This article describes about the causes, effects and the ways to manage stress. If a person is stressed due to any reason, he/she cant come up with good production. So all specially the people who are employees should know how to get control stress.

1. Stress Management
The World Health Organization calls stress “the health epidemic of
the 21st century.” Stress resulting in illness is the causative factor
underlying more than 70% of all visits to the family doctor, medical
doctors suggest. What is stress? We all talk about it but what does
‘stress’ mean and how does it affect our bodies?
Dr. Hans Selye, who first noted and described the concept of stress,
defines stress as “the non-specific response of the body to any
demand made upon it.” Stress is neither good nor bad. The effect of
the stress is not determined by the stress itself, rather it is
determined by how we handle the stress.
Effects of Stress
1. “Emergency Response” The emergency response mechanism
activates with a physiological change when people believe they are in
physical or mortal danger. Pupils dilate, blood pressure increases, and
the production of stress hormones increase. The body prepares within
seconds to respond, which is known as the ‘fight or flight’ syndrome.
The adrenal glands pour out adrenaline and the production of other

2. hormones is increased by the quickly reacting pituitary-adrenal-
cortical system of the brain.
This is a healthy, adaptive response to immediate danger but if
continually activated, this emergency response may cause a constantly
higher-than-normal level of hormone production that can eventually
cause physical wear-and-tear on the body. Health problems related to
this constant high level of response include hypertension, headaches,
ulcers, heart disease, and increased vulnerability to diabetes and
colitis.
2. “General Adaptation Syndrome” In studies, Selye came to believe
that diseases of adaptation such as hypertension could be produced
by abnormal or excessive reaction to stress. The body would increase
its supply of hormones in order to be ready for action to stress. Over
a prolonged period of time, excessive stress leads to distress and the
accompanying physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health
problems.
Contributing factors to distress include
a) your attitude to life and
b) your mood (optimistic or pessimistic).

3. Both help to create the atmosphere that assists your defence system
in repairing small wounds, bruises, and infections. This is also the
system that tries to destroy strange cells such as those of cancer,
including leukemia.
In mastering stress, you have to figure out what you are doing that
contributes to your problem/challenge and change it. The four
categories of change include: change your behaviour, change your
thinking, change your lifestyle choices, and/or change the situations
you are in. Symptoms of overstress include fatigue, aches and pains,
anxiety, problems sleeping, depression, and lack of joy in your life
Practical Steps to Stress Management and Creating
Balance
1. Make your life regular like ‘clock work.’ Go to bed and get up at
the same time each day.
2. Give yourself a break today.

4. 3. Say ‘No’ more often when other people want your time. This
includes social engagements, the family dinner on Christmas,
Thanksgiving, etc.
4. Postpone making any changes in your living environment if you have
been coping with undue stress. Change of any kind is stressful and
limiting it until later is a good strategy if you are under a lot of
pressure.
5. Reduce the number of hours you spend at work or school. If you are
a work-a-holic or school-a-holic you need to reduce the energy drain
on your body. TAKE SOME TIME OFF.
6. Nutritional eating habits and eating small meals helps to keep your
blood sugar stabilized. Many people reach for something high in sugar
content when feeling stressed which compounds, the problem. Eat
more vegetables.
7. Rest your mind, as mind activities alleviate stress. These mind
activities include reading, working on a craft, listening to music,
playing a musical instrument, meditation, self-relaxation, dancing, and
biofeedback.

5. 8. Have a worry time if you must worry. When you find yourself
worrying over a problem, set aside a time and then put off worrying
until that time. Chances are you will not even remember what you were
stressing yourself about.
9. Book time for yourself. In your daily or weekly schedule book time
first for yourself and then the other activities you are involved in.
Don’t let anything, except an emergency, usurp your commitment to
yourself.
10. Have a massage or another form of self-care activity.