The physical and emotional symptoms of stress can interfere with not only our qu...]]> If you have been suffering with a lack of energy, complaining
about muscle ache and feeling moody, emotional, unmotivated and
extremely tired then it is quite possible that you are suffering
from stress.

The physical and emotional symptoms of stress can interfere with
not only our quality of life and enjoyment, but that of our family
and loved ones also.

So what can you do if you are feeling stressed?

WHAT MAKES YOU STRESSED?

Stress affects each and every one of us to some degree, whether it’s
the minor stress we feel when trying to get to the train station on
time or the more major level when we hear that we have lost our job
or that a loved one has passed away.

Regardless of our individual stress tolerance level, it is important
to identify the symptoms of stress and learn how we can adapt to help
reduce it.

While we may all have different tolerances for stress it is also
true that certain lifestyles or changes in lifestyle can lead to
stress – marriage, divorce, death of a loved one, job change,
job loss or debts are all major stresses.

Other factors such as allergies, shift work, strained
relationships and too much work are also stresses that in
combination can add up to stress.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M STRESSED?

Increased stress levels lead to a number of chemical imbalances
in our systems. These imbalances can lead to over tiredness due
to a lack of restful sleep, sore muscles due to a lower pain
tolerance and a negative mood due to a lack of energy and
‘feel good’ chemicals in our system.

If you don’t think that you’ve been feeling the physical effects
of stress perhaps you should look at your lifestyle. Are you
handling tiredness with caffeine and sugar? Are alcohol or drugs
helping you sleep or providing you a ‘feel good’ high? Are you
relying on the adrenaline of working too much for the positive
energy your body and mind needs?

HOW DO I RELIEVE STRESS?

The first thing to do when handling stress is to identify your
personal tolerance level. As different people have different
levels, only you can read your body’s signals and respond to
them accordingly.

It is important to reduce your responsibilities by simplifying
your life. This may simply mean saying no to some extra activities
or duties, or it may mean having a complete change in job or
lifestyle. If you are expecting a large change in your life such
as a new baby or moving house, then maybe you need to remove other
obligations to make room for these changes.

Exercise is a great stress reliever. Try exercising at least 20 minutes three times per week and reducing or totally eliminating
crutches such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar or drugs.

We are living in a world that encourages highly driven, ‘type-A’
personalities. For the good or bad we are not all made equal and
to lead the most contented life it is important to set limits for
ourselves based on our personal abilities. Having a low tolerance
for stress is no more a fault than needing glasses or being
shorter than average – it does however require us to accommodate
our tolerance and take on only as much as our bodies can
adequately handle.

By learning to your stress tolerance level and responding to it
in a positive way you can greatly change your entire outlook on
life. By reducing your stress level, you will find that life
becomes more enjoyable that you ever thought possible.

Mark writes articles on many different subjects. For more
information relating to stress and stress relief visit

http://www.stressreliefzone.com.