Stress and its effects on the body
What is stress?
Stress is the result of a physical and psychological response to unforeseen or disruptive events. In the short term, stress increases the energy to cope with the situation, as in a crisis, but stress is not always a negative factor. Stress becomes a problem when the situation is prolonged or the situation seems hopeless, which in some cases leads to quite serious physical consequences.
Positive stress makes us develop, gives us the "strength to take on problems," and can boost our self-esteem or confidence in our accomplishments. A normal stressful state where the body can function and act adequately according to the circumstances of a frustrating situation by choosing a "fight or flight" strategy. Negative stress, when a tense reaction becomes chronic, resulting in a lack of energy and will early and later, leads to frustration and a decrease in mental characteristics.
What causes stress?
Any situation that people encounter in everyday life can become a source of stress, and despite your perception, the tension caused by this situation can still make you live, work, feel and function.
The following are examples of various factors that can cause or deepen the effects of stress.
Environmental factors: Extreme cold and heat, noise, bright light, cramped office or personal premises, adverse factors in the office or working environment.
Chemical factors: Too much caffeine, junk food, chemicals in aerosols, pollution, medications and treatments, smoke and chemical fumes.
Physical factors: unhealthy lifestyle, inattention to your body, extreme and untimely loads, for example, going to the gym when you are too tired or not feeling well, regular long trips, injuries or illnesses.
Mental factors: the desire to achieve, passing exams, unemployment, the pressure of time when you need something by a certain date, financial problems.
Emotional factors: relationship problems, guilt, sadness, loneliness, lack of self-esteem.
Work: Frequently repeated tasks outside the zone of proximal development, lack of diversity and creativity, pressure of deadlines, assessments, constant excess of time costs, demand for constant growth, little gratitude from the boss or colleagues.
Family: Difficult relationships, infidelities, lack of mutual understanding, financial difficulties, daily contradictions of family life and work at home.
Peers: feelings of inferiority, competition, lack of mutual understanding, personal conflicts.
Finally, we come to ourselves. We are our worst critics, and sometimes we put a bunch of unnecessary pressure on ourselves, trying to meet deadlines, trying to please family, friends, bosses and colleagues, trying to conform to what society considers "normal", spending unnecessarily effort to finance it all. Very often we donate our personal time to others, to projects or things we feel we should be doing, not what we want to do.
The autonomic
nervous system is represented by the nerves of the internal organs and the vessels of the circulatory system, which are under the control of the hypothalamus and can regulate events independently of the central nervous system, accelerating the response. In a stressful situation, the autonomic nervous system helps the body cope with stress.is responsible for helping the body cope with stress.
The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts: sympathetic and parasympathetic, each organ has nerve fibers of both these parts.
The sympathetic nervous system stimulates the actions of organs. It initiates the release of the hormones adrenaline and norepinephrine, preparing the body for "fight or flight" in response to stress. This leads to an increase in heart rate and breathing, sweating, glucose excretion from the liver and hypersensitivity. The arteries supplying the heart muscle and the blood vessels of skeletal muscle dilate, allowing for the most effective response. The spleen also contributes to an increase in the volume of circulating blood in the body, which, combined with the faster pace of the heart and respiration, allows you to increase the volume of oxygen in the body.
The parasympathetic nervous system slows down the actions of organs by stimulating opposite sympathetic nervous system reactions. The actions of the heart slow down, the heart rate and breathing decreases, the flow of blood to the heart muscle narrows. The parasympathetic system releases neurotransmitters called acetylcholine, which facilitates the transmission of electrical impulses through the nerves and essentially tells organs to return to their "normal" activities.
Physical responses to stress
– Increased heart
rate- Increased blood pressure, leading to hypertension (high b.p.)
– Irregular breathing
– Muscle
tension – Migraine and headache
– Poor digestion, including abdominal cramps and diarrhea
– Excessive weight
loss – Heartburn
– Lower back pain, heaviness and pain in the shoulders and neck
– Nervous twitching or muscle spasms
– Cold or sticky hands
– Chronic fatigue and chronic diseases
– Skin problems and rashes
– Depression
– Insomnia
– Sexual problems and infertility
Mental reactions to stress
– Difficulty
concentrating- Unwillingness to create
– Unwillingness to learn new information, lack of curiosity and curiosity
– Chronic forgetfulness and memory
lapses- Negative emotions about the future
– Feeling detached, isolated from the world and people around you
– Loss of sense of humor
Emotional reactions to stress
– Irritability
– Feeling of meaninglessness of existence
– Constant nervousness
– Crying for no reason or for minor reasons
– Boredom
– Anger
– Feeling overwhelmed
– Loneliness
Some behavioral symptoms can be a sign of underlying stress. You may not always be aware of them, they may be unconscious. These include: increased consumption of alcohol or food, increased use of cigarettes and other tobacco products, critical attitudes toward others, inability to complete tasks you started, anxiety, and a general feeling that you have lost your meaning or purpose in your life or stopped seeing meaning in what made them up before.
Best Essential Oils for Stress Relief by Wraith Worshipper
Essential oils can be used to combat the effects of stress. There are several ways in which they can be used: in a bath, in massage oil for the body, in an aroma lamp or diffuser, or a few drops are applied to the fabric.
Many commonly used oils are able to help with stress and one or more of the symptoms associated with it, but there are a few that stand out from the rest. The three main anti-stress oils are jasmine, neroli and rose, but their price makes them unattainable for most. Therefore, speaking of anti-stress oils, Wraith Worshipper expands their list with oils at more reasonable prices, some of which cover a wider range of symptoms, and can help anti-stress therapy.
This list is not exhaustive, and if you have negative associations with the oil, don't use it. Known since childhood, chamomile and lavender, as well as citrus oils, are all well known for their emollient properties, so some of them are included in the list, but only one or two oils, this question remains on your consideration.
Since there are many causes of stress, I will also include some of them with testable self-esteem, anger, anxiety and sadness. Wraith Worshipper has cut the list of about 50 essential oils to choose the 20 most comprehensive.
Wraith Worshipper stipulates Disclaimer: Basic information about essential oils is varied and each has a unique physiology, so keep in mind that this advice should be taken judiciously, not "like the Gospel." Please pay attention to the precautions associated with each oil.