Stress: Causes, effects, and how to deal with it...

Timothy Morgan38 said:Look, I definitely have a tendency to overeat, but I can hold myself back... most of my extra weight comes down to being stationary... I barely manage to walk even 200 feet in a single day...

I eat pretty normally—basically the same portions as my wife—but she’s only 130 pounds and stays lean because she’s constantly moving around the house, cleaning, tidying up, blah blah blah...

😲 😲 Saying 200 meters is an understatement. That's practically standing still.

You know better than anyone that you have to change this habit. If your office isn't too far away, maybe try walking there instead of driving.

Otherwise, set aside some time in the morning or evening just to get out for a stroll.

Or, take a page out of your wife's book and start staying active around the house.😉

By the way, your blood pressure reading is perfect. Any slight variation is likely just down to the device itself.

lonebear3 said:😲 😲 Saying 200 meters is an understatement. That's practically standing still.

You know better than anyone that you have to change this habit. If your office isn't too far away, maybe try walking there instead of driving.

Otherwise, set aside some time in the morning or evening just to get out for a stroll.

Or, take a page out of your wife's book and start staying active around the house.😉

By the way, your blood pressure reading is perfect. Any slight variation is likely just down to the device itself.

I work from home.😍

I mean, I do stuff around the house—mowing the lawn, cleaning, helping out... but it doesn't even come close to the amount of steps she gets compared to me...

And as for that 200 meters, I think I overstated it😢

Sometimes it’s even less... it's terrible... I'm fully aware I need to do something about it, but I have no clue what... walking isn't really an option because my neighborhood is way too busy and not exactly pedestrian-friendly, and even if it were quiet, walking alone feels kind of depressing...

The only real solution I see is hitting the local gym twice a week to hop on a stationary bike, stretch a bit, and lift some weights... nothing crazy to "bodybuild," just enough to tone up and actually burn some calories.

Or maybe just buy a Peloton and grind on it every single morning and right before bed...

Anyway, I have to brag a little... I worked out a bit this morning, stretched out this afternoon, and now I’m planning another 15-20 minutes of movement tonight.

Timothy Morgan38 said:I work from home.😍

I mean, I do stuff around the house—mowing the lawn, cleaning, helping out... but it doesn't even come close to the amount of steps she gets compared to me...

And as for that 200 meters, I think I overstated it😢

Sometimes it’s even less... it's terrible... I'm fully aware I need to do something about it, but I have no clue what... walking isn't really an option because my neighborhood is way too busy and not exactly pedestrian-friendly, and even if it were quiet, walking alone feels kind of depressing...

The only real solution I see is hitting the local gym twice a week to hop on a stationary bike, stretch a bit, and lift some weights... nothing crazy to "bodybuild," just enough to tone up and actually burn some calories.

Or maybe just buy a Peloton and grind on it every single morning and right before bed...

Anyway, I have to brag a little... I worked out a bit this morning, stretched out this afternoon, and now I’m planning another 15-20 minutes of movement tonight.

Brava 🙂

It might be worth checking if that gym offers any group classes. Joining a class could help you find a rhythm and force you to actually stick to a schedule until it becomes a habit.

If that feels like too much, just throw on some athletic gear and go for walks around the neighborhood. If you live in a small town, people might give you a funny look at first, but that's their business, not yours. You can always tell them you're training for power walking. 😁
As far as walking goes, I’ve been commuting on foot for quite a while now. I find that while my body is basically on autopilot, my mind gets a lot of heavy lifting done during those stretches.

Whatever you decide to do, don't overdo it right out of the gate, and keep some aspirin on hand for when the muscle soreness inevitably hits.

Good luck! 👋

Timothy Morgan38 said:I work from home.😍

I mean, I do stuff around the house—mowing the lawn, cleaning, helping out... but it doesn't even come close to the amount of steps she gets compared to me...

And as for that 200 meters, I think I overstated it😢

Sometimes it’s even less... it's terrible... I'm fully aware I need to do something about it, but I have no clue what... walking isn't really an option because my neighborhood is way too busy and not exactly pedestrian-friendly, and even if it were quiet, walking alone feels kind of depressing...

