What is Stress?

Stress is defined as "the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it." The
human body strives to maintain appropriate functioning at all times, a notion called homeostasis.
Demands, often called "stressful events" have the effect of changing the balances our body tries
to keep functioning a particular way. This is also known as the "stress response." The stress
response is a series of hormones released from the brain in order to help us overcome the
stressful event. These hormones affect the body, raising our blood pressure, changing blood flow
to major muscle groups and the brain, slowing down digestive functions, and other things in
preparation for us to overcome the stressful event. In earlier days, most times stressful events
were physical threats to our body (think: sabre tooth tiger and the "fight or flight response"). Our
bodies then try to get the bodies systems back in balance. Our bodies are continuously adapting
to the environment that surrounds us.

In modern times, stressful events have taken a much different look. Although things like traffic,
overcrowding, bills, arguments, and other things we perceive as "stressful" are much different
than centuries ago, our bodies "stress response" hasn't changed.

What are Stressors?

Stressors are the events or situations that cause stress. Being unprepared to give a presentation
at work is an example of a stressor. The situation of being unprepared could make a person
develop stress. There are two types of stressors:

• External Stressors
o physical environment
o social interaction with people
o life events which you have no control over (death in the family)

• Internal Stressors
o personal lifestyle choice
o personality traits
o individual thought process (negativity, over-analyzing, etc.)

Stressors surround our daily existence and how you manage stress relates to your physical and
mental health. Discovering what events in your life are stressful is an important first step in
managing stress.
Common Physical Symptoms of Stress

Short Term Long Term

-faster heart beat -change in appetite
-increased sweating -frequent colds
-cool skin -asthma
-cold hands and feet -digestive problems
-feelings of nausea -headaches
-rapid breathing -skin eruptions
-tense muscles -sexual disorders
-dry mouth -aches and pains
-diarrhea -tiredness
-irritability -heart disease
-anxiety -seizures

Stress affects the body in a variety of ways. For example, stress can reduce enjoyment of an
occasion, can cause mood changes, and can cause severe health problems. Over time, stress is
related to several chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure, migraine headaches,
and a variety of other medical conditions. Stress can increase the risk of heart disease,
hypertension, and even cancer. The good news is that the long-term effects of stress can be
halted if a person effectively manages the events and responses to stress.

FACT: Stress is one of the leading causes of anxiety disorders, which affect over 20 million
Americans.

Are you suffering from an anxiety disorder?

• Do you feel like you are constantly under a lot of pressure?

• Do you feel as if you have no control over your situation?
• Do you have problems falling asleep at night?
• Are you unable to relax or "wind down" after a busy day?
• When you think of words to describe yourself, do cautious, high strung, depressed moody
or tense come to mind?

FACT: 10 million Americans see a psychiatrist for stress related issues each year
Managing Stress
There are numerous ways to reduce stress in your life; the correct answer is finding what works
for you. Research has shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy can be effective in reducing
stress. Not only do you learn to react differently to specific stress related activities, you learn to
understand how your thinking pattern contributed to the stress and how to alter your thought
process.

A few suggestions...

• take time out for self

• focus on personal strengths
• know your limitations
• let go of those things you cannot change
• change the way you look at things
• talk about the situation causing stress

Breathing and relaxation exercises are key to reducing negative stress. One form of this is yoga.
Yoga is a form of meditation with one's self that consist of stretching exercises and deep
breathing techniques. Over 6 million Americans have tried Yoga as a form of relaxation. Exercise
is extremely important in reducing the affects of stress on the body. It enables the body to cope
with stress more effectively. An overall approach to improving every day life has proven to be the
most effective method to managing stress.

Humor is another way of dealing with stress. Having the ability to find humor in a stressful
situation and being able to laugh about it, releases all the tension that is building inside. Even if
the situation cannot be made light of, think of something else that will make you laugh.

Healthy lifestyle changes could also reduce the level of stress that a person may experience. A
few suggestions include reducing caffeine intake, making new friends, finding time for sleep, and
eating healthy. Healthy lifestyle changes help manage stress as well as your overall being.

