Category : Health and you
When we talk about health it’s not merely the absence of disease but a holistic approach including physical, mental, social, spiritual and sexual well-being. Often over looked is the mental aspect of health, we often come across stressful situation effecting our health, studies show 55-60 % of Indians experience stress in their daily life. Stress occurs when an individual perceives that demands placed on them exceed their ability to cope with it. This perception triggers the bodies fight or flight response, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which prepares the body to face the challenge ,while this response is helpful in short bursts , long term stress response can lead to exhaustion , anxiety, and a variety of health problems like cardiovascular diseases , hypertension, gastritis, ulcers and depression the same is explained by Yerkes- Dodson law i.e. Performance improves as a function of anxiety up to a threshold beyond which there is a falloff in performance
Stress has many forms not all stress is bad stress we experience something called eustress which motivates and energises an individual, it arises from situation perceived as challenging but manageable leading to personal growth and achievement. However, one should be aware of their limitation to handle situations and seek help or practice stress management techniques.
The first step in managing in stress is acknowledging, owing and effectively using the stressor. De-stressing techniques include The De-Stress Programme, which comprises of exercises like breathing exercises, meditation it has shown that daily exercises reduces stress and decreases depression, it induces a sense of well-being and promotes sound sleep, other strategies include focusing on your food and nutrition, opening up about your condition helps to identify distress masking as eustress it may be to a family member, friend or a health care professional. Relaxation techniques like yoga produce physiological effects opposite to stress.
What can help is to not default to the worst-case scenario, trying to brainstorm other possible positive outcomes, limiting the amount of energy spent in speculation and not feeding into the negative aspect of a stressful condition. Often the biggest trouble lies in our imagination and what ifs. One should focus on what is in our control, if something is out of your control then why worry.
A crucial skill we need to have to thrive in uncertain time of our life is resilience; it represents the ability to bounce back productively in challenging situations. Having a positive attitude does wonder to one’s physical and mental health, focusing on one’s self, owning up to your situations, letting go of limitations and having clear intentions for your present paves a way for a healthier future.
“When you start the day off in a really bad mood, it tends to roll downhill from there, and your responses are usually not what you want them to be. So [centring yourself] is a non-negotiable. “
By
Dr Shivananda Manohar J,
Associate Professor,
Department of Psychiatry,
JSSMC and Hospital, Mysuru