Stress Management: How To Prevent And Relieve It

Stress management is a management of activities and resources to minimize negative impacts of stress on an individual’s well-being and organizational performance.

It has been widely studied and researched by scientists and psychologists for decades, and allows both individuals and organizations to cope with stress in a healthy and productive manner.

Stress occurs when people perceive that the demands being placed on them exceed their perceived ability to cope with these said demands. In this situation, the cortisol hormone level which is your body’s main stress hormone that is responsible for controlling your mood, motivation, and most importantly fear, will surge and trigger a fight or flight response. Although short-term stress can be beneficial for humans by providing them with a stimulus to protect themselves, coping skills and strategies are necessary for appropriate responses. The term "stress management" refers to efforts designed to prevent stress from becoming a problem.



Organizations may implement stress management programs in order to improve their workers’ productivity by reducing stress they might encounter on the job. Proactive stress management can be implemented many ways, some of which are:

Healthy diet

Eating healthy, balanced meals can reduce stress. These diets consist of low amounts of caffeine and sugar, which are stimulants that can cause mood swings. A healthy diet with adequate nutrition is also thought to improve cognitive functioning, including memory and concentration.

Regular exercise

People who engage in regular physical activity show reduced levels of cortisol. Researchers believe this is because people who regularly exercise feel more empowered and less vulnerable to external events than those who do not. Exercise is therefore thought to prevent or relieve stress by increasing feelings of control over life situations. As a result, it can assist in preventing stressful feelings about these situations from developing into psychological problems such as depression or anxiety disorders. This will help to avoid intrusive thoughts and exacerbate the feeling of being out of control.

Social interaction

When people feel socially connected, they tend to cope better with stress. This is partly because social support provides individuals with a sense of belonging and identity, which in turn creates feelings of security and self-esteem. Social integration can also provide people with an opportunity for sharing their problems or concerns, thereby promoting problem solving skills that are thought to reduce the risk of developing psychological disorders associated with stress.

Sleep

Proper sleeping habits can also reduce the feelings of stress that result from inadequate rest. Oftentimes, these habits include winding down before going to bed and limiting caffeinated beverages in the afternoon and evening. In addition to that, taking a short nap in between your hectic day may boost energy levels and restore alertness.