Contacting your physician is another avenue to consider. More and more health insurance
companies are now covering alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and stress reduction
programs for their subscribers.
Conclusion
It is vital that stress management techniques are implemented into our daily lives. As mentioned
earlier, some stress is good, but we need to find that optimal level of stress, which will motivate
but not overwhelm us. Coping with stress is an individualized task and one method over another
may not be superior, so find what works for you and master it. A person that is stressed takes so
much away from his or her health and performance levels. Reducing stress could be as simple
has adding exercise to you day or making new friends. To make the most of your life, limit your
stress and of course for that stress that you cannot diminish, learn to manage it.

Take a walk, go dancing, stretch, take deep breathes, laugh, play a game, see a movie, express
affection, share feelings, sing, paint, write, make new friends, tackle problems head on, give
thanks, let go, and laugh some more...
ABSTRACT

A man's life today faces all sorts of challenges and obstacles that hamper his normal functioning
and most of the time his pressure is too hard to handle. When we are expected to meet the
changing demands, we undergo stress.
Studies show that stress is a negative state of mind and since state of mind is changeable, stress
is controllable. By adopting various stress management techniques and knowing exactly where
the stress is coming from can release stress to a greater extent and give a sort of comfort and
boost confidence. In the proceeding article the causes of stress and stress controlling techniques
are elaborated clearly
Introduction:-
In today's competitive world, tension and stress have become a part of a great concern for
people. Many stress techniques have been put forth and some have succeeded and some have
failed. However, before implementing the stress control techniques, it is inevitable to know what
exactly 'Stress' is and why stress control techniques are necessary.

What Is 'Stress'
Stress is a strain, force, tension, emphasis, difficulty, breakdown, anxiety or depression. 'Stress'
is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. When one is stressed,
one's body reacts as though one is in danger. 'Stress' in short, can be defined as too man
thoughts, assembling simultaneously in one's mind and his inability to sort or decide which
thought treat first.
"Stress management" is simply the provision of 'stress-coping' techniques, to enable a person to
fight against stress. Stress management is effective when a person utilized strategies to cope
with or alter stressful situation.

Symptoms of Stress
One can notice the symptoms of stress in your thinking, behavior, mood and ability to
take decision. By knowing that one is stressed, one can adopt stress managing technique to
overcome it. Following are some symptoms of 'Stress':-

Causes of Stress
'Stress' is a series of disappointments. There can be various reasons behind people getting
stressed. Stress can be classified as:
Individual Stress: - Individual stress is caused due to limitation of tolerance, self efficient, ambition
mental power and capacity and role efficacy.

Group stress :- Group stress is the stress that is caused due to some tensions, conflicts,
frustrations or pressures within a group. They are caused due to interpersonal conflicts,
cohesiveness of group members and unpleasant attitude of group members

Organizational stress :- Organizational stress is the stress caused due to following reasons within
an organization or system :-
Social factors
Economical Factors
Market pressures
Technology and other changes.
Changing job profile
Extra organizational stress: - Extra organizational stress is caused due to the extrinsic factor or
factors outside a system. The following are the causes of extra organizational stress :-
Cultural changes
Global pressures
Changing social role
High standards and high expectations

Types Of Stress :-
Knowing what is stress and prior to adopting the stress and prior adopting the stress managing
techniques, it is always necessary to know which type of stress one is undergoing :
Stress and stress management techniques are more often a subject a subject of concern for
corporate world. Stress can be classified in two types:-
a) Managerial Stress
b) Working Stress

a) Managerial Stress: - "Management" is getting things done through and with people. Thus, it is
most difficult job to get things done. Hence, people or manager who have to make things happen
are subjected to 'Managerial Stress'. Now days the term 'target completion' is a prime cause of
managerial stress. Competition and survival form the primary factor for stress. In the managerial
scene of term; the real solution is however is to recognize that stress control is a leadership
responsibility. Leaders and managers can do more to control stress than all of individual stress
relief techniques combined. Leaders, who implement stress control strategies, see the result in
reduced absenteeism, accident, complaints etc. The key to stress control on the managerial side
is, "To understand a worker and his stress", so that things can be got done through him.

b)Worker's Stress :- In India, with almost 50% of the workers complaining that their jobs are
stressful. It is no surprise that more than 2/3 of all medical problems are stress related. Each day
work stress is created with more than a million absences, and at least 40% of all personnel
turnover. Studies shows that stress is a primary cause of accidents, quality control problems,
medical claims and lost productivity. In an organization, the "work culture also exercises some
stress on the employees. The instability of jobs or insecurity can be another such reasons.
Excessive work load and meeting expectations of the managing committee can be a burning
reason for stress on workers.
Besides this, people may get stress due to some problems related to finance, emotion, relation,
natural calamities, diseases etc.

