but keeping the mind calm when you don’t need to think.

6. Learn how to deal with stress

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: Try One-Minute Stress Strategies, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humour in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

7. Set realistic goals

Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally and personally, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high, but be realistic and don’t over-schedule. You’ll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you progress toward your goal. Wellness Coaching can help you develop goals and stay on track.

8. Avoid alcohol and other drugs

Keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but in reality, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems.

Some ways to avoid using alcohol :

  • Keep a diary of your drinking
  • Don’t keep alcohol in your house
  • Choose alcohol-free days
  • Watch for peer pressure
  • Set a drinking goal

9. Break up the monotony

Although our routines make us more efficient and enhance our feelings of security and safety, a little change of pace can perk up a tedious schedule. Alter your jogging route, plan a road-trip, take a walk in a different park, hang some new pictures or try a new restaurant.

5 Ways to Break the Monotony of Your Routine

  • Start your morning with something different
  • Add some new scenery to your day
  • Shake up your lunch break
  • Listen to music
  • Review your habits regularly

10. Get help when you need it

Seeking help is a sign of strength not a weakness. And it is important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and addiction and lead full, rewarding lives.  Asking for help allows us to surround ourselves with people who can make us feel good and facilitate further development. These people create optimism and hope that we are able to deal with challenging situations, which improves our resilience.

Green Tea and 6 Reasons Why You Should Drink It Daily

Green tea is often regarded as one of the world’s healthiest beverages. It’s high in antioxidants, which have a variety of health benefits, including:

– enhanced mental performance

– slimming down

– anti-cancer protection

– reducing the risk of coronary artery disease

Photo by Mareefe on Pexels.com

1. Contains Healthy Bioactive Compounds: Green tea is more than just a drink that keeps you hydrated. The green tea plant has a variety of beneficial substances that make their way into the finished beverage. Tea is high in polyphenols, which are natural substances with health advantages such as inflammation reduction and cancer prevention. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is a catechin found in green tea (EGCG). Catechins are natural antioxidants that aid in the prevention of cell damage as well as providing other advantages. These chemicals can protect cells and molecules from damage by reducing the generation of free radicals in the body. These free radicals contribute to ageing and a variety of ailments. One of the most potent components in green tea is EGCG. Its ability to assist treat a variety of ailments has been studied. It appears to be one among the key chemicals responsible for the therapeutic benefits of green tea. Green tea also contains trace minerals that are beneficial to your health.

2. Increases Fat Burning: If you look at the ingredients list of any fat-burning supplement, you’ll almost certainly see green tea. This is because green tea has been shown to increase fat burning and metabolic rate in studies. Green tea extract boosted the quantity of calories burnt by 4% in a research involving ten healthy men. Green tea extract boosted fat oxidation by 17 percent in another study involving 12 healthy males when compared to those who took a placebo.

However, some research on green tea have found no increase in metabolism, suggesting that the effects may vary depending on the individual and how the study was conducted.

3. May Protect The Brain From Aging: Green tea has been shown to increase brain function in the near term as well as protect the brain as it ages. Alzheimer’s disease is a widespread neurological illness that is the leading cause of dementia among seniors. Another prevalent neurodegenerative disease is Parkinson’s disease, which is characterised by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. Green tea catechin chemicals have been shown in several studies to have diverse protective effects on neurons in test tubes and animal models, potentially lowering the incidence of dementia.

4. May Improve Brain Function: Green tea may assist increase brain function in addition to keeping you alert. Caffeine, a well-known stimulant, is the main active component. It doesn’t have as much caffeine as coffee, but it’s enough to elicit a response without generating the jittery affects that come with too much caffeine. Caffeine impacts the brain by inhibiting adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter. This enhances neuronal activity and neurotransmitter concentrations such as dopamine and norepinephrine. Caffeine has been found in studies to increase mood, vigilance, response time, and memory, among other aspects of brain function.

5. Antioxidants May Lower the Risk of Some Cancer: Cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell development. It is one of the major causes of death in the world. Oxidative damage has been linked to chronic inflammation, which has been linked to chronic diseases such as cancer. Antioxidants can aid in the prevention of oxidative damage. Green tea is high in antioxidants and is a great source of them. Green tea components have been associated to a lower risk of cancer in studies such as these:

Breast cancer: Breast cancer is a disease that affects women. According to a meta-analysis of observational studies, women who drank more green tea had a 20–30 percent lower risk of breast cancer, one of the most frequent diseases in women.

Prostate cancer: Prostate cancer is a disease that affects men. Men who drank green tea had a decreased chance of advanced prostate cancer, according to one study.

Colorectal cancer: Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the colon. Green tea drinkers were 42 percent less likely to acquire colorectal cancer, according to a review of 29 research.

Green tea users are less likely to acquire numerous types of cancer, according to many observational studies, but more high-quality research is needed to corroborate these findings.

Avoid adding milk to your tea to obtain the maximum health advantages. According to certain research, it may lower the antioxidant value of various teas.