3 Signs of Stress And What to Do

Stress is an expression of human difficulties caused by outside force beyond our control. It is something which cannot be avoided but can be managed if we recognize symptoms. Experiencing signs of stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat.

When you sense danger — whether it’s real or imagined — the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction or the “stress response.” When you feel threatened, your nervous system releases the stress hormones, and including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. You can protect yourself and improve by learning how to reduce stress by recognizing the signs and symptom and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.

Recognizing is a half solution: stages as alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. If you are experiencing frequently below mentioned symptoms. Find the cause and work on it along with regular practice of yoga for stress.

1. Physical symptoms

Aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate, tired and lethargic, frequent colds or flu — this kind of stress builds when we don't know how to manage time, rest, and relaxation, and are constantly working more than physical capacity, which disturbs our physiological functions.

2. Mental and emotional signs of stress

Depression or general unhappiness, irritability, or anger, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness and isolation emotional: It develops with the experience of various qualities in life like love-hate, success-failure, profit-loss, and a continuous dominance of emotions like anger, jealousy, fear, etc. Sometimes it is difficult to erase because we are unable to express and we refuse to recognize them. Mental: This arises due to excessive mental strains, high expectations, and negative experiences, which are continuously registered by our subconscious mind. As a result, we react to all situations with the past experiences.

3. Cognitive symptoms

Memory problems, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, seeing only the negative, anxious or racing thoughts, constant worrying. Health problems caused or exacerbated by stress include: depression and anxiety, pains, sleep problems, autoimmune diseases, digestive problems, skin conditions, such as eczema, heart disease, weight problems, and reproductive issues.

Relevance of yoga for stress

The first stage of practice is to remove the tamas, such as lethargy, dullness, tiredness, and stiffness. The body becomes relaxed and energized. Breathing in deeply will give you more oxygen to your heart, lungs, and brain. This activates the body’s relaxation response, which will reduce any anxiety or stress you’re experiencing.

The second stage of practice is for calming the rajas and thus reducing the agitation, imbalance, obstruction, and emotional sensitivity. Reduced anxiety and muscle tension. Improving sleep and reducing the heart rate can help to keep you calm and quiet.  It can also enhance your mood and overall sense of wellbeing.

In the final stage, one attains the sattva and this brings purity, perfection, harmony, and balance, which leads to self-realization that can reduce stress.

Different Forms of Yoga for Stress Management Techniques: 

• Purification: eliminates the toxins and disturbances in the functions of body and mind.
• Asana: improves physical capabilities and brings equilibrium in general functioning of the body. Asana stretching is said to be highly beneficial as it's a "stretch against stresses."
• Pranayama: leads to purification of Nadis through which the current of prana energy flows. This results in purifying and calming the mind.
• Meditation: mantras, Om chanting, and deep relaxation help to attain constant vigilance, and can reduce many thoughts and improve the concentration.
• Yama & Niyama: social and personal conducts to attain the positive attitude toward life, which help in determining how to manage stress each day.