It is rare for an individual not to experience some level of stress regularly. Studies show that stress is a factor in upward of 95% of the way in which diseases progress. So, the focus of National Stress Awareness Month is not only educational but also holistic. Learning how to identify your form of stress and finding coping mechanisms leads to better health.

Types of Stress

At Prestige Homecare Agency, we see the impact stress has on caregivers, healthcare workers, and patients alike. But not all types of stress are created equal, meaning managing the tension differs as well. What works for one person may fall flat for you, so try different approaches until you land on an effective one.

Physical Stress

Physical stressors include trauma, over-exertion, exposure to toxins, illness, sleep deprivation, noise pollution, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal deficiency, food allergies, substance abuse, low blood sugar, and dental decay.

Psychological Stress

Psychological stressors include fear, anger, grief, cognitive overload, worry, jealousy, self-loathing, panic attacks, shame, frustration, unhealthy attachments, sexual disinterest, dramatic weight changes, difficulty focusing, memory loss, and feeling as if you are not yourself.

Behavioral Stress

Examples of behavioral stress include restlessness, the inability to relax, procrastination, irritability, depression, fidgeting, crying, increased drinking/eating, nonstop worrying, and tension.

Psychosocial Stress

Marital difficulties, employment dynamics, lack of social support, poverty, job loss, isolation, struggles with children or siblings, homelessness, and financial difficulties, including bankruptcy.

Psycho-Spiritual Stress

When a person has a crisis where they question their purpose in life and whether it has any meaning, it reflects Psycho-Spiritual stress. There appears to be a lack of fulfillment personally and professionally, and struggling with situations that challenge a person’s ethics and values.

Results of Ongoing Stress

When you work with people closely, as do the aides and caregivers at Prestige Homecare, it’s nearly impossible to miss how stress impacts lives. Individuals begin feeling pushed to their limits. They exhibit emotional pain, physical suffering, chronic fatigue, auto-immune flareups, and ulcers, just to name a few.

Over time, anxiety can increase a person’s blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, and suppress healthy immune function, leaving them open to sickness and disease..

Potential Stress Relievers

There’s no question that tension makes people irritable. Find a way to decrease that distress helps restore calm in what has been a long bout of chaos. The activities suggested here are not difficult, and they are ones a home healthcare professional can encourage and oversee.

Activity

Movement of any type burns off built up energy. When we say activity, we’re not talking about heavy duty sports workouts. Rather, walk, garden, swim, clean up the house – all thes things can release “happy” endorphins, which support your overall good vibrations. Exercise directs your mind’s attention away from daily irritations, too.

Meditate

A person can meditate any time, any where. Meditation techniques help you calm your mind and sort out jumbled thoughts. When practiced regularly, meditation and metered breathing promotes inner peace and overall wellbeing. Yoga works similarly.

Self Care

People overlook the importance of self care all the time. You know all those things mom taught you like eating a healthy diet? They come under the umbrella of self care as does avoiding  unhealthy habits like stress drinking. Get enough sleep. Give yourself daily pauses to breathe and be.

More Ideas

There are other things that naturally lift your spirit, and laughter is at the top of the list. Laughter has a positive physical effect, and mentally decreases a trigger stress response.

Next, connect with others. While you might want to retreat to your cave, social connections can be a great helpmate. Engage in good conversation over coffee. Consider volunteering at an organization that warms your heart.

Engage yourself in creative activities. Dance to old rock, sing to the trees, paint with no particular image in mind, write in a journal. The things you love are also the things that will provide the most relief from stress.

Caregiver Support for Stress

National Stress Awareness Month recognizes that tension appears in all aspects of society and all settings. Homebound people experience it due to feeling isolated, frightened, or confused. An agency like Prestige Home Care can provide trained professionals who know how to alleviate that funk, and restore joy.

If you’d like to learn more, contact us online, call our Philadelphia, PA office (215-677-3299), or email info@prestigehca.com