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Health Minute: How to better deal with stress

It affects everyone. Whether it’s age, gender or socio-economic status, we all feel stress. Stress is your body’s reaction to a trigger or experienc...

It affects everyone. Whether it’s age, gender or socio-economic status, we all feel stress. Stress is your body’s reaction to a trigger or experience. But you don’t have to let it ruin your day or life.

The National Institute of Mental Health has five things you should know about stress. It affects everyone! There are different types, and they can all affect your physical and mental health.

Stress can come from something routine like school or work. Perhaps a sudden negative change.

It can also present itself as traumatic stress from a horrific event. In some cases, stress can trigger our fight or flight instincts. In other instances, it can motivate you when completing an important task.

Chronic stress can be debilitating. When your body is in a constant state of stress, sometimes it can be challenging to reach normal levels. Eventually, chronic stress can contribute to problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, and mental health disorders.

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A few good measures to take include:

  • being observant of your body’s response
  • talking to a health care provider
  • get regular exercise
  • partake in a relaxing activity
  • writing down your goals and priorities
  • staying connected to others
  • you don’t have to tough it out

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Stress, especially prolonged stress, can lead to serious mental healthconditions, suicidal thoughts, or substance abuse.

Find a professional who can guide you through and help relieve some of the symptoms.

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