Stress is our natural reaction to situations that we perceive as threatening or challenging. What we mustn’t forget is that we also need recovery. In today’s 24-hour society, this isn’t always a given, making stress a public health issue. Most important is to slow down in good time, and to do this we need to be able to recognize signs of stress.
Stress causes the brain and the entire body to mobilize to respond to a threat. To escape or defend ourselves, our heart beats faster and our metabolism is adjusted to provide our muscles with readily available energy. Our senses are sharpened as the brain becomes fully focused on escaping from the threatening situation.
The human response to stress has been practical and necessary for our survival since the Stone Age. Without it, our ancestors wouldn’t have escaped the dangers of the wilderness. Even today, when our stress level spikes, the body often thinks it needs to flee or fight. This can prove problematic in modern-day society where stress is often more constant. When we’re overwhelmed by stress, we feel that we can’t handle threats. And when we’re not allowed enough time to recover, the stress reaction can become chronic and harmful.
How much and what kind of stress a person can handle is individual. Workload, personal life, lifestyle, age and health all come into play. If you’re part of a suppressed minority, have a neurodevelopmental disorder or are facing a difficult financial situation, you may also be particularly susceptible to stress. Stress often manifests itself differently in men compared to women. Girls and women report more stress and are put on sick leave for stress-related illnesses to a greater extent.
Stress is a major energy drain on the entire body, meaning that it causes multiple and varied symptoms. Chronic stress is commonly associated with anxiety, low mood, sleeping problems, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, a short fuse and even stomach problems and muscle pain. Other signs of stress include smoking or drinking more, comfort eating and turning to sleeping pills.
Recovery is about unwinding to replenish the energy reserves your body has used up. Without sufficient recovery, people become increasingly exhausted and many go to work or school each morning without the energy needed to maintain their wellbeing. If this burden becomes too great and prolonged without sufficient recovery, there’s a risk of falling ill with exhaustion disorder. This is why it’s extremely important to listen to your body’s signals and to slow down in good time.
Your employer is responsible for ensuring that you have a good work environment and a reasonable workload. Since 2016, there are provisions issued by the Swedish Work Environment Authority setting out the employer’s responsibilities.
After being exposed to stressors, we need time to rest. If you go home after work and take care of the children, pay the bills and prepare dinner, you might not be getting all the rest you need. What is restful varies from person to person, and the important thing is to find out what works for you. This could be, for example, going to the gym, meeting friends, watching TV, reading a book, pursuing a hobby or anything else you enjoy doing.
Sleep is the most important form of recovery. Sleeping problems can make you more susceptible to stress, and stress is often the cause of sleeping problems. Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is recommended. Taking breaks is also important.
Reviewed by: Walter Osika, associate professor, Director of the Center for Social Sustainability, Karolinska Institutet. Specialist in internal medicine, cardiology and psychiatry, consultant physician, Region Stockholm.
Last edited 2024-01-09