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• Over 75% of USA adults report symptoms of STRESS - American Psychological Assoc., 2019.

• 49% of adults say stress negatively affects their behavior - American Psychological Assoc., 2020.

• 33% of people world-wide report feeling stressed, worried, and/or angry - Gallup poll, 2019.

The #1 Health Problem Stress Can Cause

The number one health problem & leading cause of death in the USA & the world is heart disease. Ischaemic heart disease accounted for 2.7 million deaths in 2000 and grew to a whopping 9.1 million in 2021, according to the World Health Organization. I know you're wondering - what's heart disease got to do with stress? Simple: chronic stress can cause heart disease.

The alarming statistics in red above clearly shows we're all stressed. Everything is affected: the brain & thought patterns, the heart & emotions, and your body. If you continue to absorb stress, you can develop serious health problems to the point of life threatening illnesses if not addressed.

Chronic stress causes high levels of inflammation in your body, which then causes plaque build-up in the arteries, which leads to coronary artery disease. Like toppling dominoes - it can lead to heart attack, heart failure, irregular heart beat, and stroke.

Yale Medicine says that even short term stress can lead to heart attacks. In addition, stress causes a myriad of other serious health risks. FYI: Learn how to combat & manage your stress - take control and fly again.

Major Causes of Stress

There are many causes of stress which vary according to where in the world you live, your age, and other factors. For the most part, we'll focus on the USA. The majority of our stress is caused by: money, job, health, and relationships.

The American Institute of Stress reports that 80% of workers say they experience stress due to their job. That's SCARY, and sadly I was one of those statistics. They also reported that 87% are stressed about inflation's rising costs & 65% are stressed about money.

There are 3 types of stress. Acute, episodic acute, and chronic stress. Most of our focus will cover the more dangerous and long-term chronic stress. The other 2 stress types are temporary that stem from a specific event in which you generally return to normal after the event passes. FYI: Chronic stress is the most harmful & dangerous to our health.

What is Chronic Stress?

Chronic stress = continued stress (possibly daily) over long periods of time. It can be very severe & very dangerous. Examples: heavy job workload or high stress jobs, too much debt, or a bad marriage. Chronic stress can also be caused by a specific event that a person hasn't been able to release. Examples: military veterans suffering from PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or sexual assault.

Stress Causes Explained

As mentioned above, the top 4 leading causes of chronic stress are: money, job, health, relationships.

• Money. Whether your income doesn't cover living expenses, or you have too much debt, most people at some point have stress concerning finances. It's also common during big life events like buying a house or planning for children.

• Job. More employers these days want mid to high level employees to perform the job duties of more than one person. It becomes a never-ending struggle to keep up with workload. Many workers also have bosses that are demanding and unrealistic. That makes for a very long & stressful day.

• Stress Jobs. Some jobs are extra stressful like police officers, emergency room personnel, homeless shelter staff, or the military during war time.

• Health. Those with existing mental or physical illnesses are already fighting battles. Constant health battles add more stress which over time can wear you out - bringing on more health issues.

• Relationships. often times we can unintentionally harm the ones we love when we're experiencing stress - all types of relationships can suffer including those at work. If you are in a relationship where you're being hurt by a verbally or physically hurtful person - I pray you leave before it causes serious stress & more hurt. If possible, ask he/she to get professional help while you're living somewhere else safe.

Symptoms of Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can be life threatening, and it manifests itself in all 3 areas of our being:

1. Physical symptoms: Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, fatigue, lack of energy, headaches, nausea, frequent illnesses, IBS irritable bowel syndrome, digestive issues like GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease, high blood pressure or hypertension, spasmodic dysphonia, body aches/pains not related to physical exertion, weight gain or weight loss.

2. Behavioral changes: Difficulty sleeping, substance abuse, deteriorating relationships, isolation, no longer interested in hobbies/activities that were previously enjoyed, self harm, nail biting, poor performance at work, decreased libido.

