Stress Facts, Its Triggers, and Relaxation Techniques

Stress is the body’s defense response to harmful external stimuli.

Every one of us is prone to some or other forms of stress in everyday life.

Be it home, place work, or public life, we come across varying degrees of stress.

Stress decreases longevity, and tolerance delays recovery from diseases and also healing the wound.

In the current lifestyle, the number of stress factors is more.

But stress is manageable by different techniques.

Facts About Stress

1. Pathophysiology

Scientifically, stress is not yet clearly defined in terms of physiological mechanisms. It is linked to hypothalamopitutary axis, adrenal system, etc.

But, it has no pinpoint definition of anatomical changes. However, there can occur many changes in the body due to stress over a period of time.

2. Psychological problems. 

Stress is the prime cause of many psychological and physical disorders.

Long-term exposure lead to susceptibility to anxiety, depression, fear (anhedonia), and Alzheimer’s.

3. Diagnosis. 

In the clinic and research lab, stress is ascertained by body weight changes, heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, etc.

facts about stress

Further, it is also evaluated by the presence of ulcers in the stomach, and the rise in cortisol and norepinephrine levels in the blood.

4. Can lead to addictions

Disturbs normal life. Stress affects normal life activities like sleep, sex, digestion, and appetite.

For some, stress leads to binge eating disorder wherein a person eats out of stress though he has no hunger. While for others, stress decreases hunger.

Also, out of stress, people tend to have more alcohol, tobacco, and drugs to gain temporary relief.

5. Skin disorders

Long-duration stress can cause skin problems like acne, aggravation of eczema and psoriasis.

6. Diabetes

Stress is an important factor in the development of Type-II diabetes.

The duration and intensity of stress also speed up the development of the disease.

7. Heart problems

Stress is the cause of many heart diseases like stroke, arrhythmia, heart failure, bigeminy, etc.

The decrease in stress exposure can limit the progress of the disease and also prolong the lifespan.

8. Obesity

Obesity is largely caused due to genetics. But this genetic activation is to some extent dependent on stress.

The minimization of stress is one of the key factors in reducing obesity.

9. Decreased performance

Stress limits the performance of an individual. Be it sportsmen, athletes, businessmen, or politicians, students are prone to a decrease in performance due to excess stress.

So when young people tend to take more stress, but as they age, they limit themselves from taking risks.

Above is graphical statistics representing the stress levels, age, and achievement rates in the united states.

10. No Scientific medicine

Stress does not have a proper medicine as many cellulars and physiological pathways are involved.

Starting from the brain’s hypothalamus to the stomach, heart, adrenal gland, and body cells are involved in stress.

So drug with a single target to reduce stress are not available.

11. Stress is manageable 

Though there is no drug for stress, it can be well managed with many relaxation techniques and help.

But one of the important ones is to take up some physical activity. In these times of advanced technology, we have more comforts than required.

So taking, physical exercise helps relieve stress and prevent getting diseases.

Below is a chart indicating several American people recommended taking some active physical workouts.

How to relieve stress naturally

1. Prefer natural medicine

Natural medicine helps get rid of stress and also enhances your mood and focus. Unlike sedatives, these medicines will help you be active and have a natural sleep at night. The ones I prefer are

Divya Medha Vati tablets

Divya Medha Vati is a proprietary medicine that is inexpensive and also devoid of side effects.

If you have anxiety, stress, or depression, this medicine helps you get relief.

It also promotes appetite and sound sleep so that you are well-focused for any challenges.

Ashwagandha tablets

Ashwagandha is a medicinal plant that has great healing properties for the nervous system. If you are under stress, take a tablet or capsule of ashwagandha once in the morning and again in the evening.

It would greatly minimize stress and also help build immunity and correct the nervous system and heartbeat.

But I suggest you take this only at times of high-stress levels. Under normal circumstances, try to adopt other methods mentioned below.

2. Sleep well for sufficient hours

Sleep is a great stress buster. At times of stress, one might have problems getting sleep. But try to sleep; if you fall asleep, it would be a great reliever.

Sleep helps avoid unwanted thoughts. During stress, our mind is filled with different sorts of thoughts, which could further enhance stress.

So a sound sleep would keep your mind strong and better focused instead of worrying.

It also sets your heart and other organs to work in a regular pattern instead of hyperactivity.

Thus sleep is a great stress buster. If you are under tension or stress, go to be and notice the changes.

3. Practice physical exercises

Exercising daily, like walking, jogging, and yoga, helps to relieve stress naturally. During stress, most of the important organs in the body are affected, leading to improper function.

Due to stress, there is improper blood and oxygen supply to muscles. They become tender and weak in the long run. So it is good to have some exercise to keep muscles strong and healthy if one is experiencing stress daily.

Exercising helps them regain their natural rhythm and work better.

If you are thinking of easy options, I would recommend first walking or running on a treadmill. Perform some aerobics and then opt for yoga poses.

Exercises relieve muscles from stress by enhancing their tone and flexibility, which is lost due to stress. Due to exercise, the muscles become stronger and stress capable.

Yoga helps in stretching the body’s muscles and tissues and relieving stress. It also helps focus your mind and avoid unnecessary thoughts, which could enhance stress.

