April is stress awarness month
By: Bree Maloney, Marque Medical
April is National Stress Awareness Month. Its purpose is to raise awareness of how stress impacts the body and to learn helpful ways to cope and manage it. There is no single definition of stress, but the most common explanation is physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. Just thinking about stress can stress you out! There are two kinds of stress, each with different effects on both the mind and body. Acute stress is ‘on-the-spot’ stress such as giving a speech or almost getting into a car accident. This type of stress can be beneficial because the hormones released help your mind and body cope and deal with the situation at hand. Chronic stress results from repeated exposure to situations that lead to the release of stress hormones. An excess release of stress hormones can lead to high cholesterol and depletion of cortisol, which help regulate the balance of salt and water in your body.
Stress is part of everyday life and whether we try to avoid it or not, it’s impossible to not have any. But did you know that moderate stress has its benefits? While not all stress is particularly good, acute stress can have a positive impact:
Increases Focus: Stress increases cortisol and adrenaline levels in your body, improving your ‘fight or flight’ reaction. This is the feeling you get when you’re in a dangerous situation in which your body is trying to protect you. Many people seem to function better when slightly stressed. Adrenaline can both improve attention, focus, and cognitive functioning at optimal levels.
Strengthens Your Mind: Learning how to cope with stressful situations can make future ones seem easier to manage. Repeated exposure to moderate levels of daily stress can enhance both a physical and psychological sense of control and resilience – strengthening your mind.
Grows Confidence: Stress can build confidence. When you learn how to successfully manage stressful situations, you can build the confidence that no matter what situation you face, you’re able to take it head on. Stress makes you mentally stronger and prepares you to handle everything that life throws your way. For instance, Navy SEALs undergo extreme stress during training to achieve a sense of physical and psychological control under intense situations. As a result, in the field they achieve resilience and confidence through repeated exposures to stress.
Boosts Brain Power: Moderate stressors stimulate the production of brain chemicals called neurotrophins. Neurotrophins guide the development of the nervous system. They are a family of proteins that signal cells to grow and survive. In fact, this may be the primary mechanism by which exercise helps boost productivity and concentration. Studies have shown that your body’s response to stress can temporarily boost memory and cognitive thinking.
Drives You to Succeed: Stress can put you in a state of heightened awareness. The key to managing stress is to view it as a challenge rather than an overwhelming, impassable roadblock.
Though Stress Awareness Month focuses more on the negative impact of stress on the body, why not focus on the good right now. If you or a loved one is suspected of suffering from chronic stress, continues to feel overwhelmed, are feeling hopeless or having trouble getting through daily routines, seek the counsel of a licensed medical provider such as a psychologist. Psychologists are trained to help you develop strategies to manage stress effectively and make behavioral changes to help improve your overall health.
marquemedical.com | (877) 693-6266 | 2075 San Joaquin Hills Rd, Newport Beach, CA 92660