Stress and well-being
Stress is an unavoidable part of life that has a significant impact on one’s health and well-being. It’s critical to keep track of stress levels in oneself, coworkers, clients, family, and friends. It is possible to lessen and manage stress and its detrimental effects by recognizing the symptoms of stress.
Hans Selye adopted the term “stress” from the field of engineering. He said that it depicted the symptoms that occur when people are exposed to hazardous substances. Stress, according to Seaward, is a perception of an event or scenario that is eventually interpreted as a threat. Mental, physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual stressors all exist. This elicits a variety of reactions. Eliopoulis gives the following instances of responses:
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure, sleeplessness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, discomfort, exhaustion, and accident proneness are among physiological symptoms.
- Irritability, sadness, a tendency to cry easily, sleep difficulties, poor concentration, social withdrawal, drug or alcohol abuse, being unduly critical, anxiety
- Mental: Forgetfulness, sloppy judgment, lack of concentration, decreased creativity and productivity
- Absenteeism, low morale, reluctance to change, a negative attitude, impatience, and poor quality and quantity of labor are all examples of bad work habits.
Stress can be managed in a variety of ways. Simple breathing exercises, meditation, prayer, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, exercise, walking meditation, biofeedback, music, humor, adopting a new hobby, and asking for help are just a few examples. To be effective, all kinds of stress reduction must be practiced and used on a regular basis.
- Create a calm, low-stimulation atmosphere for your breathing practice. Make yourself at ease by sitting in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Concentrate on your breathing while closing your eyes. As you carefully inhale and exhale, notice how the breath moves through your body. Pay attention to how your breath enters and exits your body. Thoughts will come and go, but keep your attention on your breathing. Continue for a total of 5 minutes. Slowly return your attention to the present moment and open your eyes. Return to your normal routine after a few deep cleansing breaths.
- Progressive muscular relaxation: This technique can be performed while sitting or lying down. It will take between 20 and 30 minutes to complete. Start by doing some deep breathing exercises. Then, when you inhale deeply, tighten or tense each muscle group to the count of five. Tighten the muscular groups in your feet and lower legs for 5 seconds, then release the tension as you exhale. For each muscle group or body location, repeat the process twice. Feet, lower legs, upper legs, pelvis/buttocks, belly, chest, hands, lower arms, upper arms, shoulders, back, neck, jaw, eyes, and forehead should all be included in the sequence. Take 2-3 cleansing breaths once you’ve finished.
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