Stress is something that affects everyone at times, it can be caused by major changes to our lives such as work issues, money problems relationship problems dealing with a change of circumstances, loss of a friend or relative or other life challenges, such as divorce
Some stress can be a good thing, as it helps us to focus on something that needs attention and helps us to take action
The way we manage stress can make a big difference to our mental wellbeing. Yoga and mindfulness can help greatly when dealing with stress
Some Symptoms of Stress
Stress can affect us emotionally and can cause us to:
- be irritable, angry or tearful
- feel worried, anxious, hopeless or scared
- struggle to make decisions, have racing thoughts or feel overwhelmed
Physical symptoms of stress include:
- stress headaches and other odd pains including muscle pain, stomach problems
- feeling dizzy, sick or faint
- skin reactions, like stress rashes and hives
Occasionally stress can cause chest pains and high blood pressure, however, these symptoms should disappear when your stress goes. If you have any symptoms that you are worried about or feel you have more severe stress, make an appointment to speak to your GP.
Stress can also cause us to alter:
- how much we eat or exercise
- our habits around drinking, smoking or taking other substances
- how much we see people or do things we used to do or enjoy (avoidance)
Tips to Manage Stress
There are actions you can take to manage your stress levels and we will be covering some of these in more depth in the followingLessons
Mindfulness
Mindfulness can help with Stress Relief
Diet
What we eat can affect the way we feel about ourselves
Yoga for Stress Relief
Yoga has been proven to help with stress relief
Meditation
Meditation can bring a sense of calmness
Plan Tasks Ahead
Make a ‘to-do’ List and plan ahead
Talking to Someone
Talk to a friend, family member, GP or specialist helpline