The only real solution I see is hitting the local gym twice a week to hop on a stationary bike, stretch a bit, and lift some weights... nothing crazy to "bodybuild," just enough to tone up and actually burn some calories.

Or maybe just buy a Peloton and grind on it every single morning and right before bed...

Anyway, I have to brag a little... I worked out a bit this morning, stretched out this afternoon, and now I’m planning another 15-20 minutes of movement tonight.

But will you actually have the motivation to go?😉 ...I feel like I've been saying "I'll start tomorrow" for ages now, and yet, here I am.

and maybe buy a stationary bike so I can ride it every morning and right before bed...

I bought an Orbi-trek and used it for a few days...😁 ...it’s honestly much better than a regular stationary bike.👍

Douglas Ramos2 said:But will you actually have the motivation to go?😉 ...I feel like I've been saying "I'll start tomorrow" for ages now, and yet, here I am.

and maybe buy a stationary bike so I can ride it every morning and right before bed...

I bought an Orbi-trek and used it for a few days...😁 ...it’s honestly much better than a regular stationary bike.👍

Well, hmmmmm... I have the drive to fix my mobility issues... but my main thing is that I won't let anyone pressure me. I don't recognize authority or any kind of coercion...

But once I decide to do something on my own terms, it usually clicks perfectly...

The Orbitrek isn't really my thing... tried one at a friend's place and it just wasn't it... it started annoying me after two minutes...

Lifting weights, on the other hand, doesn't irritate me because I did it when I was younger and I still have the drive for it...

Anything but running...🤣

lonebear3 said:Brava 🙂

It might be worth checking if that gym offers any group classes. Joining a class could help you find a rhythm and force you to actually stick to a schedule until it becomes a habit.

If that feels like too much, just throw on some athletic gear and go for walks around the neighborhood. If you live in a small town, people might give you a funny look at first, but that's their business, not yours. You can always tell them you're training for power walking. 😁
As far as walking goes, I’ve been commuting on foot for quite a while now. I find that while my body is basically on autopilot, my mind gets a lot of heavy lifting done during those stretches.

Whatever you decide to do, don't overdo it right out of the gate, and keep some aspirin on hand for when the muscle soreness inevitably hits.

Good luck! 👋

An old friend from back in the day is actually a trainer there, which is a huge plus. After five or six years of total lethargy... I could really use someone who actually knows what they're talking about to tell me what I need...

I’m heading in to talk about a membership at the end of this week, so we'll see how it goes...

Honestly, I'd much rather hit the gym and sweat my way through a workout I actually enjoy than go for walks and deal with people giving me weird looks like you mentioned...

Timothy Morgan38 said:Well, hmmmmm... I have the drive to fix my mobility issues... but my main thing is that I won't let anyone pressure me. I don't recognize authority or any kind of coercion...

But once I decide to do something on my own terms, it usually clicks perfectly...

The Orbitrek isn't really my thing... tried one at a friend's place and it just wasn't it... it started annoying me after two minutes...

Lifting weights, on the other hand, doesn't irritate me because I did it when I was younger and I still have the drive for it...

Anything but running...🤣

Well, lifting weights is great for building muscle, but it isn't really about cardio.🙄 You can't really compare it to cycling or using an Orbi-trek. If your goal is to lose weight and stay healthy, you probably shouldn't just stick to the weights. Heh, the reason you don't like running or the Orbi-trek is because they wear you out—and that just means you're actually working hard.😉 ...

Douglas Ramos2 said:Well, lifting weights is great for building muscle, but it isn't really about cardio.🙄 You can't really compare it to cycling or using an Orbi-trek. If your goal is to lose weight and stay healthy, you probably shouldn't just stick to the weights. Heh, the reason you don't like running or the Orbi-trek is because they wear you out—and that just means you're actually working hard.😉 ...

No, I don't like running because I have zero technique and I'm winded after five meters...

I can walk, though19 miles if necessary.

And the Orbi-trek just irritates me for some unknown reason... I tried it once and gave up after a minute or two... it just gets on my nerves...

