Feeling stressed at work? You’re not the only one.
Stress affects many people in their jobs and can carry over to their personal lives.
But how do you know when stress passes the acceptable limit and becomes unhealthy? Are you handling stress the right way?
Test your knowledge of stress by answering True or False to the following statements. Then check your answers below.
1. Stress is an emotional state that’s mostly unpredictable.
2. Even mild stress is bad for you. You should try relieving stress whenever you feel it.
3. Stress can cause heart disease, particularly in men.
4. There’s very little you can do to relieve stress. It’s a matter of waiting out the stressful situations you’re in.
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
1. False. We think of stress as an emotional state. But it’s strictly physical and very predictable. Stressors – and they differ for different people – bring stress on, which causes physical responses. When people can’t avoid or flee the stressor, it leads to physical pain or discomfort.
2. False. In many cases, moderate stress motivates people. You’re more likely to stay focused when you’re feeling some stress. Chances are you’ve been at your best and achieved significant “wins” in your career when the pressure was on and your responded.
3. True and False. The studies aren’t conclusive. However: Stress triggers hormones that raise heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and may harm coronary artery lining – all symptoms of heart disease.
4. False. Exercise, meditation, sleep, reading, talking with friends, and eating certain kinds of food all relieve stress. You may need to make more time for any or all of these healthy activities to relieve stress.