Scientific Self-Help: Let's Deal with Stress with a Fresh Perspective.

So I have decided to start a niche geared more towards areas of science, particularly in self-help, which would be considered as behavioral science. Well, of course, I'm not gonna sound formal or professional, as this is blogging and not Google. I believe that all the "how-to" and "what is" can be found on the internet or ChatGPT it, so there may be no need for that. I will be sure to put some references and links below to back up all the claims I would be making, as science, although mostly hypothetical, must be based on facts and not myth.

I hope you would enjoy reading.

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Ever heard the phrase "I'm dealing with a lot right now, and it's stressing me out."? I guess I have used that line a couple of times. The feeling of stress seems to be a bigger problem in our world these days, to the point that even little kids are no strangers to this phrase. You see, mental stress, or psychological stress, is how the human body responds in the face of challenges or overwhelming situations. It comes in many forms but notably anxiety, irritation, and depression. It can go as far as showing physical signs like muscle tension and headache. I personally experience headaches almost every single time when I am super stressed out and sometimes have to take pills and rest for a while to feel okay.

But wait, Is stress all that bad?

You know what they say, "there is the good side of everything." This saying holds true for stress. Shocked, right? Let me explain.
You see, stress has a way of motivating us to finish up some tasks. It's more like our pain receptors which tell us if there is a problem in our body for us to take medication and resolve it. I hope that was a fine analogy? So every now and then, a little bit of stress is often a good thing.

What are You Saying Man!

Chill, I got you!

Stress mainly stems from our endeavor to achieve our goals and tasks or a feeling of unaccomplishment of something valuable to you. Yes, there is the other side where you get stressed because somebody is just being a pain in the ...... to you.

When is it a problem then?

Obviously, too much of everything is bad. But when it comes to stress, a little outside the moderate zone and it's a real problem for your entire body. I spoke about stress being somehow a motivator, right? Yes, but outside the moderation line, and it leaves you depressed, which in turn leaves you passive and demotivated. Also, leaving yourself in a prolonged state of stress can and will lead to some cardiovascular issues, gastrointestinal problems (which we will discuss in later posts), and your immune system being weakened.

One major part of the body stress affects is your brain. It's scientifically proven to impair cognitive functions, which will affect concentration, memory, and decision-making. You obviously don't make the best of choices under stress. One advice my grandma gave me for long life is, "Always make sure you don't bottle up things on the inside." By this, she meant getting rid of anything bothering you mentally.

Okay, enough of me boring you with all the "Effects" which can be looked up online, and let's talk about the real deal.

Yeah! I'm Stressed, What should I do to get out of it?

This is the point of every self-help post, how do I deal with the issue? How can I handle this stress while still pursuing my dreams in life?

The First and most important thing every doctor or correct scientific article will tell you about dealing with stress is to identify what really is stressing you out.

There is no Effect without a cause!

You might be overwhelmed at work, or somebody may just decide to be your "demon." Your marriage or relationships may not be going on as you planned, and the biggest of them all, the issue of finances. These and many more are all sources of stress to people. Now obviously these are the pressures and challenges of life, so I'm not saying that right after reading this post, you'd get some scientific wand to make all of them disappear. What I'm saying is there is a scientific procedure laid out to help you deal with all of these, and it starts by you reflecting on what exactly is causing the stress. Often times it's a combo of many things.

• When You discover it's a relationship, then the solution would be to talk it out with your partner or see a counselor to help you out. I discovered that sometimes it can be as little as one party under appreciating the other. Anyways, this ain't a counseling section so meet me outside of this post and let's have a chat.
• A financial problem? Trust me, it's a knowledge problem, it can only go away the day you decide to tackle it and seek help from people who have gone through that same situation.
• Somebody frustrating you at work or home? Talk to HR about it because your mental health is important to your productivity. If you just can't do that, then the only option would be to use that individual as a tool to learn how to ignore. I tried that and it made me a better person in character. The true sign of growth is when the old move doesn't shake you anymore.
• Basically, every other stressor as it is identified, the next step would be to seek help and guidance on how to deal with it.

I spoke about one major source of stress coming from people's desire to accomplish set goals in short periods of time. Look, Just set some realistic goals man. Those guys who tell you on youtube and tiktok that they made a million dollars in a year by doing this.... are actually making the money while you watch them on youtube. They also don't tell you exactly what they did. Of course, someone can get lucky and win a huge sum of money, but it's statistically proven that they lose them in a short period of time. Anything you don't build by yourself from scratch by learning and trial and error, you might eventually lose it. Look at people who inherit from their parents; it's just a few of them who are able to preserve the wealth. Why? they didn't build it gradually and learn what not to do and what to do. It's important to give your brain a task it believes it can accomplish. This then helps it function better and come up with all the possible ways to accomplish that task. Start small and grow it big.

Chill Your Brain

Now, I am no monk, but science has shown that meditation addresses both the psychological and physical aspects of stress. You see, during meditation, the relaxation response, which is the opposite of stress-induced fight or flight response, is triggered. It then leads to a decrease in heart rate and muscle tension. This is why Yoga is a popular thing because it helps you to meditate. You can look up the benefits of meditation online and see loads of benefits you are missing out on. I encourage you to spend at least 20-30 minutes a day, as I do, just meditating every stress out. Research the proper way to meditate. I prefer using relaxation music with my headset in a super quiet place. I feel refreshed anytime I come out. Everybody has a different style for this, so I wouldn't suggest anything; just find out what works for you and gets you out of that tension zone.

Sleep is for the Weak!

I have heard most people hustling through life make this statement, and sometimes it bothers me to hear it. As a matter of fact, the truth is if you don't sleep well enough, you will be weak. Sleep plays a vital role in regulating stress hormones like cortisol. When you don't get enough sleep, this balance can be disrupted leading to increased stress hormone levels, then Bam! you say the words "I'm stressed out!" Insufficient sleep can also make it a little difficult for your body to regulate emotions. This is why you easily get pissed off when you sleep late and wake up early, and mummy asks you to clean the dishes or your boss yells at you.

You are Human!

Yes! You are Human. Even machines are taken care of from time to time, by cleaning and replacing damaged parts, how much more you. Have you noticed that you feel refreshed anytime you come out of the bathroom? Especially when you stand under the shower for a while?

But watch those bills man!

Yes, it's a form of hydrotherapy!

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I prefer a cold shower due to the weather conditions of my country. But most people say Hot does the magic. Whichever works for you, as long as it takes that stress away.

Also, exercising and eating a balanced diet is a no-brainer to dealing with Stress. Maybe I will share more light on the gut-brain connection in a later post. But it simply shows a connection between the gut and the brain. This means hunger can affect your brains and cause stress.

In short, Stress is something we all need to pay attention to and deal with, as it poses a threat to our productivity, quality of life, and even our existence here on earth.

Thanks for coming all the way down to the end of this article. I'm just a dude who loves science and how through its knowledge, human lives are improved and saved. I would be glad to hear your opinions on this subject or how to improve on this blog niche. I will see you in the next post. Stay Safe!.

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Links and references

GoodRx - Benefits of Hot Baths

Cleveland Clinic - The Gut-Brain Connection

World Health Organization - Stress

Cleveland Clinic - Stress

MedlinePlus - Stress

Cedars-Sinai - Sleep and Stress