With Halloween in the past, one would think the demons would be slayed and the skeletons would be back in the closets. However, there is one beast that haunts everyone’s lives on the daily: stress. A little bit of stress is good for us but too much is dangerous for our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. National Stress Awareness Day is November 4, so I am taking some time to help you out. Below are ten signs you are stressed and five tips on how to de-stress.
Recognizing Stress
Some people experience so much stress that they think it is normal to be in constant overdrive. However, stress has many negative effects on our bodies and minds, such as:
- Inability to concentrate on one task or thought
- Inability to remember details of events or conversations
- Depression or constant unhappiness
- Change in sleeping patterns (i.e. sleeping too much or too little)
- Lowered sex drive
- Frequent illnesses
- Lack of motivation
- Weakness or dizziness
- Noticeable mood swings
- Chest and/or muscle pain
Battling Stress
It is important we take time for ourselves. However, it is also necessary for us to change our lifestyle in order to prevent overwhelming amounts of stress. Luckily, there are many ways to do both. Remember the 5 S’s when battling stress:
- Self Awareness: Each of us are unique individuals with different strengths and weaknesses. Some of us thrive during certain situations while some stumble before finding their feet. Recognizing your personal stressors is the first step to overcoming them.
- Self-Care: Take a little bit of time for yourself every day. Most people only take time for themselves once they recognize they are becoming overly stressed. However, this doesn’t do much to help. Instead, schedule it into your daily routine for preventative care.
- Support System: Support systems are a natural and helpful way to relieve stress. Talking about our day is one way to recognize the things in our lives that cause us stress as well as receive advice on how to fix it. Support systems are also good to help take our minds off of the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life.
- Skills: Many life skills are important to have. However, the most important skills are the ones that most of us don’t learn in a classroom. Money and budgeting skills, communication skills, problem solving skills, and organizational skills are just a few that will help reduce stress if done properly. By becoming more fluent in important life skills, you will experience less stress because most of your stress will be prevented.
- Seek Help: Counselors of all different types exist to help you through your hard times. Whether you are in need of emotional support or financial advice, there are people out there who make a career out of helping people… so they must be good at it, right?
In the end, remember to take care of yourself. You won’t be able to properly help others if you don’t take proper precautions in your own life. While November 4 is National Stress Awareness Day, it is necessary to be aware of your stressors and how to deal with them as they come.
The beast named Stress doesn’t take pity on anyone, but remember that you are not alone in your battle.