Stress Management : How can we Adapt & Adjust to Accomplish?

Stress is part of our everyday life.

Its concept was first coined by Hans Selye (1936), to be defined as a non-specific bodily response to any required change. This tenseness reflects the individual’s psychosomatic states under physical pressure or mental demands.

Such biological reactions to unpredictable external or internal stimuli should never invoke any type of guilt-tripping or lamentation, as they are more than conventional.

Life’s great instability will trigger diverse emotions, concrete feelings and unpleasant corporeal indicators.

Yet, we can undoubtedly manage this matter.

There are different stress management techniques, involving coping mechanisms on multiple levels: physical, mental and psychological.

However, we have to acknowledge the severity of this distress to control its excess.

Here are some backed-up biofeedback maneuvers that help the diagnosis:

• Breathing assessment to analyze our breathing’s rhythm and frequency.
• Resting heart rate to assess our cardiac function’s alterations.
• Heart rate variability to evaluate time shifts between our heartbeats (affected by our autonomic nervous systems).
• Adrenal assessment to measure our cortisol and adrenaline levels in blood and urine samples.
• EEG and brainwaves to trace our brains’ operative activities and exploit specific stress markers.
• Sleep tracking to monitor our sleep’s quantity and quality.

Additional evaluation can be done by being self-aware of our stress symptoms: 

• Tense or painful muscles in the shoulders, back, chest, stomach or head.
• Heart and blood pressure increase with the release of cortisol and adrenaline (Fight-or-Flight mode). 
• Sexual health and wellbeing alterations accompanied by a lowered sex drive, impotence in men and irregular periods for women. 
• Digestive issues including nausea/vomiting, diarrhea and constipation.

Furthermore, we can fall into numerous “thinking traps” like:

• Jumping to conclusions that can often be unhelpful and unfounded.
• Tunnel visions that limit problem solving abilities. 
• Catastrophizing by maximizing all the negatives and dismissing the positives. 
• Casting blame upon ourselves and others. 
• Overgeneralizing minor specific setbacks by applying them widely.  
• Unhelpful emotional reasoning that leaves us anxious and overwhelmed.

As previously stated, stress signs our human nature and acts as a primary motivator to work and accomplish certain objectives and goals. 

We are often faced with personal matters on various levels. 

Illnesses, work or job losses, sudden deaths and life adversities can deeply disturb us, as we are creatures of habit that extremely value stability. 

This means that being yielded out of our comfort zones isn’t a favorable thing to us.

Unfortunately, we may be faced with such scenarios due to national/international issues like the absence of basic human needs, poverty, discriminations, economic crises, wars, crimes, pandemics, etc. 

With that being the case, we should be capable of mastering effective stress management techniques, as they can help in restoring our peace along with keeping ourselves grounded.

These approaches involve: 

• Keeping a positive attitude. 
• Accepting that there are uncontrollable events.  
• Asserting our feelings, opinions and beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive and passive.
• Making time for our hobbies and interests. 
• Setting boundaries and denying requests that create excessive tension.  
• Avoiding alcohol, drugs or compulsive behaviors as a way of decompressing. 
• Managing our time more efficiently. 
• Seeking out social support and spending enough time with our loved ones.     
• Pursuing treatments with trained mental health professionals.

We can also apply some of these day-to-day modifications: 

• Following healthy and balanced diets along with reducing our caffeine intakes.
• Exercising regularly (aerobics, yoga, etc.) to release endorphins that assist in maintaining positive feelings and attitudes.
• Eliminating tobacco and nicotine usages to taper off reduced circulation, abnormal breathing and heightened arousal.
• Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation and meditation to relax.
• Reducing stress triggers with good time-management.
• Accepting help, setting priorities and taking care of ourselves.
• Living by our values throughout our daily activities.
• Asserting ourselves by denying time or energy consuming demands (you don’t have to meet others’ expectations). 
• Having realistic goals by realizing success is a process with many ups and downs. 
• Working on our self-confidence and self-esteem.      
• Trying behavioral techniques that analyze muscle tension, heart rate and other vital signs.

Now, after reading all of this, I really want you to remember that: 

Stress is a more than normal body reaction to internal and external factors. 

Stress symptoms may include physical, emotional and mental manifestations.

Stress levels can be evaluated with many biofeedback techniques. 

Stress management includes following a healthy diet, engaging in physical activities and practicing mindfulness to assert our feelings and thoughts.

Lastly, you should never forget to create boundaries, along with seeking social support and care from your family and friends. 

You are NOT alone.

We’ve got your back!