Stress....What is it?

Have you ever felt like you were lost and trapped in your own world that sooner or later becomes inescapable? Have the feelings of doubt, anger and emotional distress come upon you as you try to complete tasks? All these unwanted and negative characteristics revolve around the physical and mental factors that everyone experiences in their daily lives, stress. Stress is essentially the various feelings of helplessness, tension, paranoia and confinement. As formally defined, stress is "a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stress can be external (environment, psychological) or internal (illness, cognitive/behavioural)" (Definition of Stress, 2015). In the long-run, stress will always be there, it is just a matter of how strong and overwhelming it is. Every individual will experience stress differently and the effects will not always be consistent with one another. Stress influences our lives in many ways and in some severe cases it can cause short-term or even long-term side effects/illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

Stress can cause a various amount of physical and mental effects. Common physical problems of stress include: muscle or general body pains, fatigue, frequent sicknesses, and irregular or distressed sleeping patterns. People under stress can also have unusual behavioural patterns, such as, gaining irregular eating habits or obtaining negative/unhealthy routines like alcoholism or drug abuse. On the other hand, some regular symptoms of mental effects of stress are, problems in concentration, experiences of anxiety, fear, depression, anger or basic emotional difficulties. From personal experience and first-hand knowledge, it can be more or less said that young adolescents come across stress more often than others, mainly due to the fact that there is a greater demand of life from them. Student stress, more specifically, can arise from multiple stressors and can be the most influential. Students of post-secondary schools can suffer from stress caused by, academic failure, numerous assignments, increase in workload, poor relationships with other students, and family or personal problems at home.

Other possible situations where students can experience and be impacted by stress are: completing homework or assignments, studying, writing exams and maintaining a social status. Stress can be seen as the inevitable, and it may be something that never actually goes away, but, there are solutions to reduce and conquer stress in your life. These solutions are called relievers. Discussed throughout this personalized blog are five unique ways to relieve yourself of stress.

What is your formal definition of stress? How does stress affect you in your everyday lives?

As once said by American actor Peter Marshall

"When we long for life without difficulties, reminds us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds, and diamonds are made under pressure” (About Health, 2014).

 What are your interpretations or thoughts about this stress-related quote? Do you agree that "diamonds are made under pressure" when referring to students in this scenario?

1. Music

Everyone has different ways of coping with stress, and each individual will develop their own strategies to deal with it. From first-hand experience and knowledge, I'd say that listening to music is a common stress reliever for most post-secondary and/or young adolescents. When dealing with a stressful situation or stress in general, sometimes the best thing to do is avoid it and distract yourself. Some students tend to listen to music while completing tasks or studying, but in my opinion that is a more difficult pathway since your mind is attempting to focus on multiple things at once.

I believe that interrupting what you are doing and taking a mental break, eases the stress and eventually helps in decreasing any possible physical or mental side effects that could happen later on. Listening to instrumental, spa, or relaxing music are some of my top favourites as it brings me into a state of silence, calmness and restoration. It is important to know though, that when you are avoiding or distracting yourself from stress, it does not make it go away and you eventually have to face it again at some point. A short break is healthy for you though and I find that when stress is reduced, your abilities to complete tasks become more efficient and productive.

From an article posted by Jane Collingwood regarding the impact that music has on reducing stress: listening to music, especially classical, has a tremendous relaxing effect on our minds and bodies. Music has the power to act as a distraction which aids in meditation and music therapy. As stated in the article, "music can have a beneficial effect on our psychological functions, slowing the pulse and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones" (Collingwood, 2007). Scientific studies have also been conducted in analyzing the effects that music has on people who are experiencing or have dealt with stress before. Studies have shown that music significantly reduces stress and anxiety in hospital or ill patients, it can relieve depression and increase self-esteem, it can improve overall mood, music therapy and/or meditation can reduce emotional distress and boost a person's quality of life, and listening to music can also help in memory retention as well as functions of the brain.

