Soft skills & personality
Stress

We all experience stress at some point. Some more, some less. Why do some people stay cool and others become a nervous wreck? What happens in the body during stress? What happens in the mind?

We take a close look at the phenomenon of stress in several articles – with the aim of leading a stress-free life, of course.

Our first article (this one) is about stress as such:

  • What is stress?
  • What triggers stress; what are stressors?
  • What happens in the body under stress?
  • How does the body reduce stress?
  • What are stress symptoms?
  • What happens with chronic stress?
  • What is stress good for?
  • Do men and women react differently to stress?
  • Does stress make you ill?
  • First aid kit for stress.

What we will write about in the stress section:

Stress management, stress resistance & stress-free living

  • Relieve stress: What can you do if the stress is already there? What tips, exercises and actions can you use to make the stress disappear again?
  • Stress resistance: How can you set yourself up mentally in the long term so that you remain calm and become less susceptible to stress?
  • Resilience: what is it? How do you become resilient?

What else should we write about? Send us an e-mail and tell us which topic we should definitely cover. We look forward to your input!

info@berlinerteam.de
Stress symptom exhaustion

So – here we go!

Stress

We all talk about being stressed. And we all know the feeling. What is behind it?

In view of the fact that more and more people are suffering from burn-out or depression and that stress is increasingly being cited in medicine as the cause of serious or even life-threatening illnesses, we believe it is important to address the issue of stress and resilience. Especially because the situation and pressure at work are among the most frequently cited stressors.

Damage caused by stress

Deaths from overwork are increasing worldwide: according to a UN study, 745,000 people worldwide die from overwork every year. In Japan, there is even a separate word for death from overwork: karōshi (Japanese: 過労死)

According to the TK Stress Study 2021, mental illness is the most common cause of sick leave at 20%. In 2022, there was an unusually high sickness rate, which cost the economy up to 42 billion euros according to the Kiel economic reports. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, mental illnesses last three times as long as other illnesses.

So stress is not just something you say “It’s all a bit stressful at the moment”. Stress is a serious problem that has a measurable negative impact on people, families, companies and the economy.

The Federal Ministry of Health, health insurance companies and scientists from many disciplines agree: stress prevention is essential to avoid damage to health, business and the economy.

What can companies, what can each individual, what can you do to deal better with stress; to build stress resilience?

First of all, it is important to understand the phenomenon of stress.

Stress reaction of the brain

Stress definition

Stress is a psychophysical state of tension triggered by internal or external stimuli (stressors) that is perceived as unpleasant: the body goes on alert using stress hormones in order to be able to deal with difficult situations. Stress is associated with high levels of strain, tension and excessive demands.

What is stress?

The word stress comes from the English and means pressure, strain, tension; it is used in physics, biology and psychology.

In physics, stress describes the change in a substance caused by the application of force. The word stress has also been used in biology since 1936: Biochemist Hans Selye defined stress as a “non-specific reaction of the body to any demand”.

Today, stress is generally associated with the psychological components of pressure, strain and tension.

The Latin roots of the word stress come from the word “stringere”, which means to bind together.

Consequences of stress

Differences in pressure, strain, stress

The terms pressure, strain and stress are often used interchangeably. We want to disentangle them somewhat linguistically.

Print:

  • Pressure refers to demands or expectations placed on a person or situation. Pressure can come from outside or from within.
  • This can be, for example, time pressure to meet a deadline or the expectation to achieve certain goals (pressure to perform).
  • Pressure can be both positive (motivation) and negative (stress), depending on the person’s perception and ability to cope.

Load:

  • Stress describes the amount of tasks, responsibilities or challenges that a person has to cope with.
  • This can include both physical stress (e.g. physical work) and psychological stress (e.g. emotional stress due to interpersonal conflicts).
  • Stress is neutral and can be managed or perceived as overwhelming depending on individual ability and resources.
  • Even habitual stress can be perceived as overwhelming if it is not alternated with relaxation

Stress:

  • Stress arises when a person feels that the demands and burdens exceed their ability to cope. This is also known as distress. (There is also so-called eustress, which is more commonly referred to as excitement. Explanation follows).
  • Stress is a reaction of the body to a situation that is perceived as threatening, which triggers a physical, emotional and/or mental response.
  • Stress can be both short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic). Distress has a negative impact on health and well-being if it is not managed appropriately.

To summarize briefly:

  • Pressure refers to demands and expectations, while stress describes the amount of tasks or challenges.
  • Stress is the reaction to pressure and strain when these are perceived as overwhelming.
  • Pressure and strain can be positive and have a motivating effect, while stress is perceived as negative and can have a negative impact on health and well-being if it is not managed.

Distress and eustress

So is stress always negative? Yes and no. Here it depends on how the word stress is used. In common parlance, stress is associated with negative stress – i.e. distress. This is how we want to use the term in this article. Nevertheless, there is also the word eustress, which is a reaction to positively perceived stress.

