Stress Less – 1 – Causes of Stress

by | Jun 25, 2020 | Health & Wellbeing | 0 comments

Stress is something everyone experiences, but when you get into prolonged periods of high stress levels, you are putting your health and wellness at risk. It can wreck havoc on your personal and professional life. If you feel that you are struggling with stress and burnout, read on and this blog will help you to recognise the causes of stress.

 

Causes of Stress

Stress comes in many forms, from affecting your mental health and clarity, to giving you physical effects like headaches and digestive problems. It is normal and something everyone experiences, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t serious.

You should always take your stress seriously and treat it just like you would any other health condition you have. In order to find the right treatment, you need to figure out where your stress comes from. You might find some surprising causes of stress in your life that you hadn’t even thought of before.

 

  • Not Taking Care of Yourself Enough  – Self-care is so important It is not a matter of being selfish or trying to isolate yourself in your home, but doing things for you. You need to take care of your health, hygiene, happiness, and mental health. They are all equally important to keeping excess stress away.
  • You Don’t Pay Attention To Proper Nutrition – A big part of taking care of yourself, and reducing your stress, is making sure you eat nutritious foods. This doesn’t mean being on a strict diet, but just being sure you are providing your body and mind with adequate nutrition. Unless you have food allergies or sensitivities, look for a balance of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, whole grains, and don’t forget the nuts and legumes. These will allow you to get all the important vitamins and minerals you need, which can also help you to keep stress away.
  • Relationship Issues Even When the Aren’t Obvious – Yes your personal relationships and friendships could be causing you stress. There are some obvious issues with relationships that you probably know cause stress, but there might be others you haven’t considered. For example, if you have a close friend in your life who is always negative and toxic, and does nothing but complain about their life, they are spreading that negativity around. If you feel a lot of stress in your life, take a look at your personal relationships, who you spend the most time with, and how they might be impacting you.
  • Social Media – Social media can be your best friend or your worst enemy, and more often than not, both at the same time. Social media does have its benefits, such as helping you to stay in contact with long-distance family and keep connected with friends and co-workers. Unfortunately, it can also be detrimental to your mental health. You might have added stress each day just by using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram without even realising it. If you can’t figure out where all your stress is coming from, try unplugging from social media for a week and see how you feel.
  • Being Untidy and Disorganised – If you are an untidy person, it might not seem like a big deal, but this can add stress to your life. When you are constantly looking for your keys, can’t figure out which pile of clothes is clean or dirty, and always have to search for paperwork on your desk, it is adding to the amount of stress you have. Not only this, but just waking up in a bedroom that is messy and disorganised can make your stress and overwhelm worse. It is worth taking a few minutes every day to clean your living and work spaces in order to keep things as neat as possible. You don’t need things to be perfect, but a little more organisation can be good for you.
  • The News  – Because of Covid -19 we have all been glued to the news on line and on our television sets more than usual. However consuming the news can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which causes our bodies to release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. We need to try and find the balance between feeling informed and educated about a situation at hand while also not becoming totally overwhelmed by it. I know that I had to limit my time reading articles on Stuff during the lockdown. If you feel that the news is stressing you out take a break or limit your time. You can also try doing something positive after you have seen the news to change your focus.
  • Daily Annoyances That Add Up – Everyone has those annoying or frustrating things that happen every day. Maybe you are always kept late at work, or your daughter is always running late for school, or your water heater keeps going out. None of these are life-altering situations, but over time, they add up and really start to get to you. Start writing in a journal about what is bothering you each day, so you can figure out resolutions that will help keep the added stress away.

In my next blog I will look at the tell tale signs that show you aren’t handling your stress levels very well and what to do fix it.

In the mean time check out a couple of relevent blogs –

 

©2020www.lynleyclarkwellness.co.nz
This website is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any disease, nor is it intended to be used as a substitute or replacement for medical treatment. Individual results may vary. Please seek the advise of a healthcare professional for specific health concerns.

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