Stress is not merely a descriptor of our society, but a well-perceived truth. According to a study, 75% of all German professionals are under stress ranging from sometimes to often. But what exactly is stress, what causes it and what strategies are there to control it?
The term stress was defined by the father of modern stress research, Hungarian-Canadian physician, Hans Selye. Selye defined stress as a “non-specific reaction of the body, whereby it reacts to its environment and to the demands placed on it”. Demands are not intrinsically bad in themselves. They can motivate us to achieve excellence and allow us to grow. An absolutely stress-free and demand-free life is therefore undesirable. We would lack the spice of life in the form of positive stress (eustress), the inner drive and the breeding ground for personal growth and successful experiences.
So, if stress is the spice of life, why do so many people noticeably suffer from stress and its consequences? As with many things in life, it also depends on the dose in terms of stress. While short-term stress is definitely a spur (e.g. in challenging situations), the urgently required recovery phases are lacking in the case of permanent stress. If an external or internal stimulus is perceived as unpleasant or if you feel that you are not able to cope with a certain requirement, this is stress in its negative form (distress), which can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. It is not for nothing that we say: "I feel stress in my stomach", "I could tear my hair out" or "I’ll have to digest that first".
Stress is not a novel phenomenon. Even in the days of early man, our inherent protective mechanism trained us for survival in hazardous and stressful situations. However, our ancestors were facing life and death situations, whereas it is other things that are stressful today – financial concerns, deadlines or fears of failure. However, the survival programme still runs according to the same rules both in the past and now: If a stress factor (stressor) affects the body, stress hormones are released and the entire organism is mobilised to fight the "dangerous threat". While systems that are not necessary in the short term – such as libido, immune system or digestion – can be shut down, other systems are brought into fight or flight mode: Breathing speeds up, pulse and blood pressure increase, muscle tone and blood flow increase, while the blood clots faster in preparation for possible injuries.
While the physiological stress reactions are the same in every person, each form of stress is perceived differently. Where some people might say: "I can't take any more!", people with high stress resilience stand firm. These people are able to cope with even severe stress and recover comparatively quickly from the negative consequences.
Even though each of us has a different perception of stress, there are still certain stressors that send the stress hormones skyrocketing in most of us. Typical stressors include:
Nowadays, many of us are under stress, which we can neither fight nor avoid. It is precisely this often intangible permanent stress that people need to fight for the sake of their health. The following seven stress management strategies can help.
The process of relaxation is as individual as the way in which every person perceives stress and deals with it. Several factors play a role in relaxation and stress reduction – including the extent of the stress burden, individual stress resilience, mental attitude and the chosen coping strategy. The fact is that we should regularly and actively seek relaxation to ensure a healthy switch between tension and relaxation. Since stress hormones have a physical and mental effect, stress reduction can take several weeks, especially after severe stress exposure.
