Written by Naomi Butcher

I think we can all agree that stress impacts us all in many different ways, on a regular basis. As a result of stress impacting multiple areas of my life recently, I have been on a journey of understanding my stressors, why I respond the way I do and how I can minimise the impact of my stress. Working for Night Light Café has opened my eyes to just how important taking time for yourself is. By this, I don’t just mean taking half an hour to have a cup of tea – albeit wonderful when this happens! Taking time for yourself can be so much more, you can think of it as an investment! This time can be vital for enabling healthy habits and boundaries to minimise exposure to unhealthy stress. Investing in yourself can only be helpful for you and everyone around you.  

As a society, stress and burnout is becoming more and more recognised, which is great! This enables people to take the time needed to rest, recuperate and access mental health support. But, how do we help our mind and bodies recover from our internal responses to the external pressures we face? Our bodies’ response to situations that feel too much for our minds to comprehend can feel impossible to control at times; however with knowledge, self awareness and coping strategies, it is possible to navigate through these situations with minimal cost to our mental and physical wellbeing. 

What are the key indicators of stress?

Stress often displays itself differently for everyone and learning your own indicators of stress can be life changing. This allows you to know not only what triggers your increased stress levels but subsequently how to put the right boundaries and coping mechanisms in place. Stress is commonly described as a sense of overwhelm. This can bring both emotional and physical difficulties. Mentally stress can cause anxiety, fear, worry, shame, guilt, and irritation, to name a few. Physically, stress can be linked to headaches, muscle pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and fatigue. 

You may also notice a change in your levels of enthusiasm or sense of humour, loss of motivation, an inability to concentrate or enjoy yourself. These are also signs that you can spot not only within yourself but also in those around you; which in turn allows you to come alongside your friends, family and colleagues to support them and lighten the burden. 

Recognising Stress Within Yourself

Knowing and understanding your own body and mind and how you respond to stress can be key to reducing the impact of stress on your body. The biggest indicator of stress is noticing changes in your body, thoughts or behaviours. 

We have already looked at the signs of stress, but how can we spot it within ourselves or other people? The easiest way to recognise stress is to understand your baseline and notice the changes you feel or see. If you regularly experience anxiety, you may notice it feels different on specific days, depending on what you are doing. For example, you may feel more anxious on Sundays if you are stressed about returning to work on Monday. 

Another method for tracking stress could be journaling or creating a mood chart to note how you feel on each day. These are both great ways to keep track of what you are experiencing whilst being able to modify the resources to suit you. These can be creatively put together, decorated and made appealing; and they can be adapted over time as your circumstances change.

Is stress always bad?

Typically stress is known for its links to negativity, but what about positive stress? While too much stress causes overwhelming negativity, there is a positivity to an acute amount of positive stress. Some of the most joyful events in life can be the most immense causes of stress; such as buying a house, planning a wedding & preparing for a holiday. All of these activities can bring some of life’s happiest memories, despite also carrying high amounts of pressure. 

This is the type of stress that can energise and motivate you which can enhance productivity, creating a greater sense of achievement. When working with this type of stress, it can be a drive to push yourself and explore your limits in a healthy environment. Coupled with understanding yourself, you can create an excellent foundation for personal growth and development.

Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Each of us will have our own methods for calming our bodies and minds when we feel it’s all getting a little too much. It is important to be aware of the risks of turning towards unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, overworking or gambling; and look for healthy ways to unwind. Some of us will turn towards those around us, seeking comfort in conversation, enjoying a meal together or even a good dance to some cheesy music! Others will seek the tranquillity of being alone, journaling, reading a book or going to a quiet space. Mindfulness and breathing techniques are also extremely useful tools that can be used at any given moment. Knowing what works best for you and actively prioritising time for yourself is important. 

Life is busy, there is always something waiting to be done, always someone that might need you; but sometimes the best thing you can do for others is care for yourself. 

Here at Acts Trust, we run multiple projects that offer support for when life feels difficult. We have our life ready course, the Night Light Cafés to offer a listening ear in the evenings and the Alive Cafe during the day. 

To find out more, click here or to support the ongoing work of Acts Trust, please consider donating by clicking here. 

Thank you for your support.