As for the gym, my main goal there is the stationary bike, stretching, and having access to a trainer... weight loss isn't really the priority here; I just want to build some functional strength (without getting bulky)... It would take way too long to explain why I need to strengthen my muscles, but let's just say I'd prefer my spine not to ache for a week every time I exert myself even slightly.😉

So, how do you actually deal with stress?
I've been living in a constant state of high alert for five years straight.
Is there any way out of this mess?

Exactly. Psychotherapy. Relaxation techniques. Staying active.
Could you elaborate a bit on what kind of stress we're actually talking about?

Kyle Lee7 said:Exactly. Psychotherapy. Relaxation techniques. Staying active.
Could you elaborate a bit on what kind of stress we're actually talking about?

I’m constantly on edge, just worrying about everything—how things are going to pan out, how this will end, how that will work.
It gets especially bad right before finals. Or even a month before exams start, especially if I'm scrambling just to meet a prerequisite.
That’s literally why I ended up in the hospital.
My ulcer actually perforated.

So, it sounds like you aren't necessarily dealing with extreme external stressors, but rather you have a natural tendency toward tension, anxiety, and things of that nature.

Psychotherapy might be a good move.
Plus everything else I mentioned earlier. You really need to learn how to decompress, though I know that’s much easier said than done.

Douglas Ramos2 said:What kind of "scary" problems? I'm genuinely curious.
For me, it started with heart palpitations (sometimes hitting over 180 bpm) and PVCs, along with this heavy pressure in my chest—I honestly thought I was having a heart attack😲. My hands were tingling, my back was aching, and then they found a cyst on my thyroid😲. On top of that, my cholesterol was high (which was weird because I'm not overweight and I eat pretty healthy with very little meat), plus I had GERD😲 and my esophagus was in really bad shape. I also had a slight fever that lingered for months without any clear cause, and my white blood cell count was elevated for no apparent reason... and the thing is, I felt mostly fine, or at least that's how it seemed to me🤣... nothing quite as extreme as what you went through🤷... and all of this happened within just a few months. Eventually, I just gave up on running from clinic to clinic and wasting money (partly because seeing so many bad test results was starting to freak me out a bit)🤣. Now, I'll probably only see a doctor when I'm on my deathbed😁, even if I do need to go in for regular checkups once in a while.

It sounds exactly like my experience, just without the tachycardia or the cyst.
I dealt with high cholesterol and triglycerides, though I managed to bring them down to the normal range eventually.
I was carrying about 30 pounds extra, and since my commute is roughly a 40-mile drive, my daily activity level was basically that of an 80-year-old, barely walking a kilometer a day.
My symptoms included:
dizziness, which led me to quit smoking far too early, numbness in my left arm, "stabbing" sensations in my chest, anxiety, general discomfort, and constant back pain that radiated toward my left arm and neck—it was truly awful.
I went through EKGs and stress tests, everything under the sun, five times total. Apparently, it wasn't my heart
. Then one day, I ran into a colleague I hadn't seen in two years. He had quit smoking because stress had seemingly taken its toll on him.
He was experiencing the exact same symptoms that both he and Ida Bauer had.
It's funny how no matter what illness someone mentions, he immediately starts feeling those specific pains, and so on and so forth.
In the end, his doctor, an internist, suggested he see a psychiatrist.
And that's exactly what happened; he was prescribed some anti-anxiety medication, and the doctor told him it was nothing to worry about and wouldn't kill him.
After three months, he told me everything had returned to normal. Now, whenever he feels that discomfort or that sensation like he might "snap," he just takes one little green pill and everything settles down.
He really thought it was the end of the world at the time.

So, I guess what you're saying is it's not really about some massive, external crisis hitting you, but more that you just tend to carry a lot of tension and worry around with you.

Psychotherapy, maybe.
And honestly, everything else I mentioned earlier. You really need to figure out how to actually unwind, though I know that's way easier said than done.

Pretty much, yeah.

