Did you know that the way you respond to stress can have a major impact on your health?
Although not all stress is bad and our built-in stress response can be life-saving in some situations, research confirms that stress can have a major impact on your health and workplace stress is as bad for your health as secondhand smoke. The report compiled evidence from 228 studies and found that:
- High job demands increased the odds of having an illness diagnosed by a doctor by 35%.
- Long work hours increased the chances of early death by almost 20%.
- Worry that you might soon lose your job increased the odds of having poor health by about 50%.
The nerve chemicals and hormones released during stressful times prepare us to face a threat or flee to safety and, in the short term, may even boost the immune system. But overall, managing stress is very important and it starts with recognizing the signs so you can implement simple steps to de-stress before it escalates or become chronic. Long term or chronic stress can suppress your immunity and reduce the normal functions of your digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems.
Some signs of your body’s response to stress are:
- Headaches
- Chest pain
- Stomach pain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Being easily angered
- Feeling depressed
- Having low energy.
Some simple ways to manage stress are journaling, resting, meditating, exercising, talking to others, or engaging in a hobby. Experts also advise us to get plenty of sleep, maintain a balanced diet and take the right supplements, such as the B vitamins. The B vitamins, particularly folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, play a role in mental function and are reported to lower personal strain, reduce confusion and depressed/dejected mood.
We all react differently to stressful situations and almost anything can cause stress. The good news is that once the threat has passed, the body acts to restore normal functioning.
How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterwards. – Spanish Proverb
You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. – Zig Ziglar
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To Your Success,
Althea
Althea A. McLeish Wilson, RN, MSN
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