What are the main causes of stress?
Whilst the causes of stress can be wide and varied, generally, in most instances, the causes of stress can fall within 3 main categories, as a result of:
- A loss of control
- Factors out of your control
- New challenges
Here I explore these different causes of stress in a little more detail, plus, what can be done to help limit the negative implications of stress on your health.
1. A loss of control
Although the specific causes of stress can be quite varied, an issue that is thought to often drive the feeling of being overwhelmed or experiencing heightened stress or anxiety is a loss of control.
Control and organisation are some aspects of life which can help to keep us on top of things and composed. However, during different life stages and as a result of a number of different factors, our circumstances may change, meaning we feel less in control, and this is where stress could creep in. Some examples of this type of stress could include the following:
- Work responsibilities creeping up on us
- Money worries
- Work-life balance changing: spending less time doing things we enjoy
- The opposite is also true: being bored and not doing enough work or activities to keep us engaged can be stressful.
What can be done to help?
Identifying that you may have lost control in certain aspects of your life is the first step in putting this right. Whilst depending on the source of the stress, regaining control may not always be a quick fix, remember there are areas of your life which you can control and make positive changes in. Some examples include:
- Diet overhaul – My advice is to never go too extreme or all at once when overhauling your diet. The key is 'baby steps' in the right direction, as even small changes can make all the difference to how you feel. Plus, crucially it will make you feel like you are in control of whatever you put in your body. Tips from me include drinking more water (super easy but effective! reason here - hydration helps us concentrate better and de-stresses the body?), reduce your intake of processed items and limit caffeine especially in the afternoons and evenings which can worsen the symptoms of stress and have a negative impact on the quality of our sleep. See my self-care video below for some more advice on which processed food items could be worth swapping:
My Self-Care Tip: Some common processed food options that are worth swapping
In my latest self-care video, I run through some common processed food options that I recommend swapping for healthier options.
- Get more sleep – despite what is going on in your day-to-day life, getting sufficient, good quality sleep is a reliable tool you can use to help ensure that any stressors coming your way are able to be dealt with more efficiently. See, lack of sleep in itself instantly puts your body into a mild state of stress meaning you may be less likely to adequately deal with additional stressors you come into contact with.1 This can become a vicious cycle as time goes on. Sleep like a mushroom - in a cold, dark room with no screens or electronics and if you can, get to bed before 10pm so you can get a full night's sleep.
- Consider your work-life balance – why not consider how you spend your time day to day and ensure you are doing enough of what makes you happy. A little stress can be positive, this is known as 'eustress' and in instances of pressure with work, for example, people under pressure for a short space of time can actually help us to feel more accomplished. However, for some, working towards adding in more 'fun' or 'calming' can be beneficial, especially if these aspects of your life are somewhat lacking.
Remember, organisation is also key to feeling in control so, whether you are getting more organised in terms of your workload in the office, or you are organising some fun activities to do at the weekend or factoring in some set 'you time', all of these practices are going to have positive effects.
Finally, in terms of some down-time, exercise is particularly good, as we'll go on to explore (but remember, just not too much of it!), and activities involving being outside and immersed in nature are always going to have their benefits for our mood, and beyond. In this day and age screens are threatening to take over, so generally, some screen-free time can enable you to feel more relaxed and more in control of your own body and mind.
2. Factors out with your control
Unfortunately, factors that are completely out with our control are often another source of stress in life and these, to some degree, can be harder to manage. This is what we call "background stress" - these are things where you have explored options, and at the moment there is nothing you can do about it, but it is on your mind!
These types of stresses, especially illness of loved ones, can be a very real source of stress. So, you need to be really mindful if you have anything like this going on, as it can impact on your long-term cortisol (stress hormone) levels. The best thing you can do to lower cortisol is to do some sort of exercise that involves aerobics - raising your heart rate a bit so you start sweating! So, if you can, make sure you go for regular runs or do some exercise at home that will help you deal with the built-up stress!
Also, there are other aspects of your life that you are very much in control of and focusing on these may be the key for helping you to get over that stressful event. Some examples of this types of stress can include:
- The nature of the work or job you are currently involved in
- Ongoing family problems
- Personal illness or ill-health affecting someone close to you
- Uncertain times in the world.
What can be done to help?
Whilst these situations can feel like the worst kind of stress as your control over the external source of stress is more limited, you can manage how you take action in other ways, to help counter the negative effects of stress on your health. Some of my tips are as follows:
- Introduce some exercise – as before, my advice is not to go to any extremes, but employing a little exercise most days could help to give you a healthy dose of endorphins, or feel-good hormones, nd reduce cortisol as mentioned above to help see you through a particularly stressful period. Exercise is a popular coping technique for many and, as long as you find an activity you enjoy (don't force it otherwise), you should be able to feel the benefits in how it makes you feel, plus research suggests it can help support sounder sleep too2 – bonus!
- Don't be afraid to speak up – if you have a supportive social network then now is the time to make the most of it. Speaking to friends and family can literally help you to vent some of your worries or concerns rather than keeping them all cooped up and, in this way, you can be in control. If talking isn't an option, equally, writing things down is another way to help clear any worries or negative thoughts from your headspace, and this is often especially beneficial just before going to bed.
Please note, if you feel that stress, anxiety or worries are really taking over, a talk with a health professional would be recommended.
- Practice self-care with a herbal remedy – if the nature of the stress is out with your control, remember how you support your body is normally still entirely within your control. In some cases, a herbal remedy such as our Passiflora Complex tablets could help to take the edge of unwanted stress. The herbal ingredient Passiflora, in combination with essential nutrients including magnesium and zinc, are ideal for helping to support your cognitive functions and to help protect your cells from damage by oxidative stress.
3. New challenges
A new challenge means changes in your routine and it always comes with a great deal of uncertainty, that can cause additional stress. You might have suddenly found yourself spending every waking minute working on or mulling over some new challenge that you're trying to conquer and, understandably, that can be over-bearing. Some examples of this type of situation can include:
- Buying a new house
- Planning a wedding
- Having a baby
- Switching jobs or retiring
What can be done to help?
In most cases, these are situations that you've chosen to take on, but things have just become a little overwhelming whilst you're in the midst of new challenges and are adapting to changes in your normal routine.
Whilst in most cases the bulk of the stress will pass as this new phase passes or you get more used to your new routines, in the meantime, some tips from me to help you get through it are as follows:
- Keep your routines as close to normal as you can – even if you're working around the clock working on a new project or an area in your life that's been keeping you super busy, there are some other areas that you should still be able to work on keeping consistent. If you've always been one to get in the kitchen to cook up fresh meals, then please don't stop, just work this into your time a little more! For example, cooking in advance or cooking in bulk to give you healthy, nutrient-packed ready-meals at your fingertips, providing all the nutrients you need to remain as resilient to stress as possible, can be a useful tactic.
Then, if like me, having a bath has always been something you've enjoyed in order to give you some all-important down-time, then try your hardest to continue to work this into your routine. It can also contribute towards a great night sleep so combine it with Epsom salts that contains magnesium so it also relaxes your muscles. I can assure you that you deserve it and even if it means sliding into the tub at a slightly different time to normal, that little bit of normality could really help you feel more yourself. - Adopt a more positive mindset – regardless of the source of stress, this is something most of us should be able to employ with just a little bit of time and effort. Having a more positive mindset can really help us not to sweat the small stuff. Whatever is going on in your life, try focusing on and celebrating the positives instead. Perhaps, list what you're thankful for, what the important things in life are, or ask yourself 'what's the worst that could happen?'. Good luck!
References
1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453009000869
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341978/
Peer reviewed by Professor Margarita James.
