How To Deal With Stress
Did you know that one of the most commonly used words by modern people is ‘stress’?
Of course, a proper amount of stress can help you stay alert and it can benefit us both mentally and physically. However, chronic and excessive stress may cause all kinds of illnesses.
So on today’s episode, let’s learn how to relieve stress and lead a healthier life.
Difference between fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome
We need to be able to identify the types of fatigue we are feeling. Fatigue is a subjective feeling of systemic languidness after activities. It can manifest as tiredness, somnolence, lack of appetite, digestive problems, dizziness, etc. In severe cases, fatigue is associated with other conditions such as insomnia, tingling sensations in the hands and feet, headache, eyestrain and lethargy, as well as heart palpitations and facial rash, like the symptoms of climacterium. The most common causes are sleep deprivation, lack of exercise, lack of fluids, malnutrition, excessive stress or depression.
Fatigue can be usually be alleviated by rest within one to three weeks. Prolonged fatigue is defined as a disabling fatigue that lasts for at least one month. If this degree of fatigue lasts longer than six months, it is chronic. In addition to this, if you are continuously tired even after having enough rest, and have other associated symptoms, including weight loss and lack of appetite, I recommend you to see a doctor to check if you have any other conditions.
Stress, what are you?
The word ‘stress’ derives from the Latin word 'stringer' which means to draw tight. ‘Stress’ used to be an academic terminology in physics. But, in the 20th century, its meaning changed as the relation between stress and the human body was studied. When we talk about stress, wet end to try and find the cause. However, the level of stress is in fact determined by both the cause, and the body’s response to it. That is, stress is defined as an individual’s response (physical, mental, and behavioral) or adaptation to external stimuli or changes.
* Effects of stress = Pressure from stressful factors–adaptation to stressful factors
How stressed am I? Check below.
’How stressed am I?’ We frequently ask this question but not many of us really know the exact level of our stress. So here is away to measure your own stress level.
Stress Questionnaire (BEPSI-K(BEPSI-K)
- 1. Had a difficult situation that is uncontrollable either physically or mentally in the past month?
-
- ① Never
- ②almost never
- ③some of the time
- ④most of the time
- ⑤always
- 2. Frustrated while trying to stick to your life routines in the past month?
-
- ① Never
- ②almost never
- ③some of the time
- ④most of the time
- ⑤always
- 3. Felt that your basic needs as a human being were not being met in the past month?
-
- ① Never
- ②almost never
- ③some of the time
- ④most of the time
- ⑤always
- 4. Felt uncertain or anxious about the future in the past month?
-
- ① Never
- ②almost never
- ③some of the time
- ④most of the time
- ⑤always
- 5. Had so many things to do that you forgot to take care of really important things in the past month?
-
- ① Never
- ②almost never
- ③some of the time
- ④most of the time
- ⑤always
Total score of five questions / 5 = BEPSI-K
• 2.8 or above: high stress group, 1.8~2.8: mild stress group, 1.8 or lower: low stress group
Stress management
1. Face the facts
People often turn to chain smoking or binge drinking to relieve stress. However, the hangover from those actions may affect work efficiency and make you anxious, compromising your health and immune system in the long run. A dependency on drinking, smoking, or drugs itself may worsen stress. Rather than seeking transient consolation the best solution is to face the stress and know your capabilities and limitations.
2. Look from a different perspective
Even in the same situation, one may feel more stressed than others. If you can look at things from a different perspective, life can become more enjoyable. It is always easier and better to break the cycle of bad emotions and memory as early as possible. But it does not mean that you should deny reality. That would cause us to distort reality and eventually make things worse.
3. Relaxation
Unlike in the primitive ages, most modern-age stress is not so serious enough to threaten our survival. However, all sorts of stress factors of today may cause an excessively prolonged response to stress, and an extended ‘relaxed response’ (to relieve stress and keep balance from time to time).All this leads to problems in the overall stress control system. Therefore, it is important to try to stay away from a nervous or stressful environment and intentionally relax ourselves.
| Try this step-by-step relaxation exercise at a desk | |
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| shoulder |
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| neck |
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abdominal muscle |
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4. Professional advice
The tips explained above help you to relieve stress but if you are suffering from severe stress, you may end up worsening the situation. You cannot solve serious problems alone, and depending on non-professional advice won’t help either. Expert help is always recommended as follows;
• Psychotherapy (psychoanalysis, short-term psychotherapy)
• Cognitive and behavioral therapy, biofeedback therapy.
• Pharmacotherapy(anti-depressants, anxiolytic drugs)
I hope those tips were of great help for your fight against stress. We cannot do away with stress completely, but we can reduce it by following some simple yet easy steps. Stop building up the stress and try different methods to lead a stress-free life.