Working under time pressure, arguing with your partner, or preparing for an upcoming exam — again and again, we experience situations in our everyday lives where we feel stressed. Sure, life doesn’t work without stress — but when does it become a risk factor? Can your personal stress level be measured? And what helps if you want to lower your stress level? You will find out all this and more in this article.
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When Our Stress Level Rises
Think back to a situation in your life where you suddenly felt very stressed. Your heart beat faster than usual, and you felt an inner tension. Maybe you sweated more and breathed rapidly? All of these are typical stress signals our body sends out when it is on high alert — so our stress level is significantly higher. Evolutionarily, this is how we react to things that challenge or scare us. As soon as the stressful situation is over, our stress level can drop again, and relaxation sets in.
When It Can Make Sense to Lower Your Stress Level
In an acutely stressful situation, the body releases hormones that help provide more energy in the short term. As a result, our performance can increase sharply for a short time. This response can be useful in an emergency and may help us during competition or exam situations. So stress is not always negative — and a temporarily increased stress level is not necessarily dangerous.
However, it becomes more concerning if the stress persists or occurs frequently. It can put the body in a state of prolonged activation, leaving our stress level elevated for extended periods. The body may not have enough opportunity to recover from the physiological effects of stress. This can have negative consequences for our health: we may feel constantly exhausted, have difficulty concentrating, and experience reduced performance. Prolonged stress can also contribute to burnout and may increase the risk of problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Causes of High-Stress Levels
Many people feel that their stress level is permanently too high. But why is that? It is often a combination of many factors. We constantly expose ourselves to high demands and various stimuli in our everyday lives. It is not uncommon to remain in constant contact with our environment and therefore feel overwhelmed.
Factors That Can Lead to Permanently Elevated Stress Levels Include:
- High workload
- Constant accessibility
- Work under time and performance pressure
- Interpersonal conflicts
- Lack of balance between work and private life (work-life balance)
Understanding the causes of high-stress levels can help you recognize potential triggers and identify areas of everyday life that may need to change.
Measure Stress Level — How Stressed Am I?
If you often feel stressed in your everyday life or notice other typical signs of stress, this may indicate an elevated stress level. Various assessment and measurement methods can also be used to evaluate whether you are experiencing significant stress and whether additional support may be helpful.
The human body releases the stress hormone cortisol when it is under stress. A family doctor can measure cortisol concentration using a urine, blood, or saliva sample when clinically appropriate. Some cortisol tests are also available for home use. If a result is abnormal or you have ongoing symptoms, it is advisable to consult your family doctor rather than relying on a home test alone.
A medical measurement of heart rate variability or skin conductance may also provide information about the body’s response to stress. However, these measurements do not provide a complete picture of a person’s overall stress level and should be interpreted in the appropriate context.
Healthy Ways to Manage Stress
Reducing ongoing stress can involve making practical changes to your daily routine. Getting enough sleep, staying physically active, maintaining social connections, taking regular breaks, and using relaxation techniques may all help support stress management.
Developing healthy habits to support a drug-free lifestyle can also be part of a broader approach to maintaining physical and mental well-being.
For some people, professional support or specialized approaches may also be helpful. Depending on the individual and their circumstances, options such as equine therapy for teens may be used as part of a broader mental health support plan.
Conclusion
Scientifically tested questionnaires offer another way of assessing your stress level. There are various methods for dealing with stress, but the most appropriate approach depends on the individual and their circumstances.
Recognizing stress early, identifying its potential causes, and making healthy lifestyle changes can help individuals manage stress more effectively. If stress becomes persistent, overwhelming, or begins to interfere with everyday life, speaking with a qualified healthcare professional may be an important next step.