Measuring Stress: -
Level of stress can be measured. One way is through the use of the Holmes and Rah Stress
scale to rate stressful life events. Changes in blood pressure and galvanic skin response can also
be measured to test stress levels and changes in stress level. A digital thermometer can be used
to evaluate changes in skin temperature, response, drawing blood away from extremities.

Effects Of 'Stress':

Long Term Effect Of ‘Stress’:-

Stress can affect oneself, overtime. This is known as "Chronic Stress" Chronic stress exercises
great impact or larger time period of stress over oneself.
Chronic stress can be the result of a host of irritating hassles or a long term life condition, such as
a difficult job situation or living with a chronic stress, the stress response lasts longer. Overtime,
chronic stress can have an effect on :-
??The immune system: - Under stress the body tends to become more prone to illness, from
colds and minor infections to major diseases. If you have a chronic liiness such as AIDS or
cancer, stress can make the symptoms worse.

??Cardiovascular Disease: - Stress is linked to a high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat

(arrhythmia), problems with blood clotting and hardening of the artery (atherosclerosis). It is also
to linked to coronary artery disease, heart attack or even heart failure.

??Muscle pain: - People who are stressed often have neck, shoulder, and low back pain. This
may be caused by constant in the muscle because of stress. Stress also affects rheumatoid
arthritis.

??Stomach and intestinal problems. Stress may be a factor in gastro esophageal reflux
disease(GERD), peptic ulcer disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

??Reproductive organs :- Stress is linked to painful menstrual period, decreased fertility, and
erection problems.

??The lungs: - Stress can make symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease(COPD), worse.

??Skin Problems: - Stress can make disorders such as acne or psoriasis worse.

???????Short Term Effects of ‘Stress’:-

Stress that affects you immediately is known as "Short term stress"
'Tension' is often the first signal of acute stress. Tense muscles are tight and feel 'hard' the touch.
A tense mind make you feel jumpy, irritable and unable to concentrate. This can be a warring to
do something about stress to prevent long term effects of stress and enjoy a comfort.
Acute Stress problems: -
Acute (Short term) stress is the body's immediate reaction to any situation that seems demanding
or dangerous. Your stress level depends on how intense the stress is, how long it lasts, and how
you cope with the situation. The body usually recovers quickly from acute stress, but it can cause
problems if it happens too often or your body doesn't have a chance to return to normal. In people
who have heart problem, acute stress can trigger an abnormal heartbeat(arrhythmia) and even a
heart attack.
Life threatening or traumatic events, such as sexual abuse or war experiences, can cause acute
stress disorder or post traumatic stress disorder post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Models Of Stress Management:-

a) Transactional Model :-
According to 'Richard Lazarus' and 'Susan Flokman, "Stress is the result of imbalance between
demands and resources." Or "as occurring when pressure exceeds one's perceived ability to
cope."
In order to develop an effective stress management program it is first necessary to identify the
factors that are central to a personal controlling his /her stress, and to identify the intervention
methods which effectively target these factor. Lazarus and Flokman's interpretation of stress
focuses on the transaction between people and their external environment. The model
conceptualizes stress as a result of how a stressor is appraised and how a person appraises his /
her resources to cope with the stressor. The model brakes the stressor stress link by proposing
that is stressors are perceived as positive or challenging rather than a threat, and if the stressed
person is confident that he / she possesses adequate rather than deficient coping strategies,
stress may not necessary follow the person of a potential stressor. The model proposes that
stress can be reduced by helping stressed people change their perceptions of stressor, providing
them with strategies to help them cope and improving their confidence in their ability to do so.

