5 tips to prevent stress; Stress; we all experience it sometimes. We live in an economy that runs 24 hours a day and a lot is demanded of you. It is important to handle this well, but that is not easy for everyone. Many people struggle with long-term stress with disastrous consequences. It can affect your life, both professionally and personally. Therefore, it is important to raise the alarm in time and know how to prevent stress. In the next blog article, we will go deeper into stress and give some tips to prevent stress.
What is stress?
Stress causes a reaction in the body that puts your body in a state of readiness. It is a non-specific response of the body to a changed situation in which a ‘natural’ survival mechanism is activated. Your muscles tense up and your heart rate increases. You will feel your breathing speed up. Adrenaline will rush through your body and you are ready to respond. You become more alert and more focused.
5 tips to prevent stress
It sounds ideal for a dangerous situation or a situation where you need to react quickly, and that is correct. You can also feel this if you have to give a presentation that you find exciting, have to fly while you have a fear of flying, or have to take a test. In this case, it is acute stress. Everyone experiences this stress sometimes and it is almost harmless.
A stressful situation can also be intense and last longer. Think of losing a loved one, major financial problems, worries about work, situations where you think you can no longer cope. In these situations, we speak of chronic stress. This can last for a long time, causing your body to remain in stress mode longer. Such a situation can cause you not to get enough rest or relaxation. Your body takes a hit every day. This can lead to physical exhaustion, burnout, or being overwhelmed. You will have no interest in daily activities.
To reach this point, the first signs of stress are often ignored. Because you live on autopilot, you do not see the stress and do not accept the stress. This puts you in a vicious circle.
What is the cause of stress?
Above, we have already mentioned some causes of stress and you have been able to read the difference between acute stress and chronic stress. Everyone will experience stress in their life. It is important how you deal with it. Therefore, it is important to recognize stress and know what the causes of stress are.
Acute stress
- Fear of flying (aviophobia)
- Nervous about a presentation
- Nerves or anxiety before an exam
- A birthday
- A job interview
- A fall or minor accident
These are all examples of acute stress. This is considered harmless stress and stress you feel for a short period. This stress will pass quickly. For example, if you are afraid of flying, you may experience stress on the day you fly and during the flight (often takeoff and landing). The stress disappears once you are safely on the ground and nothing has happened.
When stress lasts longer, we call it chronic stress
Chronic stress:
- Loss of a loved one
- Uncertainty about your job
- Uncertainty about your relationship
- A divorce
- Financial problems
These are all examples of prolonged stress situations. Such a prolonged stress situation is called chronic stress. It can affect your life, both personally and professionally.
How can you prevent stress?
The most important question is: how can you prevent stress? We are talking about chronic stress here. The kind of stress that puts you in a situation with no apparent end. A situation where you might think you can’t get out because of the ‘problems’ around you. If you act quickly enough, you can take timely action.
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Recognize the signs of stress
As described above, everyone experiences stress. When it comes to prolonged stress, it is important to recognize the signals. First, it is important to understand what stress is, which you now know after reading this blog article. Stress can be categorized into three types: physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and behavioral changes.
Physical symptoms:
- Poor appetite
- Unexplained fatigue
- Exhaustion
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Stomach pain
- Back pain
- Digestive disorders
- Reduced immunity
- Heart palpitations
These can be early signs of stress. Being tense or stressed can reduce your appetite. You may lie awake more and sleep worse, causing you to wake up more tired and develop physical complaints. If you do nothing about this, you enter the next phase. Psychological symptoms of stress
Psychological symptoms:
- Annoyed
- Irritable
- Restless
- Unable to relax
- Crying spells
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Worrying
- Insecurity
- Less self-confidence
- Negative self-image
- Indifference
When you experience prolonged stress along with some physical complaints or changes, you may develop psychological symptoms. This can cause you to perform less and feel more insecure, leading you into the third phase. Behavioral changes due to stress
Behavioral changes:
- Insomnia
- Listless
- Lethargic
- Loss of concentration
- Forgetfulness
- Reduced performance
- Indecisiveness
- Isolating behavior
- Making more mistakes
Experiencing physical and psychological complaints can lead to behavioral changes. This results in reduced performance, which directly impacts your job or personal life. It is important to recognize this early enough so you can take action.
