Hello, great people of the Steemit community, it’s with great pleasure that l welcome you to my blog again. I want to thank you all for the unflinching and overwhelming support that you have shown me through your warm welcome, comments, and votes. I am most grateful for this.
Today I want to tell us about the effects of the production of stress hormones in our body and ways to overcome it. I know that most of us often make remarks like ‘I am stressed’ whenever will undergo one activity or the other or faced with certain situations. Stress can serve as a threat to our health, wellbeing, quality of life, functioning, goal achievement, self-esteem, confidence and our personal development.
Stress is one of the major causes of sudden death and is often regarded as a ‘silent killer’ because it may be affecting your health even though you may not realize it. You may think illness is to blame for that nagging headache, your frequent insomnia or your decreased productivity at work whereas stress may actually be the culprit.What then is stress?
What is stress?
Stress can be defined as a state of emotional or mental strain or tension that occurs as a result of adverse or demanding circumstances. It is the psychological and physical state that results when the resources of the individual are not sufficient to cope with the demands and pressures of the situation. Stress is caused mostly by situations which are unpredictable, uncontrollable, unfamiliar or time-limited events such as pressure from work deadlines or examinations or by ongoing situations, such as family demands, job insecurity, long commuting journeys, financial insecurity and lack of psychological resources etc.
Stress symptoms can affect our body, our thoughts and feelings, as well as our behaviors. It is therefore imperative to note that being able to recognize common stress symptoms can give us a leap at managing them. If stress persists, there are numerous changes that can occur in the neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, autonomic and immunological functions, which may eventually result in both mental and physical ill health.
Stress Hormones
Stress hormones are a normal response, but remember that in our country where hussling is a normal phenomenon, this constant stress by our daily situations can lead to long-term health problems, such as hyperglycemia ,insomnia, weight gain and increased anxiety etc. This Stress can lead to production of counter-regulatory hormones, these hormones are also known as stress hormones and they are secreted in response to stressful or exciting situations such as an illness or infection.
These hormones include norepinephrine, epinephrine (adrenaline), cortisol, glucagon and growth hormone. Long-term stress is always associated with high levels of cortisol which cause the cells to release fatty acids and the liver to release glucose for extra energy. When there is insufficient insulin in the body, these extra fuels can build up and lead to hyperglycemia. When the produced stress hormones are too low, the human muscles have insufficient fuel and oxygen to respond quickly to situations; however, the equilibrium between fat and carbohydrate metabolism can be distorted due to excessive secretion of stress hormones .
Stress symptoms
The pictogram below clearly depicts the signs and symptoms of stress and how stress affects every aspect of us as a human being. It can have a devastating effect on our Body, Mind, Emotions, and Behavior.
Stress management strategies
Stress usually builds up gradually and the more stress builds up; the more difficult it is to deal with.So if you notice at any time that, you have any of the above stress symptoms, taking steps to manage it can have numerous health benefits.
- The first step in managing stress is to be aware of signs and symptoms of stress and by using this to interrupt behavioral patterns when the stress reaction is just starting.
- The next step is to analyze the situation and develop an action plan to either eliminate or minimize the stressor. You then need to develop a lifestyle that creates a buffer against stress and learn skills of active coping and relaxation. You can achieve this by changing certain things about yourself and your situation.
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Do you think you are stressed? The following may help improve your situation;
- Your physical environment -- move away from noisy environment
- Seek support systems by keeping a healthy relationship with family, friends, and associate.
- Reducing the amount and pressure from your work
- Develop active coping skills through adaptive mechanisms.
- Create time for Rest and Relaxation, leisure or holidays.
- Engage yourself in eating healthy food, have adequate sleeping time, avoid smoking and exercise regularly.
- Be conscious of time management, set priorities and delegate responsibility to others.
- Control yourself through self-monitoring and feedback.
- Have positive thinking mentality, good perception of issues and adequate interpretation
Of course, if you are not sure if stress is the cause of your symptoms or if you have taken steps to control it but it seems your symptoms persist, please, see your Doctor. Don’t die in silence!
Thank for reading!
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