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Ayurveda in Daily Life

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Asthama

Stress

*Stress*

All kinds of situation can build up irritation and fatigue that causes stress. Stress in such situations means pressure, conflict, loss of control, and uncertainty.

It can be dealing with difficult problems at work or even unhappy relationships, stress over finances, nerve wrecking situations like job interviews,auditions and even sitting for an examination. Unemployment, bereavement of loved ones and friends,emotional turmoil and simple every day situations like being stuck in a traffic jam and even waiting for test results can add to stress.These feelings can lead to a variety of problems for all members of a family too.

When stressed, your body creates extra energy to protect itself.This additional energy cannot be destroyed. If not used, it creates an imbalance within your system. Somehow the energy must be channeled into responses to regain a balance.Stress is your body’s physical and psychological response to anything you perceive as overwhelming.This may be viewed as a result of life’s demands, pleasant or unpleasant, and your lack of resources to meet them.Stress is a natural part of your life. Without some stress you would lose your energy for living. You will thrive on certain amounts;but too much or too little stress will limit your effectiveness. Ideally, you find your optimal level of stress—the balance at which you are most motivated.In all of these cases, you can not deal with the cause of the stress, at least not quickly enough. As a result, the stress persists and begins to take its toll on:

Your health :   

When you 'gear up' under stress, your body begins to do more of some things and less of others. For example,blood circulation increases, but digestion slows down or even stops. Once the stress ends, your body goes to work to restore the balance. However,if stress returns too soon, your body will never have time to get back on an even keel. Eventually, this can lead to major health problems.Some, like heart disease and ulcers, can put you in hospital. Others (sleeplessness, headaches, poor digestion) are less acute, but still serious.

Your relations with other people:

Under stress, most people become so wrapped up in their own problems that they forget about everyone else.

At the same time, they begin to take out their feelings on family and friends.

The result can be bad feelings between family members, along with the loss of friends. As well, stress quickly becomes a family problem, not just your own.

Your efficiency in your work:

For a short time, stress can make you a better, more efficient worker.

However, over the long haul, it will gradually wear you down. You will become physically weaker and begin to tire easily.

At the same time, you will find it difficult to concentrate and will begin to make poor management decisions.

Because of weariness and lack of concentration, you also will become much more accident-prone.

More stress

Stress will have a snowballing effect, because all of the problems it causes -- health, family, and work -- will become new troubles in your life.When experiencing stress, you may be affected totally, not only in your body but also in your emotional reactions, your personal thoughts, and your relations with others.The following list of stress symptoms contains the most typical reactions to stress.It can also help you begin focusing on ways to manage stress.Check any symptoms you have noticed lately in yourself. Add any symptoms that are not on the list.

· Physical

headaches

fatigue

insomnia

weight change

change in appetite

colds

digestive upsets

pounding heart

tighten up/ neck and shoulders ache

accident prone

restlessness

drug, tobacco use

increased alcohol

teeth grinding

· Mental

forgetfulness

confusion

dull senses

lethargy

poor concentration

no new ideas

low productivity

boredom

negative attitude

· Emotional

anxiety

irritability

the “blues”

depression

mood swings

nervous laugh

bad temper

worrying

crying spells

easily discouraged

Social

isolation

lowered sex drive

resentment

nagging

loneliness

fewer contacts

lashing out with friends

clamming up

using people

Excessive stress in your life interferes with your interpersonal relationships at home,

on the job, and socially. It can make you spend your efforts on not being unhappy, rather than on being happy.Stress can waste your vitality and deplete your personal energy resources that could be used for enjoyment.You can become negatively influenced in your attitudes and feelings about yourself more easily.In addition, medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related.Stress can interfere with your physical functioning and bodily processes like:

· High blood pressure

· Cardiovascular disease, and heart disease have been linked to stress factors

· Other stress-related ailments include ulcers, allergies, asthma, and migraine headaches.

Stress may trigger:

· Hypertension

· High cholesterol

· Herpes

Causes of Stress

Most health professionals agree stress can be a contributing factor in making existing medical problems worse.Environmental and societal pressures, our competitive,success-oriented way of life may lead us to potentially hazardous health.Everyone differs in what is stressful or potentially stressful.What for one person might seem to be a catastrophic event may be a minor setback for another.

· Fears Cause Stress

Some physical fears that can cause stress are:

· Dangerous machinery;

· Exposure to toxic chemicals;

· Dangerous, congested traffic.

Psychological fears associated with stress include:

· Failure;

· Not being able to get the job done;

· Inability to manage debts; and

· Adult children who do not want the family business.

· Uncertainty Causes Stress

In each person’s life there are uncertainties that can cause stress.

The change of a job may necessitate many other changes in the life of a person or family members.Trying to sell a home and buy another in the new location may be stressful. Logic and informed predictions have a place, but often stress piles up because there are so many “unknowns” in such situations.Life is filled with uncertainty. It is discomforting not to know what is going to happen, particularly if your control of the situation is impeded by:

· Government policies and controls;

· Weather;

· Market fluctuations;

· Illness;

· Interest rates;

· Mechanical breakdowns; and

· Accidents.

Uncertainty may cause feelings of being out of control, which can cause stress.

· Attitudes Cause Stress

A positive or negative attitude influences a person’s reaction to stressful situations. For example, if you feel your job is worthwhile,

you may see some of the problems you encounter as challenges. Seen as pluses, the problems or potential problems become motivators.

 However, if you resent your situation or feel “stuck” in your job, similar experiences create stress, a stress that frustrates instead of motivating you.

· Perceptions Cause Stress

Past experiences and the resources you feel you have available to meet life’s demands will affect the degrees of stress you may experience.

The degree of stress experienced will be affected by your perception of your ability to meet the particular demands. How you perceive the situation determines if it is or is not stressful.

Perception can be broken down in the following ways:

· Self Your sense of competency, self-esteem, values, interests, needs.

· Resources Personal resources: Past experience in handling stress, health;

Material resources: Finances, equipment, storage; and People resources: Other people who can assist you, such as friends, coworkers, family members, professionals.

· Change Causes Stress

All change produces stress, even positive changes. Marriage is a positive change that is also a period when adjustment is necessary.

For some people, this adjustment can be stressful. A vacation may also be stressful; arrangements must be made for the trip and for work, and there is always a tendency to plan too many activities.

Negative changes are not as difficult to identify as stress-producing. These are situations you would not like to occur, such as children leaving home to start careers,

economic recession causing financial crisis, or loss of a valuable possession.

Change demands your adjustment to the particular situation, whether you desire the change or not.

Developmental changes that you are able to plan for— pregnancy and birth, children growing up, the aging process—may still be stressful even though anticipated.

The following are more examples of stress-causing changes:

· Work/business Operational change due to technological advancement; Major change in responsibility or work load due to shift in partnership; Expansion or reduction in production; Increasing skills to increase efficiency, and Inflationary operating costs.

· Personal Illness or injury; Personal achievement or disappointment, and Retirement.

· Social Illness or death of close friend; Beginning or ending of formal education; Change in social activities; and Involvement in community service.

· Financial Major change in financial state; Major purchase (home, equipment, land); Additional family expenses (education, insurance, illness); and Partial liquidation. What changes have you and family members experienced in the past several years?