Di Beatrice Saporosi
If we look for the word “stress” in any dictionary, we find this definition: “in a medical context stress is a mental, physical and emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension”. This term was introduced in 1935 by an australian endocrinologist, Hans Selye, who experimented on animals, proving that external stimulations could affect their mental and physical health. Maybe we are not able to explain the definition of stress in our own words, but we certainly found ourselves in a situation that caused us tension at least once in a lifetime.
There are two types of stress: eustress and distress. The first one is a positive form of stress that can have beneficial effects on our health giving us a feeling of fulfillment and allowing us to reach our goals.
On the contrary the second one doesn’t benefit us: distress may result in headaches, indigestion, nausea, palpitations and also unusual feelings, like anxiety and anger.
But these emotional and bodily changes can often become much more than temporary conditions and cause the onset of some mental and physical disorders: stress can lead to an increase of risk of diseases like diabetes, depression, Alzheimer, cardiovascular problems, hypertension, lowering of immune system and obesity.
The main cause of stress is usually attributed to work, but we can also be stressed because of the traffic against which many inhabitants of large cities have to face, personal relationships and school; people may also experience very stressful situations that challenge their mental and physical health because of the pandemic of Covid-19.
But what can we do to combat stress?
The most effective way to fight it is to focus on what makes us agitated and anxious: once we have understood what our Achilles’ heel is, we should make sure to work on that and also we should try to avoid and eliminate stressful factors.
It is very important to do sport and exercise and to dedicate a moment of the day to do what we really like and relax ourselves, such as drawing, reading, cooking, playing an instrument or singing, or simply lying on the sofa. Another factor that can improve our health conditions, in addition to better sleep, is a more balanced diet: there is evidence that a great supply of vitamins can increase our vitality and that healthier food can contribute to good mood!
In conclusion, we must not let ourselves be overwhelmed by the most nerve-wracking situations and doing our best to prevent and stay away from stress.
