Monday morning is the start of the traditional work week for most folks. And for all too many people, it’s also the start of a cycle of stress. The CDC reports on work stress studies, showing that, “One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.”
A little stress is fine but ongoing stress can be damaging to your health. This short TedEd clip explains why. The video presents the science of stress in interesting, animated format and simple terms that non-medical folks can understand. If you’ve ever wondered why you experience irritability, stomach cramps or a compulsion for junk foods when you are stressed out, this clip will break it down. Here’s a a further description:
“Our hard-wired stress response is designed to gives us the quick burst of heightened alertness and energy needed to perform our best. But stress isn’t all good. When activated too long or too often, stress can damage virtually every part of our body. Sharon Horesh Bergquist gives us a look at what goes on inside our body when we are chronically stressed.”
How to manage that stressed out feeling
We found the clip on Mindful.org – see How Stress Changes the Brain and Body. Their write up on the video is worth a read. They suggest meditation to help manage stress, but also suggest: “If you don’t have five or ten minutes right now to meditate, you might want to check out “Stress is Optional“—psychologists Stefanie and Elisha Goldstein suggest 11 ways you can interrupt the cycle of stress using mindfulness.” Check it out, the article has some great pointers for stress reduction.
Don’t forget – Members of TotalCare Wellness have access to Stress Coaches who can help you identify triggers and put a plan together to manage your stress.