Managing Stress
Rae Malik
Copy Editor
Stress can be described as anything that causes changes in behavior by the environment. The human body responds to such changes caused by the environment through stress. There are incidents that take place almost every day that cause stress which is normal. Stress can be positive but it can also be negative if gaps to relax are not taken in between.
The term for stress that is positive is ‘Eustress’ which helps enhance and boosts performance rates because it causes enthusiasm. Eustress is temporary and has gaps that help relax which means that this stress can be dealt with.
Distress is the opposite, which means it is stress that is not beneficial and can cause anxiety that is a response to this type of stress. The reason why it is not that is because it causes long-term mental issues. Distress can be both temporary or long-term and cannot be dealt with.
A common cause of stress among high schoolers today is academics. As each year of high school goes by, academics become harder and gets more rigorous causing the stress to build up. Another stressor is social settings and stress of not fitting in that causes stress among high school students. Thinking about colleges is also a frequent stressor for high school students in which they have to start planning for their future.
Dealing with stress in a healthy way is essential especially as a high schooler because it is normal to get stressed in situations that occur in their daily lives. According to researchers Johanna Stafford-Brown and Kenneth Pakenham, who have degrees in psychology, managing stress is important because it can lead to a healthy lifestyle that can be adapted. In addition, it has been proven that individuals who manage their stress properly have higher success rates.
“It is important to find a way to manage stress because the load of schoolwork can stress people down and finding ways to deal with stress can be helpful”, junior Evlyn Torgerson said.
According to Alice Hellebrand, senior vice president at Dialyze Direct, a common way to relieve stress is through exercise. Exercising and stretching both can help relax the body which can help relax the mind. It can also help boost an individual’s mood. Eating healthy is also another way to help manage stress. Eating right allows for more energy and allows for better management of moods.
Among high schoolers, a common stress reliever is taking naps. On average the human body should get sleep for about seven to nine hours each day. Even taking a nap for a half hour can be beneficial because it can lead to a better performance rate. Even five minutes of taking a nap can be beneficial because during that time the brain is able to de-stress and relax.
Another method for dealing with stress that is starting to gain more attention in the last few years is hypnosis. Although it sounds bizarre, hypnosis has led to better sleeping habits and more focused on brain activity. There are instructions and exercises that have to be followed which can lead to relaxation of the brain through hypnosis.
“Self-motivation is a good way to deal with stress because it helps inspire me and lets me know that I can get through the things that cause stress in my life”, junior Meghan Dolan said.
Stress is a natural part of life and can lead to positive outcomes. However, it is important to distinguish the difference between good and bad stress so that stress does not lead to long-term negative consequences. Managing stress is key to better health and can lead to a better lifestyle.