Prolonged exposure to stress hormones like cortisol can lead to a weakened immune system, increased risk of cardiovascular problems, disrupted sleep patterns, digestive issues, and mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression.

 It is important to recognize the signs of chronic stress and take proactive steps to manage it. Stress reducing techniques may include: 

• Exercise

• Mindfulness

• Seeking support from friends, family, or professionals

• Creating a healthy work-life balance to protect our well-being

By prioritizing stress management and seeking help when needed, we can safeguard our mental and physical health from the harmful effects of chronic stress.

• Headaches

• Stomachaches

• Sleep disturbance 

• Short temper 

• Difficulty concentrating

• Anxiety 

• Insomnia 

• High blood pressure 

• Weakened immune system 

• It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity, and heart disease

• Overeating 

• Eating unhealthy foods 

• Substance abuse 

• Lashing out at others 

• Avoidance 

• Isolating 

• Keep a journal for a week or two and identify which situations created an unhealthy stress 

• Write down how you responded to the stress. Did you raise your voice? Eat a snack? Vent to a coworker? 

• Using this information, develop healthy responses. Think about how you responded and think what a healthy way to respond or manage that stressor would be 

• In our day and age with everything on the internet, it's easy to feel like we need to be available and be working or otherwise "productive" 24 hours a day. Make a rule not to check your email at home or don't answer the phone during dinner, etc

• Everyone has their own preferences for blending work and home, but create clear boundaries according to your needs and keep them

We need time to replenish and get back to our pre-stress levels of function. In order to do this we need time away from the stressors.

• • Meaning time away from working and thinking about work, or date night away from kids, or a night to yourself

It's critical to disconnect from your phone and technology from time to time in a way that works for you.

Don't let your vacation days go to waste. When possible take days off so you feel ready to come back to work feeling invigorated.

Discover the power of micro-breaks (short 30-60 second breaks every 20 minutes). 

• • Stand up and lightly stretch 

  • Let your eyes relax with the 20/20/20 rule. (Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds) 

  • Go on a quick one-minute walk 

  • Rotate tasks throughout the day 

• This may sound silly but most of us do not know how to relax

• Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness can help your brain chemicals return to homeostasis

• Start by taking a few minutes each day to focus on a simple activity without a phone or any other distractions, like breathing, enjoying a meal, going on a walk, etc

  • As you practice enjoying little activities without anything else to entertain or distract you your mental health and resilience will improve

• A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

  •  Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain

  • A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling

  • Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress

• Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:

  • Improve your immune system 

  • Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkiller

  • Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations

  • It helps you connect with other people and build relationships which creates long-term satisfaction as well as having good support systems alleviates long-term and short-term stress

  • Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression, and anxiety and may make you feel happier. 

  • Improve your self-esteem

  • Laughter leads to flourishing, it builds resiliency and increases creative thinking

The way you set up your life and the activities you participate in will greatly impact your stress levels. 

• • • Have a set sleep schedule and get enough hours, your hormones reset in your sleep and this is crucial for coping with stress

    • Eat healthy. Our diet has a direct impact on how we feel physically but also mentally. What chemicals you take in will change how your brain functions

    • Exercise regularly. This will boost endorphin release in your brain and is proven to reduce stress. Find a type of exercise that works for you! 

    • Spend time unplugged from technology. Screens dysregulate (disrupt the normal function) our mind and body. The lights and stimuli from screens stress our anatomy, and screen time causes repeated stress on the Central Nervous System. Take time away every day

    • Take a little time regularly to be still and quiet. The world we are in is very loud and there is always the next thing. It can be taxing on our brains and keep cortisol (the stress hormone) constantly running through our bodies. Which brings long-term effects

    • Be in nature. Stress is relieved within minutes of exposure to nature as measured by muscle tension, blood pressure, and brain activity. Time in green spaces significantly reduces your cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Nature also boosts endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness

• • • • Communicate with those around you and get support 

        • Your Manager/Supervisor

        • HR 

        • Your family 

        • Close friends 

        • Therapy 

        • Doctor

      • Positive social support will increase resilience to stress