Check out the article for more inspiring and unique information on how music is a good, positive and healthy stress reliever. A personal challenge for you the next time stress enters your life, try listening to something new and different. Listen to Mozart or classical music and feel the difference it brings. http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-power-of-music-to-reduce-stress/000930/2

2. Exercise

Exercising is not only a growing trend nowadays, but it's also an excellent healthy life style to acquire. Whether it's a leisure walk, run or workout routine, any type of physical activity is good for all ages and helps you to stay in better shape. Exercising, or participating in physical activities, can increase and improve self-esteem, mood, and motivation, and can reduce stress, feelings of tension, anxiety, and in some cases depression. Stress affects the body and the mind, but, by exercising, it helps to ease and potentially decrease the negativity and unwanted feelings that stress causes. At times, stress can mentally and physically drain you of your energy, but, exercising is a great way of reducing fatigue and improving mental abilities, cognitive functions and concentration. Staying in shape and acquiring a healthier lifestyle is also beneficial as it improves your physical condition and builds a stronger immune system to fight off diseases. Exercising, in some instances, is significant for maintaining mental fitness and reducing your chances of facing stress or any symptoms of stress.

Why, and how exactly is exercising good for you, you ask? From a more complex and scientific point of view, when you perform any type of physical activity, your body releases a chemical called "endorphins". Endorphins are the body's natural pain relievers that interact with receptors in the brain that reduces or limits your perception of pain while also triggering a positive feeling in the body. Therefore, by exercising or even meditating or deep breathing, your body releases endorphins which overall helps in decreasing stress and the feelings that stress brings upon us. All good comes from exercising and the following are some possible actions that you can take to get in better shape, reduce stress and stay healthy; walking, running, biking, swimming, yoga, gardening, housework.

 

Check out this awesome video on how exercise impacts the brain and works together to reduce stress! It truly is important to keep a fit body and mind and by participating in physical activities it's easy to shrug off all those negative feelings and thoughts!


Content provided has been based off of the information presented from http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression. For more details and information about how exercise influences stress and its beneficial attributes, feel free to check out the link above.

3. Animal Love

For all you students who are dealing with stress and have an animal living with you, you're in luck! Whether you have a cat, dog, bird or fish, studies have shown that owning a pet helps to reduce stress and provides many therapeutic and health benefits (Robinson, 2015). Although owning a pet is time consuming and a big responsibility, the outcomes are unimaginable and worth the effort. Pets can help in changing your daily lifestyle by: increasing your exercise, providing companionship, reducing anxiety, helping to meet new people, adding a routine to your day, and being there for you as a stress reliever. Owning a pet is suited for all ages and studies have proven that petting animals can lower your blood pressure, calm and relax you (by increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine), and encourage and motivate you to maintain a healthy lifestyle (Robinson, 2015).

 Pets are also known for helping children with disabilities and aiding in the growth development and learning processes of young kids. Animal therapy has also been introduced as an exceedingly beneficial practice/action for people to take when experiencing or dealing with stress, anxiety or depression. In animal therapy or pet assisted-activities, people are invited to interact with the animals by petting, grooming or playing with them. For students who wish to reduce their levels of stress though, you don't have to pay for trained pets to come to you, or go someplace professional, you can easily relieve yourself by finding your beloved animal and petting him/her. Take the time to cherish the companionship that you've established with your pet(s) and enjoy the sensation of feeling calmer, relaxed and less stressed.

 

What kind of pet do you have and how many? Post a photo of your one-of-a-kind animal and share with us a special moment that you've had with him/her. Feel free to add in how they helped you in a stressful situation and managed to reduce or calm your levels of stress.

 

For more detailed information about animals and their abilities to reduce stress and provide many therapeutic and health benefits, check out the link:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/the-health-benefits-of-pets.htm.

