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This post is an entry for the ReadNWrite contest.

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Introduction

As humans we have a function in our bodies that makes us experience things in certain ways. It can make us do something in a better way and can also impact on us negatively.

The things we do better is based on our instincts as it makes us to be aware and critical of things. The negative impact we get is caused by allowing this function to last longer than necessary, thus things turning out bad.

This function is called Stress. In the following write up we shall see what it is and how to handle it.

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What is Stress?

Stress is a feeling that shows up when you are emotionally and/or physically tensed. It is a way by which your body reacts to challenges or demands imposed on you. Any time you sense danger (whether real or imagined) the defenses in the body swings into action in a way that is rapid and automatic.

This is known as stress response or fight or flight reaction. This way your body helps to protect you.

When it happens spontaneously, it can be positive as it helps us to do something in a better way like avoiding accidents or meeting a deadline because you become more focused, energetic, and alert.

During emergencies, stress can play a role in saving your life. It can by giving you enough leverage to protect yourself. It can help you immediately press the brakes to avoid an accident. It's also the 'thing' that puts you on your toes when doing a presentation in your work place or make you prepare for an exam rather than watching TV.

But when the feeling of stress last longer than necessary, it can cause health problems. At this point, stress stops being helpful and start to cause some damages to your health, mood, productivity, and the overall quality of your life.

Stress and your Body

When you start experiencing stress, you body at that time has released some hormones. These hormones functions to make your brain more alert, muscles tensed, and pulse rate increased.

In the short term these reactions based on the functions of the hormones are good because they make you handle the situation causing stress better. This way your body protect itself much better.

But when the stress lasts longer, your body is always at an alert, even when there's no danger. As time goes on, if you remain in this condition, you put your body at risk of health problems which includes:

• Developing high blood pressure (hbp)
• Having a heart disease
• Bring about diabetes
• Becoming obese
• Causing anxiety and depression
• Developing skin problems like eczema and acne.
• Having issues with menstruation

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What situations or conditions cause stress?

Stress is a feeling that we get normally as humans. However, it can lead to bad health conditions if left unattended to.

There are two main situations or conditions that causes stress, they are:

1. Acute stress: this type of stress comes and goes quickly. It is that feeling you get when you find yourself in a situation that requires you to act quickly and intervene. For instance, you are in your car driving and about to hit the next car, then you suddenly hit the brakes. Or when you have a deadline to meet, or taking your sick child for an emergency. It can also happen when you get to do something that is exciting for the first time.

2. Chronic stress: a type of stress that occurs when it lasts longer than normal. It can be a result of having to deal with something that persists. For example, if you have problems relating to money, in an unhealthy marriage, or you found yourself having serious problems at your place of work. Once the stress goes on for a longer period with the least period being a month, then you are experiencing chronic stress.

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Mention some symptoms of stress

The symptoms of stress can be emotional or physical. We may not even recognize that some of these we have are due to stress.

The dangerous thing about stress is that it can creep up to you easily. Then you start to get used to it. It can also begin to feel normal and familiar.

You may not even notice that it is even affecting you, even when it takes a heavy toll on you.

Having some knowledge about the common signs and symptoms of stress is necessary.

Some of the symptoms are,

Cognitive symptoms:

• Becoming too forgetful.
• Not concentrating.
• Judging poorly.
• Being pessimistic or negative.

Emotional symptoms:

• Always unhappy and being depressed.
• Being moody, angry, and irritable.
• Becoming anxious and agitated.
• Isolating your self and being lonely.

Physical symptoms:

• Having diarrhea and constipation.
• Experiencing frequent aches and pain.
• Having frequent headaches.
• Lacking in focus and energy.
• Gaining or losing much weight.
• Always getting tired.
• Having problems related to sex.

Behavioural symptoms:

• Developing a nervous habit (like biting your nails etc).
• Making use of drugs and alcohol to help you relax.
• Eating too much or too little.
• Having more or less sleep.

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Suggest some ways to reduce stress

Here are some ways I suggest you can reduce your stress levels.

Exercising regularly

By exercising on a regular basis you help reduce the stress that you experience. By exercising, you tend to improve your mood which in turn distract you from your worries, thereby breaking the negative thought patterns that create such worries.

Some exercises like running, walking, swimming, and dancing are very effective.

Start connecting with others

By talking to someone face to face can help trigger stress relieving emotions that can arise when in a state of insecurity and agitation. By just giving someone kind words or looking at them in a friendly way can help to help to calm and soothe the nervous system.

Learning how to relax in certain situations

You can take on relaxation habits like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. Doing these would help activate the relaxation response in the body, this would put you in a state of restfulness which is the direct opposite of what you get with stress response.

It will also improve your ability to remain calm and collected when under pressure.

Develop health diets

Eating food has a way of improving or worsening your mood thereby affecting your ability to cope with stress.

Taking in processed and convenience food, refined carbohydrates, and sugary snacks can make the symptoms of stress get worse. Changing your diet to high quality protein, fresh fruit and vegetables, and Omega-3 fatty acids can help you remain resolute when encountering life's ups and downs.

Engaging your senses

We have core senses which are sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, and movement. By engaging them we can relieve stress in our system rapidly. But to achieve this successfully you have to find the sensory input that you are most comfortable with.

Do you feel calm when you listen to an uplifting music, or how do you feel when you get an animal? Find out what works best for you as we tend to respond to sensory inputs different.

Get enough rest

Having chronic stress can disrupt you sleep patterns. It can also make you feel tired thereby making you have irrational thinking. Try and Improve your resting period especially at night when sleeping so as to increase your productivity and reducing your stress levels.

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What was the most stressful period of your life and how did you overcome it?

The most stressful period in my life was in school during my final year in the first semester. A lot was going on in my life that it affected me negatively.

During that time, there was no money for my upkeep as my father was laid off in his office place. It was a very difficult time. When I heard the news I thought to myself, "how I'm I going to feed, and why now?". Since that time till the end of the semester, no money for me and there was nobody I could go to.

Luckily enough I had an aunt whom I reached out to and told her about my predicament, as she told me that she would help in whatever way possible. So from time to time she sent food stuffs and some money.

There was a time that I called her that I needed money to begin my project, but she told me that she didn't have any money. I was very disappointed and began to feel scared. A lot was going through my mind that time.

Things went from bad to worse as my aunt who was helping couldn't again as the business she was doing went burst. It was a very devastating news at the time.

I thought too much about my situation that has became very Ill. I was admitted to the hospital the next day. Luckily for me it was my class mate who helped me with the medical bills. When I got better, I narrated my story to the person. The person connected me to the head of our department.

I told him everything that had transpired. He promised to help, but on the condition that I had to fulfill certain requirements so as to prove the authenticity of my situation. That's exactly what I did, and that was how I was able to go through that period.

Luckily, during the holidays my father was 'connected' to another job, and that was how things became better. I made my commitment to the requirements give by my HoD and I was in a better place.

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Conclusion

As we have seen so far stress can be quite damaging especially if you don't know your stress limits. It is very important to know your stress limits.

The limits varies from person to person. Some persons can conveniently face much of life's battle, while others get overwhelmed with small obstacle and frustrations.

Knowing your limits can help you know when you have transitioned from acute stress to chronic stress. This way you begin to take precautionary measures to prevent yourself from being affected with the symptoms that comes with it.