Facing Short-Term Or Prolonged Stress? Know How It Can Affect Your Health

It is important to understand if you are experiencing short-term healthy stress or prolonged stress, and then focus on finding out the reason for stress.

Representational Picture (AFP)

New Delhi: These days stress has become a common health concern among all, especially owing to pandemic when people are restricted within the four walls with several other challenges coming to the fore. But it is believed that not all stress is bad, and there are times when stress can be beneficial. However, prolonged stress can have negative consequences on your physical and mental wellbeing.

If you go by the therapist and counsellor Sarla Totla then all stress are not bad. In her social media account Totla said, “All stress is not bad, as it aids our performance and response during tough situations.” For example if you are stressed five minutes before an exam or an interview it can result in “short-term fight or flight response and energises us to quickly respond to a situation”, she explained. Once the situation has passed, our system relaxes.

It is to be noted that any stressed taken for days or weeks can prove to be difficult for the mind and body to relax. Such prolong stress can bring down our energy and leave us overwhelmed to cope with issues, mentally or physically, according to the therapist.

If you are under stress over a long period then it can lead to the following problems ranging from aches and pain, fatigue, demotivation. Besides these issues, you can also face difficulty in sleeping, trouble thinking and focussing, also go through a loss of control and feel helpless. You may fall ill frequently, stay irritable, feel nervousness and anxious.

Can you avoid getting stressed?

According to Totla, it is important to understand if you are experiencing short-term healthy stress or prolonged stress.

Firstly, focus on getting to the main cause of stress, which can stem from emotional, professional, personal or environmental issues.

Then you need to figure out quick relaxation and long-term coping mechanisms to handle the stress and take care of your deteriorating health.