It’s only week five and I’m constantly stressed. With 18 credit hours, clubs, friends and hobbies, my schedule has become a teetering game of Jenga. When my stress levels are too high, I get debilitating migraines, which have been increasing in frequency. This leads to more stress as I am unable to focus on work or attend meetings, continuing the cycle.
So, what is stress?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is your body’s natural reaction to changes or challenges. Stress can help your body adjust to a new situation by keeping you alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. Stress, keeping you motivated and alert to complete assignments, can be positive, but prolonged stress can be harmful.
To better understand stress, we need to be able to identify the type of stress we are experiencing. According to the National Library of Medicine, there are seven different types of stress:
- Acute Stress: Short-term stress, positive or negative, from immediate stressors.
- Episodic Acute Stress: Short-term stress that occurs frequently. This cycle of stress can worsen health issues and disrupt daily function.
- Chronic Stress: Long-term stress that persists for weeks or months. Consistent stress like this can lead to physiologic and psychological effects, increased risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression.
- Traumatic Stress: Happens when exposed to traumatic events. This can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including avoidance behaviors, intrusive memories and hyper-arousal.
- Environmental Stress: Stress that results from challenging conditions in your surroundings, including pollution, unsafe living conditions and overcrowding. This stress can have a debilitating effect on physical and mental health, creating discomfort or unease.
- Psychological Stress: Stress that stems from cognitive or emotional factors, including worries, negative thoughts or perceived threats. This can manifest through anxiety, rumination or perfectionism.
- Physiological Stress: The body’s response to internal and external stressors that disrupt homeostasis. Examples include injury, sleep deprivation, injury or nutritional deficiencies.
Short-term stress is normal and helpful at times to get us moving forward; however, chronic stress can be extremely damaging. Chronic stress can lead to the development of physical, psychological or behavioral symptoms. According to the Cleveland Clinic, psychological symptoms include sadness, depression, panic attacks and anxiety or irritability.
Physical symptoms include weakened immune systems, stomach or digestive problems, jaw clenching, muscle tension, chest pain, increased heart rate, exhaustion or trouble sleeping, high blood pressure, headache, dizziness or shaking. These factors can create behavioral symptoms such as alcohol use disorder, gambling disorder, substance use disorder, overeating or developing an eating disorder.
Now that we understand stress, its symptoms and its effects, it’s time to manage it. Here are healthy ways to cope with stress provided by the CDC.
With the constant flow of information and negative news, taking a step back from social media and breaking press updates can lessen stress. Make time for yourself to do things that you love and put you at ease. Keep a journal, meditate or spend time outside. Practicing gratitude to remind yourself of the things you are grateful for can also help reduce stress. So take the time to write some things down the next time you’re feeling stressed.
Connecting with others, whether that’s in a club, church or a friend’s house, talking with people you trust about your feelings can help decrease and regulate your stress. Prioritizing getting enough sleep can also help regulate stress. Eating healthy by having balanced meals and limiting fats, salt and added sugars can help your immune system stay strong to fight off illnesses and lower stress. Exercising, whether that’s going to the gym for an hour or going on a walk, can also help lower stress levels and improve your emotional well-being.
If you are struggling to manage stress or going through a mental health crisis, there are resources for you. Kent State’s CAPS offers individual counseling, workshops and more.