Stress is all around us, and many people have even come to accept chronic, overwhelming stress as an irreversible way of life. But chronic stress is not something to take lightly.
Health Risks of Chronic Stress
An overly stressful lifestyle increases several health risks, including:
- Heart disease
- Sleep problems
- Depression
- Digestive problems
- Obesity
Stress can also rob you of your ability to remember, think clearly and focus on a task for an extended period of time. And that lack of an attention span to use on problem-solving or work often makes the original stressful situation even worse.
Stress Management Tips and Techniques
You can't remove all the stressors from your life, but you have the power to control how you react to them. Try these tips for dealing with chronic stress:
- Stay away from stress:If you can, try to avoid whatever stressors you can, such as people or situations that often upset you.
- Prioritize: Don't think about everything on your plate at once -- that leads to overwhelm and can make you feel helpless. Tackle one task at a time and be sure to appreciate your accomplishment.
- Set a routine: Parents know that children thrive on predictability, but you may not realize that adults do, too. A regular routine at both home and work makes your day go more smoothly, with less stress.
- Get adequate sleep: Speaking of routine, sleep is a very important part of it. Being overtired aggravates stress, making you more prone to worry, anxiety and depression.
- Take five: Chronic and uninterrupted stress not only impairs you mentally, emotionally and physically (just see the list of health risks above), but can also lower your immunity. And getting sick will just add to your stress. So take frequent, short breaks from work during the day, and really relax on the weekends.
- Relax or meditate:While you're taking your break, you might want to try some light meditation, which has been found to decrease heart rate and lower blood pressure -- directly counterbalancing some of the most harmful effects of chronic stress.
- Enjoy life: Just because you're a responsible, stressed-out adult doesn't mean you can't have fun. Do what you enjoy, whether it's taking your dog for a walk, painting, reading, listening to CDs or learning to play a musical instrument. Just reconnect with your "fun" side for a little while.
- Exercise: Most stress occurs when we're sitting still at a desk or stuck in traffic, but the body is reacting to stress by producing the stress hormones such as cortisol and neurochemicals you would need for a very physical "fight or flight" response. Regular exercise helps to decrease the body's production of those chemicals and, as a side benefit, helps you combat the anxiety and depression that often go hand-in-hand with chronic stress.
Managing Your Reaction to Stress
Chronic stress can be a vicious cycle and a self-fulfilling prophecy -- but it doesn't have to be. Some stress is even good, such as the stress you feel when you need to meet a deadline or interview for a better job (that positive stress is called "eustress"). Knowing when your stress level is unhealthy and dealing with it is crucial for your long-term health.
Other Stress Management Resources
Mayo Clinic's stress management resources
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