What is stress?

To put it in scientific terms, stress is the human body’s response to a demanding situation or a problem that is difficult to solve.

Why is stress an essential part of life?

Stress is a part and parcel of life as it is something that helps us to accomplish our goals. However, this type of stress should be differentiated from chronic stress which shows certain physical symptoms and needs to be avoided.

What are the main causes of stress?

To better understand the chief causes of stress, let us categorise stress as work stress and life stress and then try to find out the main reasons for each type.

Main causes of work stress include-

• Not able to derive job-satisfaction
• Working in an insecure atmosphere
• Excess work-load
• Unrealistic expectations
• Financial instability or risk of getting fired
• Non-inclusive work environment or discrimination based on colour or sex
• Lack of authority in decision-making

Main causes of life stress include-
• Chronic illness
• Rise in financial obligations
• Traumatic incident such as losing a loved one
• Divorce
• Looking after a sick family member
• Other emotional issues such as low self-esteem

STRESS HORMONES:

There are three identified stress hormones-Adrenaline, Norepinephrine and Cortisol

Each of these hormones is generally produced by the human body in an optimum amount during the normal functioning of the body. However, in the case of stress, this balance is disturbed which in turn leads to a number of problems.

For example, adrenaline which is the fight or flight hormone is released by the body in case of fear or insecurity. When the brain senses this insecurity, it releases a huge amount of adrenaline which helps you to run out of a dangerous situation and helps you to focus more.

Norepinephrine is another stress-related hormone which is sometimes referred to as a substitute to adrenaline hormone. Although both adrenaline and norepinephrine tend to perform the same function, norepinephrine is released by both the adrenal glands as well as the brain in contrast to adrenaline which is produced only by the adrenal glands.

When we talk about stress, we can simply ignore the cortisol hormone which is the direct stress hormone. An optimum amount of cortisol is needed for the very survival of humans as it helps to maintain fluid balance and blood pressure. However, an imbalance of this hormone can lead to serious issues such as, obesity, high blood pressure, low sex drive. It also hampers the body’s immune system to fight against infections or illnesses. Therefore, it is important to know how to resolve stress in life.

How can stress affect the quality of our lives?

Stress can have an adverse effect on our lives if it is not managed properly. It can change the way our body and mind functions and there are underlying changes in our behaviour as well. At a physical level, one may experience headaches, muscle tension or pain, chest pain, insomnia, low libido, etc. It can also result in emotional disturbances such as restlessness, irritability or anger, feelings of sadness and an inability to focus. Major changes in behaviour include-overeating or undereating, substance abuse, social withdrawal and lack of physical exercise.

Why should I attend your stress-management workshop?

If you choose to attend this workshop, you will take home the following deliverables-

• How to enhance management?
• How to manage distractions?
• How to use effective coping strategies for stress?
• How to maintain a work-life balance?