Among yoga poses, the best ones would be Sun Salutation (Surya namaskar), yogic sleep.

4. Eat well and regularly.

During stress, the gut is the important part of the body that is primarily affected. One tends to develop acidity and ulcers. There could be greater demand for food during stress. But since the mind is preoccupied, we are not aware of the gnawing hunger.

So, have a sufficient diet during stress. Try to eat whichever is comfortable to the belly full levels. This could be fruits or anything else which everybody tends to accept easily.

5. Stick to nature’s schedule

Sleep in the early hours of the night like 8 pm or max 9 pm, and wake early like 4 pm or max 5 pm.

When one sticks to nature’s time clock, the body clock (circadian rhythm) sets to normal, and all the body processes are regularized to normality.

Then there is intense relief from stress and after-effects.

But, binge eating is one more habit, where people tend to eat more out of stress.

In general, under stress, people do not like to have food.

But having soft, pleasant foods rich in protein will minimize stress and give strength to counter it.

Avoid foods that are irritants to your gut and body.

6. Go for nature calls without delay.

Whenever you have an urge for urinals or clearing of bowels, it is better to go immediately than hold for hours together.

This is not only stress relief but also a good health benefit. Staying so by holding is stress on both body and mind.

7. Have water when there is thirst

Do not postpone to satisfy the urge.

Water relieves the body heat and also expels the toxins in the body by diluting and excreting them.

So under stress, having water gives a good amount of relief. It also soothes the gut and gives a sense of relief.

8. Have a fruit daily

Many recommend apple, but I recommend banana as it keeps your gut clean, relieves constipation, and is easy for digestion.

Further, it produces glucose as an energy source in a sustained release manner for a prolonged time.

For stress, bananas might do better with the above-said benefits like the effect on the gut and the production of energy (glucose).

9. Use clean water for better health.

Though it is expensive, it pays in the long run.

Bad water damages the gut and other body organs.

If one drinks heavy water, then there will be gastric irritation causing acidity.

Since stress affects the stomach to a large extent, acidity will be enhanced by having heavy water.

So it is better to drink mineral water or purified water for this purpose.

10. Be natural

Avoid all sorts of artificial activities for body urges.

Get married at the right time. It is better not to delay. Sexual life also relieves stress to a great extent.

Similarly, avoid unnatural means of sex, sleep, work, etc.; it is also important to change into loose clothing at home and rest.

Have a bath regularly because being fresh also keeps you off stress.

11. Maintain Good relations

Maintain friendly relations with your co-workers and neighbors.

This will give you peace of mind and great stress relief. Unnecessary cold wars in offices or families, or neighborhoods create mental conflicts.

So try to avoid them and overcome them in case. It is found that many people with unfriendly relations are prone to heart attacks due to stress.

A decrease in stress can greatly enhance human health and life span. So one has to make efforts to relieve stress.

Causes of stress

Urban life

Studies indicate that people living in urban areas are under stress comparatively more than those living in remote villages.

Besides, those in jobs and working as per schedule are more prone to stress than those who are not fixed into a schedule. This includes farmers, professors, etc.

Smoking and drinks

These are addictive habits and one feels to be enjoying them. In fact, these substances damage a few body cells every time one consumes them. In long run, they destroy the tissue of the lungs, liver and essential organs.

Bank or other loans

Loans and debts are the ones that keep up prolonged stress on the borrowers. Most of the recent to some or other loans like housing, vehicle, etc. So there is constant pressure to pay out monthly installments. For this, they have to keep working without any breaks. This can run years together and put up constant pressure. So one should be careful before taking a loan.

Watching T.V for long hours

Have you ever watched T.V when you are sick or have a headache, or are even affected by sunstroke?

You will find that watching T.V is very exhausting and also irritating at that time. This shows that even watching T.V is a strain. Watching T.V is a strain because the mind has to work to assimilate the constant flow of information from T.V whole body except the brain is at rest.

Using a laptop or computer

Using a computer also has tremendous strain as only the mind works while the whole body is still without movements. Playing video games, using mobile for Facebook, etc also have similar effects. Continuous sitting is a health hazard so one should avoid it.

Excess rest

Having too much rest is also said to be one of the causes of diabetes. Stress is said to be a predominant cause of diabetes.

So we can assume that excess rest also causes stress. Haven’t you ever noticed that you felt unable or uncomfortable to sit or sleep for long and so you went for walk or so?

Inactivity also leads to constipation and indigestion sort of problems.

Any activity which is beyond normal habit or nature is a stress to the body. So trying to tune up to nature and living with it keep us out of stress.

The body clock tells us to sleep at around 8 pm or 9 pm. So going to bed then is better than late-night fun or work. Similarly, when the whole of nature wakes at 5 am we tend to sleep till mid-noon.

Haven’t you noticed birds and animals follow this nature time diligently? Hence they are under the least stress unless under human supervision.

To stay away from stress is impossible in this current lifestyle unless you quit your job and lead a life of renunciation. But we have methods to relieve stress and increase tolerance to it through meditation and exercises.

So taking a break from stressful activities, having regular sleep and diet and taking up exercises helps keep stress-free.

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