Occupational stress

Definition Distress:

  • Distress refers to negative or harmful stress caused by unpleasant or stressful events or situations.
  • This can cause physical, emotional or mental stress and lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed or helpless.
  • Distress can occur both acutely (short-term) and chronically (long-term) and has a negative impact on health and well-being if it is not managed appropriately.
  • Entymology: The prefix “di” denotes a negation, separation, fragmentation or divergence. To qualify someone is something positive, to disqualify refers to something opposite.

Definition of eustress:

  • Eustress, as opposed to distress, refers to positive or productive stress that is triggered by challenges or exciting events such as weddings, sporting competitions, well-prepared job interviews, etc. We usually feel stimulated by this, motivated to do our best.
  • The physical reaction to the perceived positive stress helps to master the challenge.
  • Eustress can be motivating and inspiring and help to increase self-confidence and performance. Ignoring your own performance limits can have a helpful effect. The danger here is to overdo it.
  • Entymology: Eu- comes from the Greek and means good, similar to euphoria.

In comparison:

  • Distress is negative or harmful stress that leads to unpleasant or burdensome feelings. Symptoms can include discomfort, anxiety, tenseness and blockages through to inner emptiness.
  • Eustress is positive or productive stress that can be motivating and conducive to personal growth and helps us to exceed performance limits.
  • The difference between the two lies in the type of stress perceived and the impact on well-being and performance. While distress has negative effects, eustress can offer positive results and opportunities for development.

We have taken this graphic from Selye’s stress theory (1974):

Distress Eustress

Reminder:

When we talk about stress in the rest of the article, we always refer to distress, unless otherwise stated.

Why stress?

When great demands are placed on us, stress is a completely normal reaction. The body prepares itself for challenges. The deadlines of our ancestors were to be understood quite literally: it was not about deadlines, but about the challenge of averting mortal danger from enemies or predators. In this situation, all the body’s resources had to be mobilized in order to stay alive. In other words, the body prepared itself with all its strength to be able to flee quickly or fight powerfully.

What happens during stress?

The body’s stress response

The area of the brain that deals with emotions, the amygdala, triggers the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. As a result, the heart pumps faster and supplies the muscles of the extremities with more blood so that the arms or legs are optimally equipped for fight or flight. Dilated bronchial tubes and sugar from the liver provide the muscles with more energy. On the other hand, areas of the body that are not needed in this extreme situation are put on the back burner, because all energy should flow into life support measures. This means that digestion is reduced. And since pain is to be expected, but you should not be distracted by it, the sensation of pain is also reduced. The physical foundations have been laid; from now on we act reflexively instead of thinking our actions through.

After overcoming danger, the body goes into relaxation mode. The body ensures that all stimulating hormones are removed from the blood. The residues of the stress hormones have a morphine-like effect and make people feel satisfied and happy.

Stress response.
Activation of the stress system, release of hormones.
Graphic: A find in English: The stress response, i.e. the activation of the stress system

Causes of stress

Today, the same biological reactions are at work as with our ancestors. Unfortunately, our body reacts just as intensely to the life-threatening threat of a sabre-toothed tiger as it does to the 300 unread emails in our inbox. Psychologist Veronika Engert from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig: “Life-threatening stressors have become relatively rare in our modern Western society” – “What stresses us is primarily of a psychosocial nature.”

Psychosocial stress

What triggers psychosocial stress?

Psychosocial stress is triggered by uncontrollability, novelty and threats to the self-image or ego. These can be the unmanageable demands of the new project, quarrels with superiors, debts that cannot be paid off so easily, parenting and caring responsibilities, having to juggle three things at once, embarrassing mistakes….

Studies on psychosocial stress

To trigger psychosocial stress in her experiments, the professor of social neuroscience uses the Trier Social Stress Test, or TSST for short. Here, the test subjects have to give a 5-minute presentation with just 10 minutes’ preparation time. And that’s not all: they are critically observed, filmed, analyzed by psychologists and also have to solve math problems. The test reliably puts people under stress.

Veronika Engert: “There are countless little things in everyday life that stress us out, and the interesting thing is that the body reacts to them in the same way as if we were threatened by a bear…. ……. However, we often don’t need the extra energy – for example, when we’re sitting in the car and stuck in a traffic jam. It just drives us crazy and we become even more restless.”

We’ve all been there: drumming on the steering wheel or the edge of the desk, latent aggression, the feeling that you’re about to fly off the handle – and all because of a traffic jam or a phone call.

Trier Social Stress Test

Frequency of stress

In addition, the quantity and quality of stress have changed: instead of the occasional high-stress bear encounter, there are now many smaller stressors.

Professor Engert: “The way we live our lives, most of us often have low-threshold stress ……Before our body can calm down, the next stressor usually appears. As a result, we are constantly at an elevated stress level and simmer in a toxic cocktail of stress hormones.”

