Stress is how our bodies react to things we see as a threat. It is one of our survival techniques and it helps us to go into fight or flight response.
Small levels of stress are good for us. It can help us get things done and can help with memory. But when stress doesn’t fade, the body stays on high alert.
Continued stress can affect us mentally, and lead to anxiety and/or depression. It can also cause physical effects, like headaches and backache.
If you are experiencing problems with stress this mood self-assessment from the NHS can help you understand how you‘ve been feeling.
Stress is often caused by an underlying problem in our lives. If you can pinpoint what that underlying problem is, the best thing to do is try to get support in helping that problem. Sometimes we don’t know what the source of the stress is, only that we feel it. Or the cause of the stress may be beyond our control.
There are some things we can all do to help manage our stress levels:
- Practice mindfulness
- Use breathing techniques
- Talk about how you feel with friends or family
- Get enough exercise and try to eat healthily
- Get the right amount of sleep
The NHS also has a great list of resources for helping to deal with stress