At Stress Free Norwich, Sandra Ballester helps you improve your own understanding of what stress is and what it isn’t.

A common experience

Stress means different things to different people, but unfortunately nearly everyone has experienced it. To some, it means an argument with their spouse, to others it may mean difficulties at work. Others may not really know what is causing their stress, all they know is they feel frazzled and unable to rest without clearly knowing why this is so. Whatever its cause may be, stress is a characteristically unpleasant sensation of not being at peace, which is very difficult to control. If it carries on for long, it usually has a negative effect on mood, sleep, health, relationships and performance at work or school.

Stress is not the same as ‘pressure’

Pressure can be a good thing – stimulating you to do your best – or it can be negative if it is unrelenting, completely out of your control, or if you can never attain its goals. People respond to pressure differently. What is pressurising for some people may be exciting and stimulating for others. Boredom is a complete lack of pressure and stimulation, and being bored can be extremely stressful.

Over-stimulation

Chronic stimuli from noise, lights, television, computers, bad posture, emotional factors etc can become stressful because stimuli prevents the mind and body resting and repairing itself.

The ‘stress gap’

Stress can also be caused by the existence of a big ‘gap’ between what is expected of you, and what you actually attain. The expectations may come from other people (your boss, for example), or from within yourself (if you have high personal standards). The bigger the ‘gap’ between these expectations and what you actually achieve, the more stress you experience.