What is stress?

Headspace Mindfulness and Meditation app

In the second of our Stress Awareness Week articles, we’re going to focus on what stress is, what it might look like and some more practical steps towards managing it.

The ups and downs of daily life can be stressful, and sometimes low-level stress can even be helpful or motivational, but when it becomes too great it can result in burnout. Luckily, there are simple steps you can take to deal with feelings of stress or cope with stressful events.

What is stress?

“It's overwhelming. Sometimes you can't see beyond the thick fog of stress.”

Stress is our body's reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. It's very common, can be motivational and often helps us achieve things in our daily life or helps us meet the demands of home, work and family life.

But too much stress can affect our mood, our body and our relationships – especially when it feels out of our control. It can make us feel anxious and irritable and affect our self-esteem. Experiencing a lot of stress over a long period of time can also lead to a feeling of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, often called burnout.

If you have been experiencing stress for some time and it's affecting your daily life or causing you distress, you should consider seeking further support.

What are the symptoms?

If you are stressed, you may:

feel overwhelmed
have racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating
be irritable
feel constantly worried, anxious or scared
feel a lack of self-confidence
have trouble sleeping or feel tired all the time
avoid things or people you are having problems with
be eating more or less than usual
drink or smoke more than usual

How can I tackle it?

Try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member or health professional.
Use easy time-management techniques to help you take control
Use calming breathing exercises
Plan ahead for stressful days or events – planning long journeys or making a list of things to remember can really help
Consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other.
Listen to free mental wellbeing audio guides

Where can I get more support?

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/signs-and-symptoms-of-stress/

Anxiety UK
Advice and support for people living with anxiety.
03444 775 774 (helpline)
07537 416 905 (text)
anxietyuk.org.uk

Headspace
All EEAST staff can access Headspace, the mindfulness and meditation app, at no cost. The app offers 1000+ hours of mindfulness and sleep content as well as mini exercises for busy schedules and is proven to reduce stress in just 10 days. Find out more and download the app here.

The Stress Bucket
Imagine there’s a bucket you carry with you which slowly fills up when you experience different types of stress. Sometimes you feel strong enough to carry a lot of stress, but it’s important to find activities which help you lighten the load.
The stress bucket - Mental Health UK (mentalhealth-uk.org)

Mental Health Continuum (Association of Ambulance Chief Executives)
The mental health continuum is a tool which helps us to think about our wellbeing and what actions we can take to improve it. The mental health continuum helps us to identify where our mental health is low. This can help with identifying where you might be when experiencing anxiety or stress
https://aace.org.uk/mental-health-continuum

Is there anything else I could try?

Taking some exercise
Walking and jogging, or any type of exercise where you use large muscle groups in a repetitive fashion, will help you reduce stress. Even a short 10-minute stroll can relax the mind and clear your head of overwhelming thoughts.

Alternative and complimentary therapies
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/complementary-and-alternative-therapies/herbal-remedies/

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses essential oils (oils extracted from plants) for healing. It can also be combined with other treatments, such as massage therapy. Some people use essential oils themselves, or products with essential oils such as candles. Different essential oils are thought to be useful for different experiences. For example, lavender oil is commonly used for relaxation and sleep. It is possible to experience allergies or reactions to the oils, so you should speak to an aromatherapist beforehand if you have concerns.

Many people find aromatherapy helpful as part of a self-care routine or for managing symptoms alongside other treatments. However, it is unlikely to be able to treat a mental health problem on its own.

Why not try some of the ideas above and see what works for you?

Take care,

The Wellbeing Team

Published 9th November 2022