If you are a Nigerian reading this, I’m sure stress is a part of your daily routine. From struggling to wake up early to work and coming in late at night, to struggling for fuel, or hustling for daily bread.
Stress comes in different forms. It could be physical, emotional, environmental, or psychological stress. And I can bet you as a typical Nigerian, you have them all. There is no rest and I do not know if it’s because you people are wicked.
Oh, don’t get offended. I didn’t say it…
Some people argue that stress is necessary for survival and can be a motivation. Not me though, I’d rather have a stress-free existence – but there are studies that show that stress is the body’s natural alarm system that tells you how to react in times of danger.
These studies also show that if the body has too many stressors, it can negatively affect the health and well-being of an individual.
So what exactly is stress?
Definition of Stress
Stress is anything that requires physical, emotional, or psychological strain. It is your body’s way of letting you know you have reached out of your comfort zone.
Stress is your body’s fight-or-flight signal. It is your body’s automatic reaction to situations that are uncomfortable either physically, emotionally, psychologically or in any other way.
For Nigerians, you can call it your “Ija wa, Ija osi” signal.
Everyone experiences stress from time to time. However, the ways you manage your triggers are what make the overall difference to your well-being.
What are stress triggers?
Also known asY, stress triggers are those things that make you feel angry, tense, worried, or irritable. They could come with symptoms like headaches or stomach upset, or fatigue. Other times it could be that you find it hard to focus or you have trouble sleeping at night.
A stressor can be a place, person, or situation that pushes your stress buttons.
Stressors can come from any angle. Work, family, relationships, and sometimes even pressure you place on yourself. A survey shows that the highest cause of stress for many Nigerians is funds.
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How to deal with stress
Once you’ve identified your stress triggers, you need to find a good way to deal with them. There are several ways to deal with stress, so you need to pick the ones that work best for you.
Have a self-care routine
We all know that this country is about the grind and everyone is trying their best to make ends meet. And in the middle of all these, you can easily forget to take care of yourself.
Do things that help you relax. Watch a movie. Exercise. Go for walks. Choose and practice a hobby.
Some people have a skincare routine. They manage their stress by taking great care of their skin. For some others, it’s their hair. Pick what works for you and do it regularly.
Avoid Procrastination
One of the major causes of stress is anxiety. When you keep putting things off till the last minute until you are on a tight deadline. Now, I understand that there’s this adrenaline rush you get from meeting tight deadlines, but too much adrenaline causes high pressure. A sure sign of stress.
If you want to lower your stress level, stay organized. Do things at the right time so you would not be under pressure. Yes, I’m talking to myself too.
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Know your limits
Self-awareness is very important to deal with stress. As earlier stated, you need to know your triggers, and to do that you must study yourself.
Know when your body is telling you to stop. And when you hear those cries for help, please stop. Your body will communicate in different ways. Headaches, stomach aches, temperature. Take note of these things and give heed.
Apart from knowing your physical limit, you should also know your emotional limits. Stay away from people that stress you. Keep negative energy far away.
Recognize your triggers or stress sensors and manage them accordingly.
Learn to say “NO”
I understand that you want to help people, but you need to know that you cannot help everyone. You are not the Messiah.
Taking on projects when you know you have enough on your plate already will stress you. Your stress levels can be reduced when you say no to unnecessary requests. In every form, whether extra work from a colleague or billing from family and friends.
Avoid people who stress you. Tap into your inner Gen Z, use the word No often and use it proudly.
You will thank me later ?.
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Do things that help you de-stress
There’s something known as good stress. This is the kind that puts you in a good mood. The process of doing this is known as de-stressing. Good stress helps to suppress your stress levels and increase productivity.
Activities like games, mountain climbing for fun, kayaking, sex, etc are good de-stressors. They release the right amount of adrenaline that your body needs to remain at peace.
Find activities that will stimulate your brain and trigger your dopamine levels, so you feel relaxed.
Learn to ask for help
I know I already told you to say “NO” above and now I’m telling you to ask for help. So, now you’re wondering if I really know what I’m doing? Well, maybe, maybe not; I have kuku never claimed to be a professional or anything.
But seriously, ask for help when you need it.
If you are managing a lot of things at once, the chances of chronic stress are very high. It will get overwhelming to keep up with everything, so please have a circle you can ask for help when you need it.
Sleep well and sleep deep
You will be surprised at how well sleep can help you keep stress at bay. Without good and deep sleep, there is no way you are keeping stress away. Deep sleep will help you relax your brain muscles as well as your body.
So, get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, and sleep deep. It’s like nature’s massage.
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Practice deep breathing
Whenever you feel overwhelmed or encounter any of your stress signals, take a deep breath.
Take a long breath of fresh air, hold it in for about 5 seconds, and then let it out slowly. Do it again and again until you are calm.
This is a good way to turn off your body’s fight or flight stress response. A good way to tell your body “not today”.
Have an emotional outlet
Stress is triggered by emotions, mostly negative ones. Truth be told, as adults, we tend to bottle up emotions. Always forming “hard guy” and “hard babe”.
What you don’t know is that these emotions have a way of building up, until one day it bursts open like a well-shaken bottle of Pepsi. And when this happens, it becomes messy and there’s a lot of clean up to do.
This is why it’s important to have an emotional outlet. Call a friend to rant. Scream into your pillow. Go for boxing lessons. Work out. Just have a medium of letting out your feelings.
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Take everything as cruise
Last but definitely not least. Maybe the most important in this series of tips. To manage your stress levels as a typical Nigerian, make sure everything is a joke to you.
This country will try you and drag you through the mud. So just take it in stride and have fun as you go. Do not think too much about anything and take one day at a time. Deal with problems as they come.
Many times we make up problems in our minds even before they come. But if you laugh it off, you give it no power over you.
Conclusion: How To Manage Stress
Stress will never be fully eliminated. As we all know “problem no dey finish”, but at the same time “overthinking no fit solve problem”.
This is why you should have these strategies on how to manage stress before and after it occurs. It helps you live an improved and enjoyable life and honestly nothing is worth stressing about.