What happens with chronic stress?

Researchers have discovered that stress hormones are increasingly found in the blood and that they are no longer broken down properly. As a result, the hypocampus, which initiates the breakdown of stress hormones, continues to decline. The permanent presence of the actually beneficial stress hormones causes problems with the heart, immune system and depression. More and more studies are proving the influence of stress on diseases such as cancer, arthritis and so on. More on this later.

Here is a short video from WDR that explains exactly what happens in the body under stress.

Stres chocolate

How does the body reduce stress?

As in ancient times, the best way to help the body reduce stress hormones is to exercise and relax. We go into more detail about what this can look like in the article on stress management.

Which hormone reduces stress?

Which hormones help with stress? Basically, sleeping and cuddling help: the sleep hormone melatonin and the bonding and cuddling hormone oxyticin help to reduce stress.

And – good news: Studies have shown that dark chocolate lowers cortisol levels. Pears and bananas have also been identified as lowering cortisol levels. So cuddling up and snoozing on the couch with the occasional chocolate. Doesn’t sound too bad. So there’s a good reason why most of us like to do this.

How long does it take to recover from stress?

First things first: as long as the stress-inducing stimulus is present, your body reacts with a stress response, i.e. it prepares for flight or fight. Only when calm returns does your body stop producing adrenaline and cortisol and starts to break them down. Adrenaline is broken down in a flash – in other words, within minutes; cortisol takes a few hours to break down. There are various factors that influence your recovery:

  • How long does the stress last?
  • How seriously do you take him?
  • How do you deal with it?
  • How healthy are you?
  • Do you have people who support you?

These factors are important to put you in a good position to reduce stress

Chocolate against stress

What are the symptoms of stress?

What happens when you are stressed? Basically, all areas are affected by stress: your body, your psyche, your ability to think and your way of acting.

Knowing the symptoms of stress is the first step to managing stress effectively. By becoming aware of how stress affects our body, mind and behavior, we can take targeted action to reduce our stress levels and promote a healthy work-life balance.

Physical stress symptoms

What are the body’s warning signals?

  • Headache
  • Back pain
  • Tension in the neck, shoulders and back
  • Gastrointestinal complaints (constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain)
  • Muscle tension
  • Sleep disorders: Difficulty falling asleep, sleeping through the night, chronic fatigue
  • Reduced performance, exhaustion
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Palpitations, heart palpitations, tightness in the chest and even a heart attack
  • Dizziness, trembling
  • Cold hands/feet
  • Loss of appetite or ravenous hunger
  • Increased susceptibility to infections
  • Sweating
  • Sexual dysfunction
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Skin rash

Mental stress symptoms

  • Fear
  • Irritability
  • Nervousness (teeth grinding, stuttering)
  • Depression and depressive moods
  • Concentration disorders
  • Memory problems
  • Increased emotional sensitivity
  • Feeling of being overwhelmed
  • Feeling of emptiness
  • Inner restlessness,
  • Excessive brooding
  • Feeling of hopelessness
  • Loss of interest in previous hobbies or activities

Cognitive stress symptoms

  • Slowed down thinking
  • Difficulties in the decision-making process
  • Lack of flexibility in thinking
  • Negative thought spirals
  • Difficulty forming clear thoughts
  • Mental exhaustion
  • Feeling of being overwhelmed
  • Memory problems.
  • Difficulties in solving complex problems
  • Drop in performance

Stress symptoms in behavior

  • Stress symptoms at action level:
  • Increased consumption of alcohol or other drugs
  • Unhealthy eating habits (overeating or loss of appetite)
  • Social withdrawal
  • Increased cigarette consumption
  • Impulsive or aggressive behavior
  • Sleep disorders
  • Avoidance behavior
Stress Men Women

Different stress response in women and men

Professor Birgit Derntl from the University of Tübingen wanted to find out whether stress affects men and women differently. And yes – it does!

The psychologist and her team investigated which factors influence the perception of stress. They focused on subjective, hormonal and neuronal factors. In the experiment, the test subjects were first exposed to performance stress in arithmetic tasks and then to the stress of social exclusion. Derntl: “Both genders experienced the tasks as stressful, regardless of how well they performed.” However, even though the subjective stress perception of the genders was the same, the hormonal reaction differed considerably: while the cortisol level of the female participants remained unchanged, it increased in the male participants. There were also differences at the neuronal level: brain scans showed that areas responsible for attention were more active in men, but not in women. “This suggests that the way we deal with such tasks is different. But what we saw in the social stress test is that progesterone increased in women and testosterone in men,” says Derntl. “But there is still a lot to be clarified as to why this is the case.” The results of this and other studies by Ms. Derntl and her colleagues indicate that stress reactions and the way stress is dealt with may differ between the sexes.

It’s not just the way our bodies deal with stress that differs; the everyday stress levels and stress triggers (stressors) of the sexes also differ. You can find out more about how much and why men and women are stressed later in the chapter on stressors.

