Mind Wellness: What is Stress?

Hearing people say that they are “stressed out” is pretty common these days. Maybe the term is overused or maybe the world we live in is just more stressful. So what exactly is stress?

Stress is our body’s response to any situation. Since we all have different interpretations and reactions to the things that happen in our lives, we all have different stress levels. Remember that our body is always trying to protect and preserve itself – this is our natural survival response. So when we are faced with a stressful situation our body springs into action by releasing increased levels of cortisol and adrenalin which heightens our awareness, increases our blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate. We may also experience altered sleeping patterns – all in an effort to help us to deal with our stress.

In theory, once the stress has been removed, our bodies return to normal and life goes on. But do you ever notice that some people get stressed more than others? I think the trick is to try to put things into perspective.

Richard Carlson’s book, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff–and it’s all small stuff (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Series), is a great little book that helps us to do just that.  He states that many of the things in our lives that we get worked up over are really minor and are of no significant consequence – so don’t sweat it! As far as I’m concerned, when a seemingly stressful situation presents itself, I take a moment to determine if my health, safety or well being is being adversely affected. If not, then I just take a deep breath, understand the situation for what it is, and try to let go. Hey, getting angry at the guy who cut me off in traffic is surely going to create more stress in my body than it does in his……so I’ve learned to let it go!

Oh, and a big thank you to my dear sister for gifting me the book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff–and it’s all small stuff (Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Series). It’s a quick read and has really helped me to think and live differently.

Stay tuned for further posts in this series on Stress including Stress Management Techniques, Massage Therapy for Stress Management, Personal Stress Management Questionnaire and Relaxation Techniques.