 



 

 

4. Family & Friends

Stress is predominately perceived as a negative as is caused by internal or external stressors. Although stress is a person's reaction to a situation and is an unwanted feeling, it can also be helpful at times. As stated by the Canadian Mental Health Association, "some stress can be a good thing. It can motivate us to focus on a task or take action and solve a problem. In this situation, stress is manageable and even helpful" (Stress, 2014). As students though, sometimes stress is the inevitable and it's complicated or difficult to establish/maintain healthy, positive stress relievers or coping strategies. Students are occupied with school, work, friends and other responsibilities that can get in the way of making sure that you are properly taking care of yourself. By not handling your stress in its initial upbringings, it will only grow and deepen and make things more difficult to deal with later on. Stress needs to be dealt with whenever possible and students needs to find the correct, right way of reducing their levels of stress. Stress can never truly be eliminated from your life, but there are ways to prevent, or at least reduce it. With being a student it may seem impossible at times to help yourself reduce and relieve yourself of stress, but in fact, it is possible. An excellent, straightforward approach to conquering stress is talking about it and connecting with others.

Family and friends may not realize that you are struggling with stress, but by talking with them it'll not only help you, but it'll help them as well. Talking about your problems and simply expressing yourself helps to ease out the stress. Talking is easy to do and is inexpensive. By connecting with others and sharing your thoughts and feelings, it can help your family and friends better understand your situation and they can try to recommend ideas for solving your problem(s). Since students are mainly at school or work, your friends and peers are all around you to talk with and sometimes it's easier to communicate with non-family related persons, as it can be awkward or intimidating expressing yourself to family members.

 Other than family and friends though, there are other outside options available for students who are dealing with stress. School councilors, therapists or doctors are good, reliable people to trust and confide in and will always be there for you.  If you are not the type of person who is comfortable talking to others about your life or sensitive topics, another method of relieving stress is writing down your thoughts and feelings. Having a private diary is good to have as you can write down anything at anytime and it's for your eyes only. Whether you verbally talk with someone or write it out, either method will surely help to reduce your levels of stress.

5. Creative Thinking

There are a wide variety of strategies to overcoming stress. Each and every person experiences and handles stress in their own way and learn to develop personal coping strategies. Stress is a killer but the impossible becomes possible. Sometimes, when stress is at its peak, students tend to stay within their comfort zone and only think inside of the box. From personal experience, thinking outside of the box is sometimes a better strategy than most. Common stress relievers, such as music, exercise and talking, are good ways of reducing levels of stress and work for majority of individuals, but, sometimes you just need something different. From a student’s perspective, when I do not have the extra time to exercise or thoroughly talk to one of my peers or family members and I’m not in the mood to listening to music, I like to relieve my stress by doing the traditional Japanese paper folding art called origami. Origami is a fun and unique activity to do and since it can be time consuming at times it distracts the mind which essentially calms and reduces your levels of stress. I’ve been doing origami for at least 5 years and it has become one of my many, top rated coping strategies to overcoming stress. Origami has hundreds, probably thousands of different items that can made from the colourful papers that are used. Origami also has several different model-making methods which adds creativity and uniqueness to the activity (paper folding, cutting, or using multiple sheets). Examples of some of my favourite origami to make are: the crane, heart, fox, kusudama flower, and bookmarks.

Origami has become one of my passions, and as a student I find that it helps me to separate school from my personal life. Origami allows me to go into my own world and enjoy the talent that I have. It lets me relieve myself and helps to calm my mind as I make each and every perfect fold. At times, yes, origami can be stressful as the instructions can be quite complex and difficult, but I’ve learned patience and I manage to stay calm and just keep trying. Origami is just one of the many creative ways that students can utilize to relieve their levels of stress. Students can also paint, draw, sing, read or do whatever their passion is or what suits them best for helping themselves with stressful situations. Students need to realize the importance of properly taking care of yourself and for developing your own coping strategies for reducing/relieving stress. Try something new and think outside of the box, let your mind express itself and see and feel the wonders that can happen.

Want to know how to make a simple origami? Check out the video links below on "how to make an origami crane" and "how to make an origami bookmark". Release your inner creativity!

Origami: Crane [Tutorial] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux1ECrNDZl4
DIY Easy Origami Corner Bookmark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh0e0WrG3Ns