Is stress contagious?

Unfortunately, yes. As if your own stress wasn’t enough…

Prof. Dr. Veronika Engert is also researching this: she checked the cortisol levels of people who were watching someone else being put through the Trier Social Stress Test. The result: “When people experience a stressful situation, for example an exam interview, we can immediately detect an increased hormone level in the blood, even if they are not being tested themselves. This reaction is part of our social nature and is all the more pronounced the closer we are to the examinee”. This phenomenon is called empathic stress. This form of stress is useful in many situations. Children in particular, who are not yet able to assess where dangers lie in wait for them, orient themselves to the stress level of adults. And yes – for parents under constant stress, this naturally has a negative effect.

Stress and age

Stress and age

“Why am I no longer as resilient?” – Of course, as we get older, we have fewer physical resources at our disposal and many things that were easy when we were younger become more challenging. However, the subjective perception of stress, or stress sensitivity, also increases with age. Researchers have discovered this in two studies:

Martin Sliwinsky, David Almeida, Robert Stawski and Joshua Smyth describe a study in which middle-aged people were asked daily about their feelings of stress and their mood. Ten years later, this survey was repeated with the same people. In another study, people who were on average 80 years old at the time of the survey were interviewed daily. These surveys were repeated every six months.

The results: on average, the reaction to stress increases with age, although the individual reaction strength remains stable. If people are already under stress, they react more strongly to additional stressors.

This shows that being affected by stress is related to the existing situation, personality and age.

Chronic stress

We often have to deal with not just one stressor, but several. And the stress often drags on over longer periods of time; it is often a life issue. This means that the phase in which stress is normally reduced can no longer take place. This can be caused by a permanently high workload, caring for someone or an illness. The stress piles up; the physical symptoms mentioned above do not disappear.

But what happens when you have too much stress? When the stress just won’t stop and you can’t calm down.

Stress study The stress level is continuously increasing

Who has chronic stress?

The Study on the Health of Adults in Germany (DEGS1) by the Robert Koch Institute RKI determined that, in addition to gender, socio-economic status (i.e. occupation, education, income, social status) and social support are factors for stress levels:

  • High stress levels are more than twice as common among those with a low socio-economic status (17.3%) than those with a high socio-economic status (7.6%).
  • At 26.2%, people with little social support are more frequently affected by high stress levels.
Socio-economic status

Stress levels and socio-economic status

Various studies are available on the subject of stress levels and socio-economic status.

Ethnicity and socio-economic status are linked to stress levels, as was reported in a 2017 publication by the American Psychological Association. Important factors here were participation in social life, experiences of violence and discrimination, social relationships, level of education and income. The less favorable these factors, the higher the likelihood of stress and its health consequences.

In addition, as Werdecker and Esch described in 2019, unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and drinking, which are actually intended to reduce stress, are more common among people who have less access to healthy and positive contacts and financial resources.

Cohen and Janicki-Deverts also proved in their 2012 studies that stress decreases with higher education and income. It makes sense: the more relaxed the financial and social situation, the less stress.

Interestingly, the TK Study 2021 came to these conclusions: People in Germany who have less than €3,000 a month at their disposal say they are less stressed than people with higher incomes, i.e. more than €3,000 net. More income, more subjective stress perception?

Care work as a stress factor

Stress levels Differences Men Women

There are numerous studies on the subject of stress in the sexes that shed light on the topic from different perspectives.

We have described the different reactions to stress in men and women above, and later we will see that the stress triggers also vary. Here we want to take a look at stress levels.

When it comes to stress levels between the sexes, there are signs of change. Previously, women were significantly more stressed, as numerous studies have shown:

In 2010, Purvanova and Muros showed that women suffered from emotional exhaustion more often than men. In 2014, Eek and Axmon found that working women are stressed more often, apparently because men take on less housework and women are therefore more burdened.

According to the TK Stress Study 2021, this is changing. The 21 study compares the values with previous TK studies from 2013 and 2016. Here you can see that the differences in stress levels are converging. (See graphic) It is assumed that the higher involvement of men in household duties and care work could be a reason for their rising stress levels. However, the care workload is still far from being shared equally.

2021 Infographic Stress study Women are more stressed

The consequences of chronic stress

The stress spiral

If our entire system is permanently running at maximum capacity due to stress, then a logical consequence is a permanent feeling of exhaustion. The feeling of not having enough resources (time, energy, joy, attention, etc.) at our disposal makes upcoming challenges seem even greater. This creates a feeling of “I can’t do it”, “I don’t have my life under control”.

We feel paralyzed, accomplish less than we could with our full strength and feel even more pressure as a result. We no longer want to relax – we still have so much to do. So we crack the whip internally to drive ourselves on: we put ourselves under even more stress and forbid ourselves to relax. One part of us pushes ourselves mercilessly, while another scatters self-doubt and accusations of failure along the rocky path. When we need to calm down, for example in the evening before going to bed, thoughts of what we still have to do, what we haven’t achieved and what could happen to us as a result. The stress spiral is in full swing.

