Today I feel stressed. I am woken up far too early by the children. My night's sleep was shorter than I needed it to be. The whole morning has been negatively affected. I'm not nearly as energetic and not thinking as clearly. Everything is a bit slower.
What stresses us is very individual. I am extremely sensitive to poor sleep, others hardly react to losing a few hours of sleep here and there.
As I work to coach people to feel better and find a lifestyle that suits them, stress and stress management is a big piece of the puzzle.
In the 21st century, our society has changed radically. For humans as biological beings, this is a tough change. The body cannot distinguish between a real emergency (e.g. a moose runs out in front of your car and you have to slam on the brakes or it will slam) and everyday stress. The body secretes adrenaline and cortisol regardless. There is so much information available all the time that the brain doesn't get the chance to just slow down sometimes and reflect. You're "on" all the time and that's the dangerous part.
Stress has become a way of life and because almost everyone is stressed, the choices we make, the lifestyles we lead or the spinning of the hamster wheel are not questioned. Deadlines at work, all the children's activities, bills to pay etc. Because everyone is stressed we don't see it as a problem, but if you study stress more closely, it's a bear problem! Stress related diseases are growing exceptionally fast.
Once we've identified and addressed one stressor, it's not long before the next one pops up. Stressors will always be around us. We can't eradicate them, but we can identify what they are for us and then change the way we perceive and react to them.
To manage my stress today, I meditated for 30 minutes in the morning and I will also go to bed on time tonight! It usually works for me to get back into balance.
Thought of the day:
What stresses you, how do you react and deal with it?
This article is part of The 50 day challenge, where I challenge myself to write an article a day for 50 days! The articles can be about anything, short or long, but I can't miss a single day!
With love, Johanna.
