Now-a-days, a very common term is stress. We all know the word more or less. But few people know about stress in all terms. We are trying day and night to keep pace with this fast moving world and in doing so, some way or other we are sacrificing our health which in the long run will result in dissatisfaction, misery, ill-health, weak mind and even committing suicide. I am sure nobody wants to be like this. Here is a total discussion on stress, side effects of stress and how to be stress free in life. It will surely help you all.

We always believe that, if happiness is there in our life, then sorrows and sufferings will also be there. We all have to go through ups downs in life. That is why it is called life actually. Everyone in this world is doing some work for self-satisfaction or for livelihood. But in this 21st century, life has become very tough and fast. People are running and running for success and comfort.

Here comes the main issue that in doing so we are not at all concerned about our mental and physical health. This causes stress. This monster known as stress, is extremely harmful for us. Let us discuss.

What is stress?

In our day to day activities, we often feel tired. That is very common to all but sometimes we feel much more than that and that is called stress. This stress means a kind of restlessness, lack of confidence, unnecessary anger and uneasiness.

When we are going through so many activities every day, someway or other we get stressed. Sometimes it is less but sometimes the level grows very high which destroys the balance of our body. Our nervous system gets a negative boost. As a result we come under the grip of stress. Do you know 80% of our diseases are caused only by stress? Now let us discuss about the root causes of stress.

Wht causes stress?

When we are under stress, we feel as if we are going to meet some challenges which we have to overcome at any cost. In this situation, our autonomous nervous system gets activated to an abnormal level and we feel discomfort and uneasiness.

The level of stress differs from person to person and also from situation to situation. Some common causes of stress can be summarized as:-

1 Food: Sounds surprising, right? But actually our daily diet can be the cause of stress. Some food items like coffee, tea, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, sweets, soft drinks etc. activate the stress mechanism in our body. If those foods are taken excessively, any person can feel stress more than a normal person who does not take all those.

2 Environmental Factors: The place where we live, we work also can cause stress, like_

a) Pollution of chemicals and dust

b) Too much of heat and cold.

c) Very loud noises around.

d) Over crowded area

e) Excessive humidity.

3. Lifestyle factors: In our everyday life, we exercise some bad or wrong habits which can cause stress like_

a) Faulty or abnormal breathing style. Our normal breathing should be medium paced and limited to chest.

b) Excessive and unnecessary speaking (talkativeness) leads to lethargy and stress.

c) If a person is suffering with any chronic disease.

d) Our wrong postures like the way we sit, stand, walk and run may cause stress at the end of the day.

What are the effects of stress on our body?

When we are stressed, following imbalances occur in our body:-

1. Heartbeat is increased.
2. Our blood pressure goes high or very high.
3. Resistance power of skin decreases which results in heavy sweating.
4. Our digestion process stops totally.
5. As the salivary gland gets dry, our mouth dries up.
6. Our voice becomes shaky.
7. Our immune system becomes weak.
8. Our hand and feet becomes cold.

So you can imagine how stress challenges our body.

What are the diseases caused by stress? 

Sustained stress or intense stress leads to so many diseases like---

1. Diabetes.
2. Asthma
3. Diarrhea/stomach disorders.
4. Migraine.
5. Arthritis.
6. Back pain.
7. High blood pressure.
8. So many kinds of mental diseases.

How stress effects our performance?

Stress also effects our performance in any field; may be it is examination, in office or in the house. When we are under the grip of stress, unknowingly we do the following things:-

1. We bite our nails in front of others.

2. We talk very loud or unnecessarily argue.

3. We don’t listen to others. We become over reactive.

4. We can’t sit nicely at one place. Continuous movement goes on.

5. We can’t pronounce any word rightly. (Sometimes)

6. We often forget facts during performance.

7. We tap our fingers in the table.

However, here I would like to mention that the level of stress is unique to everyone and hence symptoms may also vary. In a given situation, how we react or response is the main point. For example during the examination, we  often see that some students feel exhausted and tired but some students feel relaxed as they feel it is a part of the curriculum and so they  have to face it nicely.

One thing more I want to mention that temporary tension or nervousness cannot be termed as stress. Excessive or prolonged physical and mental disorder can be termed as stress.

How to be stress free?

In today’s world everybody is more or less stressed. But we can minimize the stress level by doing the following activities daily.

1. Meditation - Meditation is the most trusted process to get control over our mind. If our mind is balanced, we can overcome any situation. Every day we should meditate for some time to come out of the effects of stress.

2. Daily exercise for sometime - Regular free-hand exercise or stretching for sometime will keep you free from all the bad effects of stress in our body. Aerobic exercises also will help in this regard because aerobic exercises need fast movements and that helps in minimizing stress and regain energy.

3. Breathing exercises - Proper breathing helps greatly in stress management. Deep breathing from chest helps to refresh our mind and body.

4. Healthy diet - Take nutritious food full of fiber, protein and vitamins. avoid junk food. If you want to be stress free then fully avoid alcohol, cigarette, soft drinks because this kind of food triggers stress level.

5. Find some leisure time for you - Leisure time is very necessary for stress management. You can listen to music, take bath or swim in the swimming pool, spent time with nature etc.

6. Spent time with family and friends - The support which your family and friends will give, that will enable you to overcome any difficulty including stress. Spent some time everyday with them, share your problems, listen to them, and laugh with them. You will surely feel stress free.

Stress can be wiped out of our life by adjusting or reacting positively to the various situations of life. Here one thing we should always keep in mind that any event or situation or circumstance cannot create stess, it is our response to that event which causes stress. So to be stress free in life you should keep the following points in mind always…….

1. Choose your work according to your interest and preference and not by any prejudice or social pressure. Choosing right kind of work is the key to success and stress free life.

2. When you do any work, first of all make a plan of that work and execute according to the plan.

3. What ever work you are doing, please concentrate fully on that. Scattered mind and brain give rise to so many hazards and of course stress.

4. When your work is complete, simply detach your mind from that. There should not be any thoughts or confusions about that job done already. Feel fresh and satisfied.

5. Any work can be a source of joy only when you do it with attention and attitude. Do not expect good result or fruit for that work always. You have completed the job systematically and in the best manner, that is the main fruit.

6. To avoid stress and confusion, never mix your professional work with your social responsibility. As a person arrange your work, responsibility, duty, leisure time in such a way that they never collide with each other.

7. To be stresses free in life, do some selfless work whenever you get time. Never be limited to yourself and your family. Try to help others, give food to the poor, and provide any service to the needy. This will give you immense joy which will make you feel stress free.

8. Have faith in yourself and in your abilities.

“Nothing in the world can exercise power on us unless we allow them to do so” I hope this discussion will help you to manage stress and be happy.