Stress...We All Have It

We all have stress. Stress is a normal fact of life. You cannot get away from it, regardless of how hard you try. Some stress is good, in its own way. Too much stress can cause health and emotional problems. There are some common signs that are red flags, if you will, to know that you are overstressed, which is not good. People who remain overstressed can become burned out. Burned out basically means that you lack energy, physical, emotional and mental energy. If this extreme amount of stress is allowed to continue on in your life, it can lead to exhaustion and withdrawal.

Some of the warning signs to being burned out can include:

1. Changes in eating habits. Over eating or under eating are possible red flags. When some people are stressed out, they eat and eat and eat. Other people do not eat at all or very little. The people that eat and eat, will gain weight. This causes other problems for their health now.

2. Changes in sleeping patterns. Sleeping too much, or not enough can scream out a problem. Trouble falling asleep or waking up is also what some may experience during times of burn out. If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't stop thinking about what is stressing you most, that is also a sign of burn out.

3. Getting sick more often and easier than before. Frequent colds, headaches, stomach problems or other aches and pains is also a sign. You may not recover as quickly either during the extreme stress periods.

4. Intense cravings for comfort foods or vices. Wanting cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, or high calorie, high fat foods may start to happen when in a burn out state. Doing these things won't stop the stress, maybe just alleviate the pain or worries. Just know that it isn't going to solve anything and these things can make it worse, especially for your physical health.

5. Feelings of hopelessness and all around depression. Lack of sleep and lack of a healthy routine will cause the depression to strike. Some may have feelings of suicide as the only way out of their stressful situation.

College students are among a large group that experience extreme stress. Many times, the stress gets so bad in college that students drop out of classes or start to get bad grades. Many have sleeping difficulties and resort to drinking alcohol and smoking as well as doing drugs. None of these behaviors are going to help so realizing that early on is your best bet to combat the issues at hand.

Stress management is the first step in helping you to not get burned out. There is no magic formula to defeat stress but there are a few things that can be done to help. Trying to reduce the amount of stress that you are feeling is important, but not always probable. The first step in reducing stress is to identify your stresses. Try to eliminate whatever stress you can on a daily basis. Plan time accordingly and carefully. Prioritize is very important. Overcommitment is a common problem that brings stress. Try to not over commit yourself in any situation. Learning to say no is important as well. Do not take on more than you can handle. Becoming overwhelmed just means you are over stressed.

Relaxation techniques can help out as well. Keep an open mind on this one. Learn how to relax. Taking time out of the day for yourself to just sit and relax is a great way to get rid of some stress, even if just for a short period of time. Yoga and general exercise works great to eliminate stress. Yoga is an exercise that promotes relaxation, as well as meditation. Some people find that a meditation class is a great help. Even just going to a gym for an hour a day or taking a jog or walk can help with the daily stresses.

Learn how to do breathing exercises. Sitting in a comfortable position, with eyes closed, inhale and exhale slowly. Add some stretching or meditation to that and you are relaxing. Try to do this on a daily basis for at least five minutes a day. Even just five minutes will help a great deal. Visualization has also been known to help. You can do some visualizing while doing some breathing exercises or right after. The idea is to create a mental image, like a quiet type of setting, that promotes relaxation. Visualization is very similar to meditation. Try both and see which one works best for you. Pick one or both and stick with it.

Some people find that they just cannot relax because they are so used to being in the fast lane all the time. Finding a way to relax might prove to be a more difficult task for these people. The best advice is to take a class in which you have no choice but to participate. There are many yoga classes around as well as meditation classes. Join a gym and go each day or at least every other day. Since you are paying for that gym, you will want to go. Find a partner to join you in working out or doing yoga so that you will find it easier to stick with it. Take a thirty minute walk daily when the weather permits. Find a friend to join you. You can chit chat while walking and maybe even find that you are getting fit in the process.

I, personally, understand stress and burn out, all too well. I am a mother to four children, three of which are toddlers. I work from home writing for my local newspaper. I constantly have stories to work on. I am also a college student, trying to finish up my journalism degree. Easier said than done though. I have a husband, a house to take care of, and of course, I have to tend to my children. We have had financial problems in the past that have nearly taken me over the edge into burn out territory. I also have a medical condition, PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, which gives me mood swings and an array of other health problems if I am not aware of how to stop it. Many people that find out that I have PCOS do not believe me because I have it together. I do not have many of the symptoms that other with my condition have. I combat this by exercising and following a healthy diet. I think that it has been my diet and exercise that have also helped me to not get burned out.

Overcommitment has always been my problem. I take on more than I should more often than not. It is very hard for me to say no. Did I think it would be so hard to have four children? Did I think that having three children in three years would be so stressful? No on both accounts. Do I regret it? No. I just need to channel my energies and find ways to not let myself get so stressed out. Of course, my family comes first over work and school but I managed to find a way to do it all.

You too can become less stressed by following a few simple rules. Do not allow yourself to become a doormat to anyone. Do not take their stress as your own and learn to say no at work and at home if need be. Find a few minutes a day for yourself. That one is harder than it sounds, at least for me it is. Exercising even just thirty minutes a day releases enough of those feel good hormones and that can last for a while after the exercising is over. Get enough sleep, but not too much. Seven to eight hours is a good amount of sleep. Eat healthy. Do not overdue the bad stuff, preservatives, additives, alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods. Feeling good physically can help you feel good mentally. If you feel you need help, find it. Never feel that accepting help is a bad thing. You would help someone that needed it so take the help if you can.

Stress is a daily problem that we all face. The amount of stress needs to be limited to keep us healthy and sane. Relax when you can. Take time to see the sunset and take time to enjoy your children. You only get this day once. Don't waste it all on stress.