What happens to the body when you have too much stress?

If other demands or even stressors are added, we can quickly become derailed: we are highly sensitive, irritable, possibly aggressive; our psyche and body are on their last legs. Normal everyday stresses become too much for us. Our thoughts are constantly distracted, unfocused and brooding. We try to solve all kinds of problems at the same time. Our muscles, especially in the shoulder and neck area, are tense, our back hurts, we often have muscle twitching in our eyes, for example, we have a queasy feeling in our stomach, stomach cramps, palpitations and we may feel dizzy – all the time. The stress builds up in the body. And all this with constant tiredness. Because when we finally get some sleep, we are plagued by nightmares. In this phase, we have usually lost the enjoyment of things that we usually like; they just seem like more stress. This is the beginning of depressive moods and even outright depression.

Damage to health is foreseeable.

Stress Curve Diagram
Graphic: Another find in English.

Regeneration phase after chronic stress

Once the stress spiral is well under way, it takes more than a long weekend to get the stress out of the system again. This can take several weeks.

The length and severity of the previous stress load determine exactly how long it takes for a person to regenerate. If you have even suffered a burnout, the regeneration period can take years.

We work with companies on topics such as stress and resilience.

info@berlinerteam.de

Stress and health

The figures are worrying! Exhaustion (80 percent), sleep disorders (52 percent), headaches and migraines (40 percent) and depression (34 percent) are much higher among stressed people than among those with low stress levels. When stress levels are high, people are five times more likely to suffer from depression, more than half find it difficult to sleep and 80% are chronically exhausted.

2021 Infographic stress study Stress affects the body and psyche

When does stress make you ill?

If the body and mind do not return to a normal state at some point, signs of wear and tear develop in the form of physical and mental illnesses.

Stress and mental illness

On a psychological level, this can lead to anxiety disorders, addictions, burnout and depression. And as already mentioned at the beginning: mental illness is now one of the main causes of sickness-related absences from work.

It has long been scientifically proven that the probability of suffering a mental illness such as depression or burnout is increased by prolonged, severe stress. (Ganster & Schaubroeck, 1991)

In the representative TK Stress Study 2021 “Relax, Germany!”, participants were asked whether they had experienced depression, burnout or anxiety disorders in the last three years.

In the group of those who never, rarely or only sometimes experienced stress, between 9 -13 % were affected. Among those who were frequently stressed, however, 40% had psychological symptoms.

– Overall, 10% of the total population in Germany are frequently stressed and have psychological symptoms! Statistically, you can assume that one in ten of your team is affected.

Stress management, coping with stress and building resilience are likely to be important measures against stress, its health consequences and the increasing number of sick days due to mental illness.

Statistics: Days of incapacity to work due to burnout in Germany from 2004 to 2022 (per 1,000 AOK members) | Statista
You can find more statistics at Statista

Burnout

The number of sick days due to burnout diagnoses at the AOK has risen dramatically since 2005 (13.9 sick days per 1000 members). In 2022, the AOK counted 159.8 days of incapacity to work due to burn-out illnesses per 1000 members. That is more than eleven times as many sick days.

What is burnout?

The term ” burn out” was first mentioned by the US psychotherapist Herbert J. Freudenberger in 1974. It describes total exhaustion on a mental and physical level. Those affected show a lack of interest in their entire environment and a lack of drive, often also irritability.

If the stress level is high and remains so for a long time, the adrenal gland can lose its ability to generate cortisol. The result: total exhaustion. Nothing works anymore.

Since the beginning of 2022, burnout has been officially defined as an ICD-11 diagnosis of “stress at work that cannot be successfully managed”.

Who suffers from burnout?

Time and again we hear about celebrities suffering from burnout; however, it is usually those who earn little money and perform well without being noticed who are affected by burnout.

Medical sociologist Johannes Siegrist from the University of Düsseldorf on Deutschlandfunk radio:

“The lower someone is in the hierarchy in the company, the more frequently they are affected by these conditions. This is also important because there is also a social gradient in the most important stress-related illnesses. Depression is more common in lower positions, so-called lower social classes, and coronary heart disease has long since ceased to be a disease of managers. They are at least twice as common in the less qualified occupational groups. And our research also shows that work stress plays a greater role in the incidence of illness in these socially disadvantaged groups than is the case in the higher social classes.”

However, a number of scientists also see the phenomenon of “burnout” as a kind of socially acceptable way of addressing overload and depression. Fuchs et al. even see overload as an essential symptom of organizing ourselves as an “overburdened subject” in our living environment (Thomas Fuchs, Lukas Iwer and Stefano Micali 2018).

