Why do we feel stressed?
Stress is a common word that we hear a lot. We all seem to know what it’s like to feel stressed but what exactly does it mean?
Stress is a normal response to everyday pressures. Daily needs and demands such as responsibilities, decisions, relationships, and money can cause stress.
Stressors trigger the release of hormones in the body – adrenaline and cortisol.
Adrenaline
Adrenaline is a fight-or-flight hormone. It causes an increase in heart rate, breathing and blood sugar levels. It also diverts blood flow from your digestive system to your muscles.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a stress hormone, triggered when one feels threatened. It directs energy from other parts of the body to the brain to deal with the threat. After the danger has passed, cortisol levels should decrease and return to a normal state. However, if one is under constant stress, excessive cortisol could lead to health problems such as rapid weight gain and high blood pressure etc.
Fight, Flight or Freeze: The three natural coping responses
Fight
Fight is a response to literally fight the danger or perceived danger.Flight
This means you are preparing to run away from the stressor.Freeze
This means you are unable to respond in the presence of the stressor.Did you know that stress can be triggered by both positive and negative events in our lives? Yes, even happy events – because they could still bring about big changes that result in new demands to fulfil.
Stress is caused by our perception or evaluation of situations; when one deems the event to be threatening and beyond their ability to cope with it, they would become stressed. For example, someone may view a new job as stressful, but another may see it as a challenge and feels excited about it.
Everyone responds to stress with different levels of intensity. Your body sends out various physical, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional warning signs, such as:
Positive stress or also known as eustress
helps you to cope with challenging but
important life events.
Is stress good?
Is stress bad?
stressful conditions for long
periods of time. It may harm your
health, your relationships, and
your enjoyment of life.
Is stress good?
Positive stress or also known as eustress
helps you to cope with challenging but
important life events.
Is stress bad?
stressful conditions for long
periods of time. It may harm your
health, your relationships, and
your enjoyment of life.
How does prolonged stress affect us?
Prolonged stress exposes our body constantly to the effects of adrenaline or cortisol and may lead to health problems:
How to manage stress
Since it is not entirely possible to cut out
all stress from our lives, it is more
important – and realistic – that we learn
how to cope with it. You have the power to
keep your stress under control!
Choose a stress-busting power that works for you.
Your stress-busting powers
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