If you feel stressed on a daily basis, at some point you’ll start to feel physical consequences. To prevent this from getting this bad, everyone should pay attention to the warning signs — and not confuse negative stress with that positive feeling of being in the flow.
We’re all familiar with stress. But few of us will be able to name the warning signs that it’s starting to become physically harmful to a person’s health.
“Stress is basically an unspecific reaction of the body or mind enabling people to meet particular challenges,” explains psychiatrist Christa Roth-Sackenheim.
A body under stress is in a state of emergency, she notes, and so “it mobilises physical and mental reserves.” Concentration, blood pressure, blood-sugar levels and cardiac output all rise. It’s important that this state be temporary, because chronic stress increases the risk of illness.
“If this alarm system is continually set off, it puts you into a kind of overexcitement,” Roth-Sackenheim says.
“This can result in chronically high blood pressure, diabetes and headaches as well as metabolic, sleep and digestive disorders.” To prevent stress from becoming chronic, everyone should be able to recognise the early warning signs.
“Many people [under chronic stress] feel that they’re merely functioning,” says Sabine Keiner, a life coach and job-burnout expert.
Their partner or family members may point out to them that their absorption in work is leaving them little time for enjoyable activities. Their mood is also affected by their stress level.
There’s no such thing as positive stress, according to Keiner. There is, however, a feeling of being in the “flow,” she says. “This is when you’re in a situation that’s challenging enough, but not overtaxing. You can meet the challenge well, and in so doing you lose track of time and have fun — it flows.”
Some people say they need a certain amount of pressure to get things done, in which case stress can be useful to some extent. “However,” Keiner says, “in these cases as well, the pressure mustn’t be too high and last too long.”
The factors causing excessive stress depend on the individual. “To determine how strongly something stresses you, it’s a good idea to start by describing how your body feels when you’re under stress,” advises Laura Letschert, a life coach and “systemic resilience” trainer.
Then, she says, you can monitor your feelings of stress in different situations for a week or two, rate them on a scale of 1 to 10 and record them in a stress diary. “If you know how stress feels to you, and when these feelings arise and how strong they are, you can pinpoint your greatest causes.”
There are many ways to reduce stress in your everyday life. “It’s important to regularly make time for physical activity,” Keiner emphasises. “Just a brisk daily walk is sufficient. Only through exercise can the body break down stress hormones.”
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, tai chi and progressive muscle relaxation can help too. “Another important factor is making time for yourself and your needs,” adds Keiner, who says you should identify what you enjoy and what recharges your batteries.
“It’s generally a good idea to have a look at your energy management, because most of us are much too prodigal with our energy expenditure, and not sufficiently mindful that every battery has to be recharged at some point”. – dpa