Be in control
Be in control, but stop trying to control everything. It may seem contradictory, but it is important to accept things. (we will return to this later). It is important that you have control over the stressful situation. For example, make a daily schedule. This way you know exactly what is coming and won’t be surprised. If something unexpected happens, return to the schedule. This way you control your day. A day lasts 24 hours. When making a daily schedule, a sleep schedule is often forgotten. Go to bed on time and make sure you get up at the ‘agreed’ time. This way you keep control over the day.
Before going to sleep, try not to watch TV or use your phone. This does not promote sleep. Instead, try reading or meditating before sleeping. You can also do a relaxation exercise or listen to ‘relaxation music’. This helps you let go of the day and its problems and ensures a good night’s rest.
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Exercise enough
The first step is taken, you recognize the stress and have made a daily schedule. What the daily schedule looks like depends on your obligations. Many people have a fixed job and spend a lot of time behind a computer or sitting still during the day. Exercise ensures your body is in better condition and can better handle stress. Therefore, ensure sufficient movement. You can do this right after getting up or at the end of your day. You can also make sure to take a walk and move during your break. The rule of thumb for exercise is; at least 30 minutes every day.
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Pay attention to what you eat
We live in a 24-hour economy. Days fly by and everyone is busy. Most people work 32-40 hours per week. They also want to exercise and spend time with friends or family. In many cases, healthy eating is forgotten, and people quickly eat something in between, snack unhealthily, and eat poorly. An unhealthy eating pattern can lead to lower resistance, which can lead to more stress.
It is therefore important that you make time during the day to eat. Our advice is to have at least 3 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Good nutrition is important to take good care of yourself.
- Especially choose vegetables, fruit, whole grain products, legumes, nuts, and fish
- Choose and cook with fresh products
- This way you control the amount of fat, salt, and sugar yourself
- Drink water, tea, or coffee without sugar and optionally without milk
- Preferably do not drink alcohol, fruit juice, or soft drinks.
Good nutrition can help you feel more energetic and provides essential nutrients for your body. By good nutrition, we mean;
- Vegetables and fruit every day
- Whole grain products every day
- Legumes once a week, such as lentils, chickpeas, and white or brown beans
- About 3 eggs per week
- A handful of unsalted nuts every day
- Every day a bowl of yogurt, milk from animals or soy or other plants
- If you eat meat, choose white meat, such as chicken, over red meat
- Eat little or no red meat from goats, sheep, cows, and pigs
- Use drinks with little or no sugar
- Few salty snacks, white bread, cookies, or biscuits.
A healthy diet can boost your immune system. With a better immune system, your body can better handle stressful situations.
Ensure sufficient vitamins
Getting enough vitamins is very important. Many people suffer from a vitamin deficiency. Our ‘Western’ diet does not always ensure you get enough vitamins. Therefore, it is important to supplement your diet with vitamins.
You can buy vitamins at ProHemp. Besides vitamins, you can give your body an extra boost with CBD oil. By supplementing your diet with vitamins and CBD, you can ensure you have better resistance and are less susceptible to physical and psychological complaints. Even if you experience stress, you can use the products from ProHemp. For more information, we refer you to the website or our specialists.
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Accept and make stress your friend
You now know what stress is and how to recognize it. It is important that you accept the situation. Stress often seems like a villain, but is it really? Stress is mainly harmful if you think it is harmful. See stress as something positive and try to talk about it with others. Accept that your life is a bit busier and that there are challenges. Celebrate every victory and the success of overcoming these challenges. Accept stress and make stress your friend.
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Relax and do enjoyable things
We have already talked about a daily schedule. We know we live in a 24-hour economy and that everything around us moves very fast. It is important that you continue to do enjoyable things and relax. During your workday, it is important to take your breaks. This will lower your stress level and you will have more energy after the break. If you work all day without breaks, your energy levels cannot recover, which means you experience more stress. Also see the workweek as a workday and make sure you relax and do fun things on the weekend. Plan enjoyable activities with friends, your family, or treat yourself to a pampering day. Fully unwind on the weekend so you can face the week with a smile.
We hope you find our tips helpful and that after reading this article, you feel a bit more positive about life. If you have any questions, you can always call us or chat with us.