Escaping Stress - Don't Let This Become a Problem for You!

Stress. Everyone has dealt with it before, some in a productive manner and others less so. How you deal with stress will have a big impact on how you feel about your life in general as well as how healthy your body is.

One thing many people do not know is that stress causes a release of the hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is catabolic meaning it has a tendency to cause a tissue breakdown. In terms of health, particularly your fitness level, this is very undesirable. You always want to be building your body back up stronger so that if it encounters the same stress once again it knows how to deal with it. If you are constantly stressed though with no sign of relief, you are not going to have the rest time necessary to build yourself back up and will just keep tearing down tissues.

Another negative factor of stress and cortisol release is its effect upon your stomach. Typically, individuals under a lot of stress will see a greater accumulation of bodyfat in the abdominal region. For those looking to decrease their chances of many illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease this is something you are definitely going to want to avoid.

So what can you do about stress? Well the first thing is recognizing when you are feeling it. Sometimes it's hard to notice because you are so preoccupied with other activities. Take a moment and notice your shoulders right now. Are they tensed? Consciously think of relaxing them. Did they just drop down a few centimetres? If so, you are carrying stress around with you.

I'm not saying all stress is bad. There are definitely times when stress is good, such as when you are trying to escape danger and your body's sympathetic nervous system kicks into high gear or when you have a work deadline coming up and need that extra little motivation to keep you going. But learning how to control stress that seems to weigh on your shoulders on a daily basis is what we are looking to achieve here.

The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if what is causing you stress is truly important. If you neglected whatever it is, how would your life change? If you find that it wouldn't change a whole lot, it may be time to just drop this activity or person. In today's world too many people spread themselves so thin that they do not leave time to look after their own mental health. This leads to a stress build-up that can eventually end up in burnout. That is one situation you want avoid at all costs.

The second way to control stress is setting aside some time each week just for you. Book one night off during the week where you will make no plans. Then you can fill this time with what is truly important in your life, not something that adds additional stress. If you don't feel like doing anything on that night but relaxing on the couch, so be it. The whole point is not to be productive but to enjoy yourself. Do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal.

The final step to controlling stress is to ask for help. Realize you are only human and you can't do everything. Discuss how you are feeling with your significant other, friend, family member or possibly even a therapist. They may offer to help you out with whatever is burdening you so your stress level will be reduced. Don't feel ashamed or embarrassed for not being able to get it all done. It happens to everyone.

So next time you feel like you are stressed out to the max or life has just become a little too much to handle, take these three steps into consideration. By implementing a proper method for dealing with your stress you will significantly not only increase your mental state but your physical health as well. No one likes to feel stressed and you need to realize that more often than not this is something you can control. Your mind is a powerful thing and if you chose to use it to your advantage you will find your life is far more enjoyable and productive.