Chronic StressStress is a fact of life but chronic stress does not have to be a way of life. Recognize your stress symptoms and use these stress management tips to reduce the effects of stress.
Just glance at the covers of New York Times or Washington Post, or turn on CNN, and you will see what you already know: Stress is a fact of life! Even the World Health Organization conclude that stress is a "global epidemic" Every day we are confronted with daily hassles which are perceived as the stress of modern-day living. High pressured jobs, loneliness, traffic jams – anything that can annoy or frustrate you, will keep your body in a constant state of alert. But you don’t have to be passive to stress! You can choose to take control. Recognize your stress signature and put into place effective stress management tips to reduce the effects of stress on your mind and body. What is chronic stress?Chronic stress occurs when your body is in a state of constant arousal – in other words you have difficulty relaxing. This constant state of arousal is because the stress response is activated. This stress response has served us well - the caveman who narrowly escapes the jaws of a saber-tooth tiger thanks to the boost stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that stopped him being today’s meal. While there are number positive effects of stress, the BIG PROBLEM is that it can be difficult to turn the stress response off. It’s no wonder, because everyday we can be faced with the daily hassles: traffic jams, unrelenting pressure and workloads, financial concerns, a noisy roommate, or worry about the environment. It is not as though we are constantly consumed by fight or flight response, but we are like a car who is idling along with too high RPM. The engine is working too hard to stay in balance. Some Common Causes of Stress Chronic stress is very much influenced by thoughts and emotions. It is these perceptions that determine whether you perceive the person or situation as stressful.
A story of chronic stressConsider this anecdotal story by a stress management expert on the effects of stress. One day a stress management lecturer was explaining the concept of unrelenting stress to his students - and started by raising a cup of coffee that he was holding. "How heavy is this cup of coffee?" he said. The students called out 7oz to 15oz. The lecturer replied that "The weight of the cup does not matter so much, what matters is the length of time I hold it for." "If I hold this cup of coffee for 60 seconds - that is not a problem" "If I hold it for 20 minutes I will have a sore wrist" "If I hold it for an hour my muscles will spasm and hurt" "If I hold it for a day I will end up in hospital" "The weight of the cup of coffee has not changed" he explained to the class. "What has changed" he said "is the length of time that I carry the burden"
We all have burdens and pressure that we carry throughout the day, but if we are unable to put them down once and while, then it becomes increasingly hard to carry on. Like the cup of coffee, we need to be able to put our cup down and rest and recuperate before we can carry the burden again. While we may think that we are traveling well with these extra burdens and stress, the reality is that we may be living with an unhealthy stress level. Without rest, recuperation or relaxation, it can be increasingly difficult to work and play at your peak, and eventually fatigue and illness will follow. But to do this you need to understand the causes of stress and how you react to them today. Effects of chronic stress on healthThe stress management expert’s story describes the effects of stress that is unrelenting. This chronic stress is the real villain because it is deceptively not noticeable. However, this type of stress is implicated in a gradual strain and breakdown of the body and a host of illnesses.
Stress management tips for chronic stressChronic stress is different from acute stress. Chronic stress is deceptive and pervasive! One way to deal with this type of stress is to become more aware of your individual stress signature while another is to develop some health thinking patterns around some of your daily hassles - especially if you can't avoid them. Here are some stress management tips you can use today.
 What is your stress signature? Do you know what your stress symptoms are? How do you typically respond to stress? Answers to these questions will help you to put into place the best stress management techniques for you. To gather objective data for your stress, download a stress diary today.
While you may not be able to do much about some causes chronic stress, such as unemployment or financial stress, you can do a lot about how you approach these situations or react to them. Developing a positive mental attitude has been shown to increase the ability to cope with stress.
 Have you ever noticed that some people get stressed and frazzled by almost anything yet others appear unfazed and in control. One way that you can increase your ability to cope with stress is to adopt and healthy way of thinking. Positive thinking is one way that you can cope better with stress.
Chronic stress can result in feeling tense and uptight. This stress management technique can relax your muscles and counter the effects of stress. Often we spend hours hunched over phones and computer terminals, accumulating muscle tension throughout the day, and contributing to fatigue. Progressive muscle relaxation activates the relaxation response by tensing and relaxing different muscle groups. Related Articles
Time Management: Time Management Techniques for Stress Relief Self Hypnosis: Deal with Stress through Self Hypnosis The Physical Effects of Stress: Signs of Physical Effects of Stress The Emotional Effects of Stress: Signs of Emotional Effects of Stress Not All Stress is Bad: Find your Optimal Stress Level
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