Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.
If you are stressed, you might feel:
Irritable, angry, impatient or wound up, over-burdened or overwhelmed, anxious, nervous or afraid, like your thoughts are racing and you can’t switch off. Unable to enjoy yourself, feeling depressed, no interest in life, as if you’ve lost your sense of humour.
Stress can affect our emotions, our body and how we behave, in lots of different ways. Sometimes when we are stressed, we might be able to tell right away. But at other times, we might keep going without recognising the signs.
The hormones that our body produce to respond to stressful situations can have many physical effects.
These effects might include:
Difficulty in breathing
Panic attacks
Blurred eyesight or sore eyes
Sleep problems
Fatigue
Muscle aches and headaches
Chest pains and high blood pressure
Indigestion or heartburn
Constipation or diarrhoea
Feeling sick, dizzy or fainting
Sudden weight gain or weight loss
Developing rashes or itchy skin
Sweating
Changes to your period or menstrual cycle
Existing physical health problems getting worse
If we experience high levels of stress, these physical effects can get worse. This can also happen if we experience stress for a long period of time.
According to Ayurveda, stress on the body and mind is the primary reason for all problems – physical, mental, social, family, relationships, economical and spiritual problems in our life.
Body and Mind are not two different things – but they are reflections of each other. All physical health problems have their source in the mind. And all mental stress and psychological fears are reflected in our physical body. The Ayurvedic approach to stress management is focused on relieving the stress from the Nervous System, while improving the relaxation of the entire body.