How can I relieve my stress and frustrations?

Stress

The stress statistics worldwide in 2020 reported that almost 300 million people across many countries such as Greece, Philippines, Tanzania, Albania, Iran, Sri Lanka, USA, Uganda, Costa Rica, Rwanda, Turkey, and Venezuela are experiencing severe stress, anxiety, and depression numerous times in their lives. 

Also, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is still causing immense stress to the majority of the people around the world as nearly two-thirds of professional workers had higher stress levels at work last year when the pandemic began than they were five years ago. In this article, we provide essential information about daily stressors examples, illnesses caused by stress and anxiety, and ways on how to cope with daily stress and frustrations. 

What Are Some Examples of Daily Stressors

Stress is actually not bad in our system because it exists as our reaction towards events and it is our body’s way to overcome a challenge or prepare for a challenging situation. Any event which initiates this reaction is termed a stressor. From physical danger to psychological dread when facing difficulties, stressors actually encompass a wide spectrum of situations.

Before you dive into knowing how to lower your stress levels and manage your frustrations, you need to be well-informed on some examples of daily stressors so that you are able to handle the inevitable stress and anxiety that you are facing these days. 

Three Categories of DAILY STRESSORS

Based on the book The Stress-Free You: How to Live Stress-Free and Feel Great Every Day. Starting today, not all of our daily stressors are so evident because most of our modern triggers often hide as they wait to jump out at us and stress us to the maximum level. Moreover, daily stressors typically fall into several broad categories:

  • Environmental stressors – Our physical environment can trigger a stress response in our daily lives. For example, facing pollution may be a stressor on a person’s own system. Or perhaps you are living in a high-crime area or even seeing your neighborhood in that way can make you feel under chronic stress.

  • Physical stressors – There are various conditions in your body that can cause you to worry, trigger discomfort, or more likely interfere with your daily routine. Any health condition from the flu to cancer can have an impact on your mind. This type of stressors also includes activities that you may perform that harm your body system. For instance, too much alcohol drinking and drug abuse, or cigarette smoking may lead to physical stressors. Also, long-standing, chronic pain is under this category as well as it can also inflect tension and pressure on you.

  • Phobic stressors – If you have a phobia or unexplained fear of something, it can make you feel stressed. Some examples of fears are fear of high places, fear of spiders, fear of darkness, fear of flying, fear of being in a crowded or enclosed place like an elevator, and many others.

  • Social stressors – Experiencing any issues with anyone like in your family, friends, and work colleagues can be a chronic stressor as well in your social life. Sometimes, relationships are filled with tension due to conflicts and misunderstandings. Financial problems, unemployment, and a lack of social support are some common conditions that fall into this category.

Signs and Signals of Illnesses Caused By Stress

Having chronic stress can be really hard for your body to adjust to. Our nervous system is responding to the stress we are experiencing continuously with the release of the essential hormones. That’s why your body pumps out slightly increased levels of stress hormones on a daily basis. Below are some major signs and signals of illnesses caused by bad stress:

  • Depression
  • Procrastination
  • Sleep problems
  • Loss of efficient focus and concentration
  • Neglecting responsibilities
  • Generalized unhappiness
  • Irritability
  • Sense of loneliness
  • Social isolation
  • Tobacco, alcohol, or drug use
  • Muscle tension
  • Aches and Pains
  • Anxious thoughts
  • Pessimistic attitude
  • Poor judgment
  • Difficulty breathing

Moreover, there are many possible medical problems that severe stress can trigger which include autoimmune diseases, obesity, depressed immune system, high blood pressure, hair loss, gastrointestinal problems, hyperventilation, and worsening of existing skin conditions.

Ways On How To Cope With Daily Stress And Frustrations

All of us experience daily stress and frustrations in our lives. But we have different kinds of ways and techniques in handling them, either mitigating or exacerbating them. Experts recommend that it is integral to maintain healthy coping strategies to facilitate positive stress management techniques such as meditation, journaling, and hobbies. In this section, we provide you with some simple ways on how to cope with daily stress and frustrations:

  • Breathing exercises – Regulate your breathing so that you can have more oxygen in your brain and help yourself calm down. Do a 4-7-8 breathing technique: breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and breathe out for eight seconds.
  • Mindfulness meditation – Studies have shown that doing mindfulness meditation can improve anxiety and depression. Help yourself create space between your emotions and thoughts while settling into self-awareness. Download a meditation app like Calm or Headspace for guided meditation. 
  • Exercise – Try going on a run and focus on your feet hitting the ground. Being active in exercise can regulate your stress and adrenaline levels and it is an effective method to release your pent-up energy.
  • Spend at least 10 minutes outdoors – Walk around your area, especially around gardens and parks. Doing this can help reduce the mental and physical effects of stress based on a 2020 study.
  • Journal writing – Writing your daily stressors and frustrations can help you process each situation you are facing and calm your brain so that you can better approach your problem with the right mindset. 
  • Consult a psychiatrist or mental health specialist – These experts and specialists typically prescribe medications for chronic stress and anxiety disorder such as Xanax, Klonopin, or Valium. These drugs affect specific neurotransmitters to generate a calming effect in the brain.
  • Set proper expectations for yourself and others – Negative feelings usually originate from misaligned expectations. Realize your own limitations and act according to your abilities and needs. Also, transform your own perspective towards others and see them in a positive light. 
  • Treat yourself once in a while – Do some things to treat yourself like eating a sweet dessert or salty chips once in a while. 
  • Take a nap – Set a timer for 15-30 minutes of a power nap. Resting your brain well can help you have peace and relaxation for a short time. So, re-energize yourself so that you can work and function efficiently throughout the day.
  • Planting or caring for houseplants – Studies revealed that the act of gardening can be beneficial for numerous health outcomes like anxiety and stress reduction. Improve your mental health by caring for an indoor plant.
  • Do some creative stuff – Express your creativity through the arts! There are many ways to ignite your creativity such as crafting, drawing, painting, poetry writing, and many other art forms.

CONCLUSION

Stress, anxiety, and frustrations are common in our lives. But if you are struggling in managing them, try the aforementioned ways in this article. Doing these activities can help you to manage your daily stressors and frustrations effectively and gain a feeling of inner peace.

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