Long days, rough nights, looming deadlines and family troubles are only a few of the things that might cause stress. It’s a reaction that’s brought on by feelings of pressure, strain and intense emotions. Even life events that are positive and happy can cause stress - planning a wedding or a move into a new home, for instance. What causes stress?
Causes of Stress
Stress is, above all, a personal reaction to life’s many troubles and obstacles. Births, deaths, weddings, marriages, graduation - there are many different life events, even fairly common events, which cause stress for some people. Pressures of the job, home and family can also feel stressful.
There are many, many different causes of stress - and they vary from person to person. What stresses out Bob may not be at all stressful to Jane, for instance. Stress is a personal experience, and everyone has different triggers. Almost anything can become a stressful situation when the right buttons are pushed.
The Effects of Stress
There are plenty of things that might cause stress. Everything from bad traffic to a promotion at work can feel stressful. There’s no right or wrong cause of stress, no bad or good reasons to feel and be stressed or otherwise emotionally strained. Everyone has their own reactions to life’s troubles, and stress is often one of them. At some point, everyone has to learn different ways to cope with stress in their lives - both the causes of stress and the effects of stress itself.
Stress manifests itself in the form of adrenaline, increased heart rate and heightened energy. Stress can have both positive and negative effects. You’ll notice heightened senses and sharper reaction time when you’re under the effects of stress, but you may also notice feelings of tension and irritability. These are the effects of stress.
Coping with Stress
The best way to cope with feelings of stress is to relax. Breathe deeply, slow down and do your best to feel cool and calm. This will help dissipate the effects and feelings of stress, bringing you back into balance. You can learn relaxation exercises to help you learn how to calm yourself down, and there are stress centers which can teach you multiple techniques for managing your stress.