Autonomic nervous system
Graphic: Finding in English: Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system

Stress and the autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system (ANS), also known as the autonomic nervous system (VNS), plays a central role. It consists of two opposing actors, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for activating the body and putting it into an alert state; the task of the parasympathetic nervous system is to ensure relaxation. If you are under too much stress, the sympathetic nervous system is permanently overactivated. The autonomic nervous system also plays a key role in regulating life-sustaining bodily functions. If it is impaired, for example due to tension, it can no longer perform its tasks optimally and affects the function of the organs.

Unfortunately, the autonomic nervous system cannot be influenced at will – but it can be trained through relaxation exercises, meditation, etc., so that you can work out ways to slow down.

Which organs are affected by stress?

Stress affects many organs. We can’t look at every physical effect, but we want to take a closer look at the most common ones.

Basically, the body is damaged by stress and its psychological consequences. There is another factor: people suffering from stress tend to smoke, drink or engage in other addictive behaviors. These stress-related compensatory behaviors increase the risk of further illnesses. (Werdecker & Esch, 2019)

Interaction between stress and health

It has been proven many times over: Stress is detrimental to health. However, we should not ignore the fact that poor health can also trigger stress. On the one hand, illness and health restrictions trigger worries about one’s own health and performance. On the other hand, someone in poor health has less mental and physical capacity to deal with challenges. In this respect, we can assume that poor health and stress influence each other.

Cardiovascular system

Cardiovascular system and stress

It is not for nothing that heart attacks are associated with stress: if stress hormones are constantly causing palpitations and high blood pressure, the risk of a heart attack or stroke is of course physiologically significantly increased because the cardiovascular system cannot run at full speed for years.

However, the psyche, which is affected by stress, also contributes to this. According to psychocardiologist Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Ladwig from the Helmholtz Zentrum München, cardiac death due to stress has several causes: “Contrary to popular belief, sudden cardiac death does not usually occur after a single excitement”. Ladwig explains that current stress is often the trigger for sudden cardiac death. However, the basis for this can often be found in the depression that precedes it.

Ladwig cites a study in which heart attack survivors were examined: One group had before the heart attack, a negative emotional experience, the others did not, i.e. their heart attack was evaluated as purely physiological. A stress test showed that the bodies of the emotionally stressed people reacted differently to the additional stress than those of the control group: the number of leukocytes, which can cause blood clots, and blood pressure rose significantly higher in them. Prof. Dr. Ladwig: “This shows that stress is an independent risk factor for heart disease”, and:

“In addition to physical predisposition, the way people deal with emotional stress also plays a significant role”. – This means that the better we can deal with stress, the lower the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Burnout

Immune system and stress

Chronic stress increases the risk of infection. Neuroscientist Prof. Dr. Robert Dantzer and immunophysiologist Prof. Dr. Keith W. Kelley explain in their 2002 publication “Stress and immunity: An integrated view of relationships between the brain and the immune system” that chronic stress does not suppress the immune system solely due to high cortisol levels. Chronic stress has psychological consequences and thus influences the central nervous system. The brain and immune system communicate via the central nervous system as well as via hormones, so that their change due to stress exerts an important influence on the immune system and inflammation levels.

Stress also overstimulates the white blood cells, making inflammation worse.

Allergy, Man, Spring

Skin rashes, allergies, neurodermatitis, asthma and stress

Not every allergy is caused by stress. But stress has an influence on the skin and the allergy process; it can exacerbate the symptoms.

The research team led by Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, Director of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at Ohio University, tested the allergic reactions of people with hay fever. They found that the skin allergic reaction increased by 75% – 100% after acute stress (Trier Social Stress Test). The skin reaction also lasted considerably longer.

One possible explanation: Prof. Dr. med. Uwe Gieler from the Clinic for Psychosomatics & Psychotherapy, University of Giessen: “The skin and the central nervous system have the same developmental origin – both are formed in humans from the same genes.”

Gastrointestinal diseases and stress

The stomach and intestines react sensitively to constant stress. Remember: in acute stress situations, digestion is put on hold because blood and energy could be needed elsewhere. However, if the intestinal mucosa is permanently supplied with less blood, it can be damaged. Alexandra Kranzeder from Ulm University Hospital: “It then becomes more permeable to bacteria and other substances in the intestine. This activates immune cells in the intestinal wall, the mast cells, which in turn trigger inflammatory reactions via messenger substances.” Some stress hormones also have a direct influence on mast cell activity. All in all, stress can cause chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

Irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn and stomach ulcers are also associated with long-term stress. Attached you will find an article from the scientific magazine Spektrum, which explains in detail why stress affects digestion.

Stress and digestion

Stress and rheumatism

According to O. Malysheva, M. Pierer, U. Wagner and C.G.O. Baerwald, even mild or moderate chronic stress can increase the activity of rheumatoid arthritis. If stress is experienced at the beginning of the disease, it progresses more quickly. There is also a link between stress and the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. The authors recommend, among other things, cognitive restructuring, i.e. working on the mindset, relaxation techniques for prevention. We will discuss how to do this in the following articles and in our seminar.