3. Psychological affects: Anxiety, mood swings, anger, frustration, irritable, depressed, feeling overwhelmed, feeling lonely, feeling of failure, having suicidal thoughts, and development of mood disorders.

Learn Habits to Combat Chronic Stress

Learn these lifestyle habits and practice them daily to manage/combat stress, enough to maintain overall health & wellness and a positive attitude. Remember, we're always going to have problems in life so it's important to know how to keep stress burdens low so you remain in control. This is how to fly & experience freedom.

Minimize the Problem - Minimize stress & problems by doing 2 things. First, thank God (or higher power, or the universe) for the problem. What you say, that's absurd. Having a "thankful" posture does this: it minimizes the problem/stress, the problem loses control over you, and the problem no longer is a huge negative focus. Second, do not hold onto past problems & stress - you cannot change the past, so release it to your higher power or the universe. Also, do not borrow from anticipated future stress. Focus on today....and minimize today's problems/stress.

Physical Exercise/Activity - Physical activity is the best way to combat stress. Do 30 minutes of exercise during your lunch hour plus 30 minutes in the evening. One 30 minute session needs to keep your heart rate up. The other 30 minute session can be an activity like gardening which is also physically beneficial and relaxes the mind. On the weekends, spend 30-60 minutes doing some type of fun exercise. Household chores also work - just add music & dancing to make it more....ah, appealing!

• An active lifestyle will increase your heart rate & produce happy hormones, serotonin & endorphin, which lift your mood & lower anxiety/stress. See: Make Happy Hormones for helpful ideas. FYI: being physically active helps us lower the impact of stress.

Relaxing the Mind - Relaxing the mind is also critical to combat stress: prayer, meditation, breathing exercises, or a hot bath. Yoga or tai chi practice breath with movement - as it improves strength, balance, and flexibility it's also forcing the mind to relax. By focusing on your breath, or one movement at a time - your mind can free itself and therefore, is less likely to get agitated, anxious, or over-analytical about a stress incident. Other mild activities can also be calming like reading. See: Learn to Relax the Mind for helpful ideas.

Laughing & Loving - Laughing & loving are great medicine for mind, body, and soul. When you laugh, your brain releases endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin which are the body's happy, feel good hormones. Dopamine gives you feelings of pleasure & satisfaction, endorphins reduce pain & anxiety, and serotonin is an anti-depressant. These are natural stress fighting hormones. Learn to give & receive genuine affection because we need relationships and the feeling of belonging.

Read: Make Happy Hormones. Crying is also effective at releasing stressful thoughts & emotions - it's as if those harmful feelings flow out with your tears.

Social Engagement - While some alone time is beneficial - isolation in not. Spend time with family & friends, especially those that truly care about you. Go to festivals, the movies, and comedy shows. Also do outdoor activities together like backyard BBQ's & bicycling in the park. The more caring & fun relationships you have - the better you feel all over.

Eating Habits - Eating fairly healthy also helps. Get at least 30 grams of protein per meal, whole fruits & veggies, and healthy fats to keep blood sugars stable & internal systems functioning properly. A healthier body helps your mind stay healthy. It's best to avoid caffeine & alcohol if possible - a stressed body is already on "high alert" mode so we don't want to exacerbate it further.

Self-Care Techniques - Feelings of being overwhelmed, failing at something, or letting someone down will add to your stress burden. Since we will never be perfect - forgive yourself. If someone has hurt you, forgive them. Yes I know that's a tough one, but if you don't - the stress & bitterness ends up hurting....and controlling you.

Avoid Stressful Situations - Avoid known stressful situations as best you can, especially at work & home. If one person is causing you stress - try talking to them, let them know their demands aren't realistic, and their actions hurt you. If they respond positively, that stress is gone. If talking doesn't resolve anything, it's best not to fight back but walk away. Fighting back just adds more stress.

Options - You may need to walk away from situations causing stress & serious health risk - like a job or relationship. If nothing else works - consider getting professional help & treatment. Only you can make these decisions.

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