Stress- How to Deal with Stress

Stress is one of the major issues faced by many of us. Sometimes it may seem that there is nothing one can do about ones stress level with the never ending bills, your career or family responsibilities or your income. But the fact is that you can control your life and that is the simplest way to beat stress. You will have to take charge of your emotions, your environment, your thoughts, your schedule, your time at work and your family. Maintain a balanced work and family life. This is also the foundation for stress management.
Stress produces numerous symptoms which may vary from person to person, some find a decline in their physical health and for some it may lead to depression. It all depends on how you cope up with things. Some would take the unhealthy ways to cope with stress like smoking, drinking too much, watching television or sitting in front of the computer for long hours , taking drugs, sleeping too much or too less, over eating or sometime taking it on other by shouting or physical violence. All these may reduce your stress for a short period but in the long run it will lead you to much bigger issues.
The best ways to get over stress is to try some of the points below
1. Take control of the situation.
2. Try to express your feelings instead of suppressing it.
3. Certain situations needs compromise and be ready to compromise on those.
4. Manage your time.
5. Share your feelings with your family or friends.
6. Learn to forgive others and yourself.
7. Spend time with your family and pets.
8. Keep your sense of humor.
9. Eat healthy and exercise regularly.
10. Avoid alcohol, drugs and smoke.
11. Sleep well.
12. Always look at the positive side.

Stress - Different types of stress

Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to certain events. This means that the body rises to a challenge and prepares to respond to a difficult situation by emphasizing the strength, stamina, and heightened vigilance. In a difficult situation, the brain prepares the body for defensive action, fight or flight response by releasing stress hormones. These hormones in turn increase the blood pressure and the body prepares to react to situations. With a concrete defensive action (fight response) of the stress hormones in the blood get used, resulting in reducing the effects of stress and anxiety symptoms. These hormones help us to run faster and fight harder. They increase heart rate and blood pressure, giving more oxygen and blood sugar to give strength to important muscles. They also help us by increasing our sweating to cool the muscles. They divert blood away from the skin to the core of out bodies, reducing blood loss if we have an injury. All this helps us to survive life threatening events.
There is a negative side of stress as well which can cause an adverse effect on ones thought process and behavior. During this state one can feel excitable, anxious, jumpy and irritable. With trembling and a pounding heart, we can find it difficult to execute precise, controlled skills. And the intensity of our focus on survival interferes with our ability to make fine judgments based on accepting information from various sources. We find ourselves more susceptible to accident and very difficult to make the right decision.
If you thought that the fight or flight response is triggered only by life threatening dangers then you have mistaken. On the contrary, recent research shows that we experience the fight-or-flight response even when we encountering something simple and unexpected. The situation does not have to be dramatic: People experience this response when frustrated or interrupted, or when they experience a situation that is new or in some way challenging. This hormonal, fight-or-flight response is a normal part of everyday life and a part of everyday stress, although often with an intensity that is so low that we do not notice it.