Metabolism and stress:

Elevated liver values, kidney disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes, a disturbed hormone metabolism – all of these can be consequences of constant stress. There are so many diseases associated with chronic stress that we cannot name or even explain them all here…

Stress outbreak

Stress, age, health

Stress levels, age and health influence each other. Regardless of age, frequent stress leads to significantly worse health than less stressed people. According to the TK Stress Study 21, this difference increases with age: 14.1% of frequently stressed under 40-year-olds reported poor health; 58.9% of frequently stressed over 60-year-olds reported poor health. By comparison, only 13.2% of those over 60 who were never stressed reported poor health. This clearly shows that stress becomes a greater risk to health with every year of life!

Stress makes you age faster!

We have already talked about the fact that, according to studies, we become more susceptible to stress as we get older. But there is also a rather unfavorable correlation the other way round: stress has been shown to cause us to age physically more quickly.

In 2015, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich discovered that lifelong stress accelerates the ageing process.

Anthony Zannas, first author of the study: “We found that this stress-induced reprogramming takes place at the sites in the genome that are also associated with ageing processes.” This means that people who have been stressed throughout their lives were epigenetically classified as older than their actual age would suggest. As a result of earlier ageing, age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic or dementia diseases come knocking at the door.

Early prevention is needed here!

Stress in the office

Stress diagnosis

How high is your stress level?

Maybe you’re asking yourself: How do I know if I’m stressed? Then we have a checklist for you: At the end of the article, we link you to a professional self-assessment questionnaire from the LVR Klinik Bonn. You can use it to query and quantify the individual symptoms of stress to get an initial impression.

Stress diagnostics

How does a stress diagnosis work? – To determine whether someone is suffering from chronic stress, the following steps are taken

  1. A questionnaire about mood, life situation, stressors, social environment, diet, exercise, etc. to get a picture of the level of suffering, symptoms and context. There is also the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) tool, although its usefulness is the subject of controversial debate. Here, possible stressors are listed and rated with points. These include, for example, money, hardship, unemployment, death in the family, relationship problems, etc. >>>https://flexikon.doccheck.com/de/Social_Readjustment_Rating_Scale
  1. There are also various diagnostic procedures from conventional medicine:
  • Cortisol laboratory test The cortisol content can be measured in saliva. Such a test can of course be carried out at the doctor’s surgery. However, there are also tests starting at €20 that can be ordered online. The test should be carried out in the morning or several times throughout the day and cortisol levels can also be measured in the blood. The saliva test is more common.
  • Blood laboratory testPossible inflammation values are determined in the blood.
  • Heart rate variability analysis (HRV analysis) with the HRV scanner The heart rate variability analysis determines the milliseconds that elapse between heartbeats. In a healthy heart, these time intervals are different or variable. HRV is influenced by breathing, metabolism, hormones, movement, cognitive processes – and you guessed it: stress and relaxation. In stressful situations, for example fight & flight reactions, heart rate variability decreases, in relaxation situations, for example rest & digest, it increases. If the times between heartbeats are variable, then the body has retained the ability to slow down and recover. The HRV analysis is considered reliable for determining the body’s state of stress.
  • Dexamethasone inhibition test In very simple terms, this is where you add a cortisol-inhibiting agent and see whether it still has an effect.>>>https://flexikon.doccheck.com/de/Dexamethason-Hemmtest
  • Neuropattern is a relatively new diagnostic procedure that Prof. Hellhammer from the University of Trier has developed and tested in studies. “Neuropattern™ measures biological, psychological and physical signals of the stress reaction and relates them to each other. These patterns (neuropatterns) allow conclusions to be drawn about individual dysregulation of stress-relevant systems, which can trigger and maintain mental and psychosomatic illnesses.” >>> https://neuropattern.de/info/neuropattern
  • We at berliner team have had very good experiences with the Swiss provider IMDE. The concept of the stress programs and the very helpful analysis with the developer has already saved many managers and employees from burnout.

The results of the individual diagnostic procedures taken together then reveal the extent to which chronic or acute stress is present.

Video Resilience in dealing with stress and pressure

In the video, engineer Hagen talks to Christian Grätsch about how he overcame his breakdown and developed resilience.

Hagen’s statement that “temporary stress is probably the fig leaf we use to hide permanent overload from ourselves” is thought-provoking. Those who take on a great deal of responsibility and work with passion on a permanent basis often tend to put their own sensitivities on the back burner and instead focus solely on the goals they have set themselves. However, those who stubbornly look ahead often fail to see the abyss in front of their own feet and wake up one day in intensive care…

Which doctor helps with stress?

Stress medicine is a relatively new field of medicine. To date, there are no additional qualifications that doctors can acquire, but further training is offered.

Your family doctor is the first point of contact for chronic stress and its consequences. Of course, you can also contact a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy or a psychologist directly.

