The Effects of Stress and How to Reduce It
Stress is originally a chemical response in the nervous system triggered when danger is near. It has been
around for thousands of years keeping our ancestors alive, helping humanity achieve success. Even though
stress has been necessary through evolution, in modern society stress severely differs from its original
purpose, humans do not need a fight or flight response to stay alive anymore, their problems and the
solutions have gotten more complex however our homo sapiens’ brains are not aware of that. Therefore,
instead of benefiting from stress we are suffering from it. Stress has both physical and psychological effects
on us but luckily there are several ways to reduce them.
Stress primarily affects physical health when the body remains in a state of high alert for too long, it
produces an excess amount of cortisol consequently leading to severe health issues. Headaches, insomnia,
fatigue and a weak immune system are some of the most common issues. For example, when a student is
anxious before an exam they may not sleep well and may not perform well during the exam. Moreover, the
psychological effects are equally devastating. Stress often manifests as irritability, constant anxiety and a
lack of focus furthermore, this creates a cycle of stress. For instance, an engineer stressed about a deadline
may become quite anxious leading to a lack of focus therefore leading to more mistakes and consequently
even higher levels of stress.
In addition, there are various ways of dealing with stress for instance meditation, breathing exercises,
creating routines and practicing mindfulness. In my opinion, the most effective way to reduce stress is
through a lifestyle shift rather than quick solutions such as dedicating a certain amount of time of the day to
practice mindfulness.
In conclusion, even though stress was once vital for our ancestors, it has eventually turned into a major
threat to our physical and mental health in the modern world. And the excess production of cortisol leads to
severe issues. Consequently, by dedicating time to practices like mindfulness, we are able to train our
"homo sapiens’ brains" to handle modern pressures better.
Nisanur Emiroğlu
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