b) Innate Health Model:-

The health realization / innate health model of stress is also founded on the idea that stress does
not necessarily follows the presence of a potential stressor. Instead of focusing on the individual's
appraisal of so-called stressors in relation to his own coping skills (as the transactional model
does), the health realization model focuses on the nature of thought, stating that it is ultimately a
person's thought processes that determine the response to potentially stressful external
circumstances. In this model, stress results from appraising oneself and one's circumstances
through a mental filter of insecurity and negativity, whereas a feeling of well being result from
approaching the world with a "quite mind", "inner wisdom" and "common sense".
This model proposes that helping stressed individuals understand the nature of thought especially
providing them with the ability to recognize when they are in the grip of insecure thinking,
disengage from it ,and access natural positive feelings will reduced this stress.

Coping With Stress :-

Stress is controllable. By adopting some useful and effective techniques, stress can be controlled
and it's effect can be mediated. Some of the stress management techniques are given bellow :-
???????Mediation :- When you meditate your bring together all of the mind's energies and focus
them on a word., a sound , a symbol, a comforting image or your own breathing. The optimal
setting for mediation is a quiet, clean place. People typically meditate sitting on the floor or in a
chair with their eyes closed
A variation of traditional meditation involves guided imagery or visualization. If you use this
method .you will imagine a scene in which you feel at peace, able to let go of all concerns and
tensions. In guided imagery audio instructions help you visualize the scene, focus your thoughts
and relax.

???????Yoga: - The term 'yoga' is a Sanskrit word meaning "to unite". Yoga teaches you a series
of stationary and moving poses called "Asans" and a form of health control knows as
"Pranayama",as well as concentrate on techniques.
Yoga postures are designed to balance the different system of the body, including the central
nervous, the endocrine glandular, and the digestive systems. By showing down your mental
activity taking your mind off the cause of stress, and having you gently stretch your body in ways
that massage your internal organs. Yoga helps you create dynamic peacefulness within yourself,

???????Relaxation: - Timely pauses from work and relaxing a bit, helps in reduction of stress
???????Physical exercises: - Timely and regular exercise, help to reduce stress to a greater
extent.
???????One may not be able to get rid off stress, but one can find ways to lower it.
???????Sometimes, it is clear where stress is coming from. So, it is better to keep a 'stress
journal.' Get a notebook and write down when something makes you feel stressed.
???????Time management:- A proper schedule of your worker activities can reduce your stress
to a greater extent. Involving yourself according to your schedule, can make other thoughts stop
their entry in your mind. Moreover, timely completion of 'target' or 'goal' is possible thus reducing
stress.
???????To relieve from stress and relax a bit, one can switch on to some soothing music. A short
sound sleep is also a great stress reliever.
???????Do not think too much about your worries. Try to distract yourself and switch on to some
other involving activities.
???????Discussing with your family and friends also acts as a remedy for stress relief.

Cognitive therapy is a type of psychotherapy. It is a stress relieving therapy.

The following simple things can help in reduction of stress:
???????Eliminating unwanted information.
???????Eliminating unwanted competition.
???????Eliminating fantasies.
???????Trying to reduce job dependency.
Other such techniques are :-
???????Sharing of values and experiences.
???????Supportive culture and climate.
???????Participative management.
???????Developing career paths.
???????Role clarity and avoid confusion.

Tips of coping with stress:

Take a mental break.
Take a warm bath or shower.
???????Set realistic targets.
???????Look for solutions than problems.
???????Maintain your sense of humor.
???????Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.
???????Don't try to control events or other people.
???????Manage time (in every aspect)
???????Prioritize your work (make an order list).
???????Have some time for yourself.
???????"Delegate" tasks and break up big projects into smaller parts.

Conclusion:
Stress can be both positive and negative, which has an impact on the employee's performance at
work. If taken positively, the results are positive, and if taken in a negative way, may yield
disastrous results. For most of the people, low to moderate amount of stress enable them to
perform their jobs better. However, a high level of stress or for that matter even a low level stress
spread over a long period, eventually takes its toll, and the performance declines.