My doctor recently suggested that most of my recurring health issues might actually be triggered by stress. I’m a bit skeptical about blaming stress for absolutely everything, but it certainly plays a major role in most of it. For me, it usually starts with my allergies—my sinuses and nose are always acting up—and then everything else just spirals from there. I’ve always been the type of person who constantly worries about something; I’m tense, easily frustrated... it’s just how I am. On top of that, because I barely have any time for physical activity, I’ve just been getting more exhausted, hitting a wall faster, and feeling even less resilient. It feels like this endless, vicious cycle. Does anyone here have experience with specific relaxation techniques? Unfortunately, I can't make it to dance classes or aerobics, though I might try to squeeze in some gym sessions just to build up my stamina. Any suggestions?

http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/

You can download some relaxation videos from this site—it also offers solid advice on stress management.

What gets you going?
Whenever I’m feeling stressed or just in a funk, I head out into the woods. Honestly, the second my feet hit the dirt instead of the pavement, everything just clears up. Hehe.
If you have a quiet spot nearby, give it a shot. Leave your phone behind—don't take anything with you—and just go listen to the silence. That’s what does it for me. I always come back feeling like a completely different person.

Daniel Bennett53 said:My doctor recently suggested that most of my recurring health issues might actually be triggered by stress. I’m a bit skeptical about blaming stress for absolutely everything, but it certainly plays a major role in most of it. For me, it usually starts with my allergies—my sinuses and nose are always acting up—and then everything else just spirals from there. I’ve always been the type of person who constantly worries about something; I’m tense, easily frustrated... it’s just how I am. On top of that, because I barely have any time for physical activity, I’ve just been getting more exhausted, hitting a wall faster, and feeling even less resilient. It feels like this endless, vicious cycle. Does anyone here have experience with specific relaxation techniques? Unfortunately, I can't make it to dance classes or aerobics, though I might try to squeeze in some gym sessions just to build up my stamina. Any suggestions?

Personally, I think no relaxation technique will help you unless you start being physically active.
Lack of time is just an excuse. If you don't have time and you say you're stressed, it means you're living too fast. Slow down. Cut out or reduce activities that eat up so much of your time, because in a few years, you won't have the strength for anything at all.
The fact that you are constantly worried and irritated is a signal from your psyche demanding change, and it will manifest in your health more and more.
Relaxation techniques are great once you've physically worn yourself out through activity, but if you aren't active, they can actually make things worse by making you feel even more sluggish.
It doesn't matter what you do or how long it takes. Even 10 or 15 minutes a day is enough to wake up your system.
Another thing you need to watch is your diet, hydration, and sleep.
The solution to your problems is so simple... the hardest part is starting. From experience, I know you'll just keep spinning in circles if you don't get moving. Use the time you would have spent on a relaxation technique for actual physical activity instead.👍

I’ve been dealing with this whole laundry list of issues lately, which I’m pretty sure is all stemming from stress. It’s this persistent pain in my chest and back—sometimes it’s a sharp, stabbing sensation along my side that shoots all the way up to my armpit, and occasionally it even climbs up toward my throat. I’ve gone through the ringer with medical tests; my heart is fine, and my blood work looks great, aside from my cholesterol being a bit high. Because of that, I’ve started following a specific diet.
Even though the doctors have convinced me that everything is physically fine, these symptoms just won't quit.
I actually went in for a massage to help with my back because my job keeps me glued to a desk for six or seven hours a day. For one brief moment, it actually worked—I was pain-free for an entire day. But now? It’s right back to square one.
It is incredibly frustrating...
I just can't seem to shake it.
If anyone out there has dealt with something similar, please reach out with some advice. I am absolutely convinced this is all just stress manifesting physically.

Sarah Wilson75 said:So, how do you actually deal with stress?
I've been living in a constant state of high alert for five years straight.
Is there any way out of this mess?

Who actually told you that you're just "stressed"!?

Look, there’s a whole list of chronic physical ailments that can mimic the feeling of stress—it's not always mental. So, before you go out and start pounding the pavement running, I'd strongly suggest getting a solid, full checkup from your doctor at a place like the Mayo Clinic. Seriously, if you have underlying issues with certain organs—or even some psychological conditions—pushing yourself too hard with running might actually make things a whole lot worse.