Most people have felt stressed at some point in their lives, and work-place stress can be very common in different working environments. In 2018, the Mental Health Foundation undertook the largest known study of stress levels in the UK. It revealed that in 2018, 74% of people had felt so stressed they were unable to cope.
With the added confusion and pressures that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic the Office for National Statistics had found that 84.9% of adults experiencing some form of depression had stated that feeling stressed or anxious was the most common way they felt their well-being was being affected (June 2020).
This week is International Stress Awareness week (2nd-6th November) and also National Stress Awareness Day (4th November) to help highlight stress and mental health problems and provide insights from around the world.
So, what actually is stress? And how can we identify stress within ourselves and others and more importantly what can be done to reduce it?
What is stress?
There is no medical definition of stress, and it is often debated whether stress is the cause or the result of problems. It is known that frequent overwhelming stress can cause bigger mental health problems and that having mental health problems can also cause stress.
Stress is often spoken about in relation to situations or events that put pressure on us or our reaction to being placed under pressure, it is when this becomes overwhelming that it can become difficult to cope with. People have reported not being able to think straight or see clearly when overwhelmed with stress.
Stress can also affect people physically, not being able to sleep well or eat properly affects our physical health, in turn making us feel more stressed. Our bodies also release stress hormones called cortisol and adrenaline when feeling anxious, which is our bodies preparing to respond to physical threat (fight or flight). When frequently stressed your body may be producing high levels of both of these hormones which can lead to you feeling unwell.
Signs of stress
Everyone experiences stress differently, but being able to recognise signs of stress either in yourself or others may help to identifying the cause and either finding a solution or working to manage stress in more efficient ways.
Signs of stress:
- Irritable, aggressive, impatient, snapping at people
- Anxious or nervous (biting nails, picking at skin)
- Racing thoughts or unable to concentrate
- Inability to “switch off”
- Uninterested
- Loss in sense of humour
- Loneliness or a feeling of being neglected
- Indecisiveness
- Avoidance
- Eating more or less than normal, or an increase in smoking or alcohol usage
- Restlessness
This can even develop into physical signs of stress including:
- Panic attacks
- Hyperventilating or shallow breathing
- Muscular tension
- Problems with sleeping
- Sore or blurry eyes
- Fatigue
- Jaw clenching
- Headaches
- Chest pains
- High blood pressure
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Bowel problems
- Feeling nauseated, light-headed or dizzy
Helping to reduce stress
There are several known ways to help reduce stress, first and foremost is identifying the cause of the stress. If the cause is something that can be altered or changed, like aspects of your job role, or the communication styles within your work (like emails containing all capitals) then this can be addressed.
To help reduce your stress there are several things you can try that are known to help:
- Physical activity
- Meditation or mindfulness
- Time management and planning
- Reducing your caffeine intake
- Reducing your processed sugar intake
- Making time for sleep and recovery
- Making time for yourself
Find out more about reducing stress at our blog post on Reducing Stress and Anxiety.
If you find you are frequently stressed to the point of being overwhelmed you may need to take further action* such as:
- Talking therapies
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Medication
- Ecotherapies
*(always seek advice from your GP)
This week is also the first-ever Online Global Stress and Well-being Summit being hosted by ISMAUK. The Summit is formed of a prestigious line-up of experts who will debate, inform and advise on the latest thinking and guidance on stress management.
Find out more about the ISMAUK Summit here.
