Being irritable, lying in bed worrying, not being able to think clearly, ... these are all consequences of stress. Those who say that they are never stressed are probably lying. Stress is perfectly normal and everyone experiences it from the mildest to the most extreme forms.

What is stress?

Stress is actually tension and a kind of survival mechanism that you experience. That tension fuels your alertness, your concentration levels increase and you prepare your body to take action by fighting or fleeing. Your heart beats faster, your breathing and pulse quicken, your muscles tense up and adrenaline is released into the blood.

In addition to the hormone adrenaline, your body also produces the stress hormone cortisol, if the danger is not gone in the short term. Cortisol makes it easier to cope with a stressful situation, but high levels of cortisol can have a negative impact on your health. In addition, you may experience feelings of dejection and lethargy, as this is also a form of stress.

In healthy situations, stress is only short-lived and your body needs time to recover afterwards. It is only when you experience long-term stress that it can give you physical and psychological health problems and that it dominates your life. People quickly tend to ignore those complaints and carry on with their lives, but it doesn't work that way. In the end, many people end up in a vicious circle with burnout as a result.

What complaints and signs indicate stress?

Stress can be accompanied by various complaints. Here is an overview of the most common complaints:

Physical complaints

• Headache
• Sleep problems
• Spine pain
• Heart palpitations
• Pressured feeling in the chest
• Hyperpy breathing
• Fatigued and listless feeling
• Meaningful and intestinal disorders Gastrointestinal problems
• Sickness

Psychological complaints

• Being irritable
• Beeping fits
• Feeling tense and restless
• Dumb and pessimistic
• Distracted and forgetful
• Concentration problems
• Peevishness

Changes in behaviour

• Eating excessively or very little
• Causing bad habits: medication, alcohol and smoking
• Lower libido
• Constant tension
• No energy

What events can cause stress?

Everyone experiences a certain amount of stress in a different way. While one person has a lot of stress about giving a presentation, another can control it well. That has to do with your carrying capacity and the carrying load of the amount of stress. Suppose you are someone with a high carrying capacity, then you will be able to manage stressful situations better than someone with a low carrying capacity.

Every situation can cause stress:

• Positive events like a family celebration, a baptism and a wedding
• Negative stressful situations like the death of a loved one and ill health
• Everyday situations like traffic jams, disturbing noises and long queues

Try to manage your stress

So stress has a big impact on our lives and can take over our bodies and minds if we don't intervene in time. Healthy stress exists, but bad forms of stress certainly do. Many people suffer from stress. Try to stay calm, write down why you experience stress and try to deal with the problem. Rhodiola is a plant that can help you manage your stress.