What is stress?
In challenging or new situations, stress can be defined as any form of change that causes strain or simply the body’s reaction to things that need our attention or action. Some hormones, such as adrenaline, are released by the human body as a result of stress.[1]
Stress has mental manifestations. However, it can present physical symptoms as well.
What are the physical symptoms of stress?
Apart from the mental signs of stress such as fear or worry, symptoms of stress may show up physically as an inability to relax, increased heart rate, sleep problems, and muscle aches, among others.[2]
The severity of such physical manifestations also depends on one’s health conditions, how straining an event is, and how long the stress remains.[3] That is why when learning how to manage stress, It is also significant to learn its two common types.
Acute stress is one that lasts shorter. One example situation can be when people are about to give a public speech or work on something that has a deadline. In mild degrees, it is believed to help the body improve by practising responses when adapting to new situations.[4]
On the other hand, compared to the short time the body takes to recover from acute stress, chronic stress occurs as stressors linger. Such stressors could be long-term financial problems, loneliness, or even underlying mental conditions that include depression or anxiety.[5]
In a certain situation, one person might be more stressed than others. The body reacts differently to various causes of stress depending on many factors, which may cause more severe signs of stress, such as high blood pressure, panic attacks, and diarrhoea.[6]
Seeking professional help could be vital if you or someone close to you are showing physical signs of chronic stress and are unable to enjoy everyday life.
At Mosh, we have doctors who are interested in helping people with concerns like ‘What is stress?’ or those revolving around stress management. All you need to do is start with a quick quiz, which will help your Mosh doctor assess your situation and prepare personalised recommendations within twenty-four hours.
What are some easy ways to deal with stress at home?
Although its symptoms may be daunting, there are stress management techniques that can help you on how to relieve stress and prevent it at home. Before utilising these strategies, you should know the signs of stress and what causes it in your everyday life.
After doing those, you may look at these stress management strategies and see which ones you can do or combine on a daily basis:
- Take care of your health. As stress may also affect your immune system,[7] a few of the easiest ways you can try at home are having a healthy diet and a consistent exercise routine, which both have far more health benefits. Moreover, you can also avoid resorting to alcoholic drinks or drugs when feeling stressed.[8]
- Practice relaxation by using mindfulness techniques. Meditation, if done consistently, may even alleviate the symptoms of some types of anxiety too. Even science says that mindfulness can help us calm down easily and cope with future stressful events.[9]
- Reduce screen time and the use of phones. According to studies, although smartphones are quite unavoidable for many people, they may be associated with higher stress levels and other mental health conditions.[10]
These techniques that can be done at home can also be combined with some that may take a little more time. As you learn more about how to relieve stress and how to relax the mind, you can also look more into how you talk with yourself as it may also affect how difficult it is to relieve your stress.
Other activities you may also incorporate into your routines are inviting loved ones over, learning how to refrain from procrastinating, taking an online yoga class, and picking up a new or old hobby.
Despite the many ways on how to relieve stress while at home, the effectiveness of such ways differs from one person to another, as personal conditions and preferences also do. Moreover, it might consume a little more of your time to wonder which ones you should try first.
That is why if you have a computer or a smartphone and want to receive recommendations from a doctor, you can turn to Mosh. You can get advice on which stress management strategies would best suit your interests and health condition.
What treatments are available when it comes to relieving stress?
Some ways to cope with stress may not be attainable for some as it can be rather a sign of something else. Which is why if the aforementioned techniques do not alleviate the symptoms of stress, people are advised to seek professional help.
As stress is not a diagnosis,[11] only its symptoms can be alleviated by prescription medicine. Other treatment options you may talk about with your doctor are approaches that can help you with your thought patterns and behaviours. Such approaches are stress inoculation training and cognitive behavioural stress management.[12]
If it is challenging for you to determine how to relieve stress alone, you can consult a doctor at Mosh. With us, you can also get more clarity about many mental health concerns like what causes depression or how to get rid of anxiety.
On top of that, our doctors can also support you in your weight loss, hair growth, and skincare goals. So whether you seek help or better health, talk to a Mosh doctor today.