12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

Every one is familiar with the word stress, or we can say every one have faced it ones in his/her life.

Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

Symptoms of Stress

Symptoms of stress are numerous and differ from one person to another. Common symptoms include the following:

Physical symptoms

• Tense muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders;

• Headache or backache;

• Stomachache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation;

• Tiredness or difficulty sleeping;

• Unusually rapid heartbeat;

• Shakiness or excessive sweating;

• Weight loss or weight gain;

• Clenched jaw or clenched teeth;

• Fingernail-biting;

• Sighing or changes in breathing patterns; and,

• Decreased interest in sex.

Emotional symptoms

• Frustration, irritability or anger;

• Depression or anxiety;

• Nervousness; and,

• Boredom or apathy.

Behavioral symptoms

• Abuse of alcohol, drugs or other substances;

• Marital problems;

• Binge eating; and,

• Self-destructive behavior.

Cognitive symptoms

• Forgetfulness, preoccupation and difficulty concentrating;

• Indecisiveness;

• Work mistakes and loss of productivity;

• Excessive worry;

• Decrease in creativity; and,

• Loss of sense of humor.

important point is how can avoid stress. here are some points

1. Exercise. If you have to work out, then go take a brisk walk and get that blood flowing. It isn’t about working out to lose weight — it’s about being healthy and staying sane.
2. Eat the real stuff. Crappy food (fast, processed, and loaded with sugar) doesn’t help your chemical brain and body handle stress. Living food, real food, helps support your mind and body while it’s trying to deal with the million things coming its way. For the chocolate, it doesn’t make the problem go away. Grab green food instead. Put things in your mouth that are going to support your immune function and keep you levelheaded.
3. Notice. Try not to let the stress overtake you. Recognize the situations that cause the stress and notice them coming your way.
4. Get it off your chest. Talk to a friend or partner about the stress. Sometimes just getting it off your chest can help unload some of the burden.
5. Keep your sense of humor.
6. Stay grateful. Make a habit of saying thank you. You will notice the sunny spots a lot more often, and not just the gray skies and storms.
7. Ask, “What’s the hurry?” Have some fun. We’re always so busy going somewhere, we miss just enjoying the moment. If an opportunity comes your way to do something fun, take it.
8. Take a deep breath. When you feel the stress getting to you, take a moment. Get away, even if it’s just for an hour, to be with yourself and your thoughts. Some people like to take a walk, meditate, lock themselves away in a beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.
9. Keep it simple. Simplify your life where you can.
10. Turn oof the TV. A lot of it is bad news anyway, and it robs us of hours that we could use to be getting other things done.
11. Sleep. If you’re rested, you have a better shot at handling things. Not to mention, you may not stress out as easily if you have a chance to recover at night.
12. Drink water. Hydrate with water. It helps more then any thing else.:)