May 06, 2011
Stress
Stress is a natural physical response to events that upset your sense of balance. It’s caused by both negative and positive events in your life. Changes that force you to adjust can be stressful — whether you’re getting married, purchasing a new home, heading off to college or even getting a promotion.
Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are linked. Both are more than a feeling—they’re physical responses. Anxiety is your body’s response to a perceived threat. It may cause common symptoms of stress: a pounding heart or the tightening of muscles. Some may even feel lightheaded when anxious. Relaxation is the opposite of anxiety—it slows your heartbeat, deepens your breathing, stabilizes blood pressure and relaxes your muscles.
If you practice relaxation techniques, you can strengthen your body’s relaxation response. Since you cannot be anxious and relaxed at the same time, employing relaxation techniques is a powerful way to relieve anxiety. That’s why deep breathing, yoga and meditation can help you manage your anxiety so you can fall sleep.
Worry
Some people have an inability to tolerate uncertainty and are prone to worry. Worriers struggle with unpredictability, which in turn causes anxiety or tension. They see worry as a way to prevent unpleasant surprises—but it doesn’t actually work. Thinking often about what might go wrong does nothing to make life more certain. Focusing on the present (instead of the worst-case scenario) can help.
Before you can dial down the stress in your life, you’ll need to look closely at your daily patterns. Jogging with loud music, juggling phone calls while running errands, checking work e-mails or watching exciting TV before bed may be a part of your routine—and also what’s keeping you awake at night.
Unfortunately, the noise in your daily life isn’t just what you invite. It’s everywhere, from barking dogs to traffic horns and from neighbors to family demands. It’s no surprise that after a full day of sensory overload and nonstop multitasking that people commonly feel stressed. It’s so common, in fact, that it is often ignored until it manifests into tangible symptoms like headaches, digestive problems or trouble sleeping.