Healthy living surpasses eating good and healthy foods my doctor told me few months ago, when I told him it was order of the day for me to lack sleep every day between midnight and four in the morning.

This he told me was due to stress. Honestly speaking, I am not a person who gets boggled down easily by a problem no matter how big it may seem, but it seems that the older I get the more worried I become of every little thing. Life is becoming very expensive; paying bills has become such an issue. 

Maintaining a decent and healthy lifestyle has become even more challenging for the town dwellers with debts surrounding us. Every one you meet is telling you they are stressed because of the life challenges.

Now the problem is that this thing called stress causes more harm than good, and that is why we are advised to try and be stress free, to be honestly no one in this world is problem free be it in terms of money, health or just plain happiness, let’s look at ways of being stress free.

To be on the look out lets look at the tale tell signs of being stressed. According to medical journals - feelings of stress are caused by the body’s instinct to defend it self.

This instinct is good in emergencies, such as getting out of the way of a speeding car. But stress can cause un healthy physical symptoms if it goes on for too long, such as in response to life’s daily challenges and changes.

When this happens, it’s as though your body gets ready to jump out of the way of the car, but you’re sitting still. Your body is working overtime, with no place to put all the extra energy. This can make you feel anxious, afraid, worried and uptight. When stress strikes one can experience;

• Anxiety,
• Back pain,
• Constipation or diarrhea,
• Depression, Fatigue,
• Headaches,
• High blood pressure,
• Trouble sleeping or insomnia
• Problems with relationships
• Shortness of breath
• Stiff neck or jaw
• Upset stomach
• Weight gain or loss

Stress by any means does not just bring itself, many of us suffer from stress because of an event which is happening in our lives it might even be good change like the arrival of a new baby, and the demands attached to taking care of the baby.

Other things that may be stressful include being laid off from a job, a child leaving or returning home, the death of a spouse, divorce or marriage, an illness, an injury, a job promotion or money problems.

What most people don’t know is that Stress can cause serious health problems or make health problems worse. Some people take their stress too far to an extent of even suffering from depression. Once depression overtakes ones life, then life becomes almost unbearable.

When one feels the tension of stress creeping in on them, it is advised to learn how to manage the stress itself by being practical in the way of dealing with issues;

•Don’t worry about things you can’t control, such as the weather.

• Solve the little problems. This can help you gain a feeling of control.

• Prepare to the best of your ability for events you know may be stressful, such as a job interview.

• Try to look at change as a positive challenge, not as a threat.
• Work to resolve conflicts with other people.

• Talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor.

• Set realistic goals at home and at work. Avoid over scheduling.

Exercise is another good way to deal with stress because it’s a healthy way to relieve your pent-up energy and tension. Exercise is known to release feel-good brain chemicals. It also helps you get in better shape, which makes you feel better overall and the stress will disappear.

Ends