What is stress?                           

Here are the thoughts of some people who are experiencing stress.

“I just don’t get a task finished any more before I move on to the next thing. I keep forgetting where I’m up to;

I have 20 things on the go at once and I’m not getting anywhere with any of them …

I keep meaning to get a little time for myself but I never manage to.

Someone always asks me to help out and I never have the heart to say no, but I end up feeling really tired and irritable …

It just seems to be one crisis after the next in my life. I’ve got a constant headache and stomach problems, I keep expecting something else to go wrong, I’m at the end of my tether …”

Is this you?

Stress is the word that many people use when they are describing how the demands of their life seem to be becoming too great for them to cope with. This ability to cope varies from person to person and what one person finds stressful may not be a problem for another. Whilst many of us suffer with stress and anxiety at times in our day to day lives, long term stress is known to be bad for our health and many of us would like to find ways to gain some control over it.

What are the signs of stress?

The signs of stress vary from person to person but here are some of the most common ones.

Do you recognise any of these in yourself?

Physical signs and sensations:

  • Headaches
  • Muscle tension or pain
  •  Sleep disturbance
  • Stomach problems
  • Sweating
  •  Feeling dizzy
  • Breathlessness or palpitations
  • Sexual problems

Feelings

  • Feeling irritable
  • Feeling anxious or tense
  • Feeling low in self esteem
  • Feeling miserable

Behaviour

  • Temper outbursts
  • Drinking or smoking too much
  • Changes in eating habits
  • Withdrawing from usual activities
  • Becoming unreasonable
  • Being forgetful or clumsy
  • Rushing around
  • loss of self confidence

Thoughts

  • Forgetting things
  • Making mistakes
  • Becoming indecisive
  • Getting muddles or confused
  • Thinking the worst

If you have some of these signs, you may be experiencing stress. These are some of the short term signsthat affect your well being but long term health risks from stress are serious and include heart disease, high blood pressure, severe depression, stroke, migraine, severe anxiety, asthma, low resistance to infection, bowel problems, stomach problems especially ulcers, fatigue and sleep problems.

Part 2 of this blog will tell you ways of coping with and overcoming stress in your life. Look out for it next week.

Life coaching can help you find ways to deal with the stress and anxiety that create barriers to you leading the life you want and achieving your dreams and aspirations.  For more information contact Julie at www.aim4life.co.uk