Stress has known to be the leading cause of premature deaths.
There are some, or many of us, who lead incredibly stressful lives, – whether it be issues at home or stress from demanding jobs – and because of that stress, it can lead to an early grave.
According to the American Institute of Stress, 33 percent of Americans feel that they live in extremely stressful conditions.
Additionally, the institute said about 120,000 people die each year as a direct result of work-related stress. And the healthcare costs resulting from work-related stress totals an average of $199 billion a year, it said.
The Center for Disease Control/National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health said continued strain on your body from routine stress is often the hardest to detect, but could lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety disorder, among other illnesses.
Moreover, chronic stress is linked to six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide, the American Psychological Association said.
However, experts said not all stress is bad. In fact – for some people – a little stress acts as motivation to check a few more items off their daily to-do list.
Interestingly, several mental health experts advise that you know your personal limits to avoid any serious side effects from stress.
“Do what works best for you, which can be the best medicine to deal with the daily stress in life,” experts said.
Some people cope with stress more effectively and recover from difficult events quicker, so it is very important to take a personal inventory every once in a while to avoid a major meltdown.
To help manage your stress level, the following basic practical tips will help keep stress in check:
* Take care of your health and make time for regular medical checkups.
* Exercise regularly.
* Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
* Get support from friends and family.
* Recognize signs of stress such as difficulty sleeping and lack of energy.
* Make a to-do list to get your priorities in order.
* Give yourself a pat on the back for what you’ve accomplished each day.
* Let go of problems that you cannot fix.
* Schedule time for yourself to relax.
* Spend some time outdoors for a change of scenery.
Ana Williams is the health columnist for The Graham Star.