Conclusion

In summary, it can be said that stress is an absolutely dangerous everyday companion! Of course, it is part of life to experience stress from time to time, but in the long term it not only reduces our quality of life, but also our life expectancy.

It is therefore extremely important to take precautions and find your own way of dealing with stress, avoiding stress and building resilience.

We work with companies on topics such as stress and resilience.

info@berlinerteam.de

Let’s start with this in the next part of this article.

Stress Study 2024

Stressors

On our journey through the topic of stress and how we can deal with it or prevent it, we look at the basics: We already know what stress is and what its symptoms and consequences are. Now let’s take a look at the stressors, i.e. the stress triggers. So what is the soil on which stress likes to grow?

Definition of stressor

A stressor, also known as a stress factor, is a psychological or external stimulus that triggers a stress reaction.

Stress measure

Suzanne Segerstrom and Gregory Miller identified various stress quantities and qualities in 2004:

  1. Acute and temporary: e.g. public performance
  2. Short and normally occurring: More work than usual, preparing for an exam
  3. Life-changing: death of a loved one, natural disasters, war
  4. Chronic: Constantly too much work, care for years, own long-term illness
  5. Past: Traumas such as experiences of violence

Difference between stressor and stress response

The stressor is the trigger and the stress response is the mental and physical reaction and action triggered by it. It is very important to understand that you often cannot change the stress triggers, but you can influence your stress reaction. We will cover exactly how to do this in future articles.

Here is an ARD video on the subject of stress reactions.

Brain Stress Reponse
Another find in English: the brain’s stress response

How does stress arise?

Lazarus’ transactional stress model

The American psychologist Richard Lazarus developed the transactional stress model named after him in 1984. He wanted to find out why the same stressor causes different stress reactions. In previous years, he had conducted experiments in which he exposed people to brutal images that triggered stress. He found that explanations when showing the images reduced stress. And that showing explanations of the images in particular reduced expectations and thus also the stress level. In this respect, he assumed that the cognitive evaluation of a stressor could be a way of influencing the stress event.

The Lazarus stress model briefly explained:

Before we become stressed, we assess whether the stimulus could be dangerous for us at all (primary assessment). If this is the case, we then check whether we have enough resources such as money, time, energy, skill, knowledge, practice, support, etc. to avert a potential threat (secondary assessment). Only when we have doubts that we can do this does stress arise. There are now two ways of coping: we change the situation (problem-oriented coping) or we change our attitude to the situation (emotion-oriented coping).

Stress model according to Lazarus Graphic
Stress model according to Lazarus

Lazarus’ stress model helps us to understand why people react completely differently to the same stressors: the same situation can trigger a stress reaction in Peter and Paula doesn’t even notice it.

This psychological approach can also help us to deal with stress. This is because stress no longer simply arises automatically when a stressor occurs; rather, we have several instances that we can influence and thus perhaps arrive at a different assessment of the stimulus and resources.

Stress factors

Stress is a complex phenomenon that can be triggered by various factors. A precise analysis of these factors is crucial in order to develop effective coping strategies and maintain a healthy balance.

Stress factors:

  1. Workload: High workloads, tight deadlines and an overcrowded schedule can lead to a considerable amount of stress. The constant pressure to be permanently productive and meet high performance expectations can lead to employees feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
  2. Interpersonal conflicts: Conflicts in the workplace, whether with colleagues, superiors or customers, can lead to considerable stress. Misunderstandings, unresolved conflicts and a lack of communication can put a strain on the working environment and increase stress levels.
  3. Uncertainty: Uncertainty about the future of the company, changes in the company structure or uncertainty about personal professional development can lead to a feeling of instability and anxiety. Employees who find themselves in an uncertain situation can become stressed and anxious.
  4. Time pressure: Tight deadlines and time pressure can lead to a feeling of being rushed and overwhelmed. Employees who are under time pressure may have difficulty completing their tasks on time, which can lead to stress and fear of failure.
  5. Perfectionism: The urge to be perfect and always meet the highest standards can become a huge stress factor. Employees who suffer from perfectionism often put themselves under pressure to achieve more and more and not make any mistakes, which can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety.
  6. Work overload: The combination of work and personal commitments can lead to overload and burnout. Employees who feel overworked often have difficulty separating work and private life, which can lead to high levels of stress and exhaustion.
  7. Lack of control: The feeling of not having control over the work situation can become a significant stress factor. Employees who feel that their work and decisions are not valued or controlled can feel helpless and stressed.
  8. Unclear roles and expectations: Unclear roles, inadequate training and lack of support can lead to confusion and frustration. Employees who do not know what is expected of them or what role they should play in the team can feel stressed and overwhelmed.

The biggest stress factors

Statistics: Biggest stress factors in Germany by gender in 2021 | Statista
You can find more statistics at Statista

What triggers the most stress?

In 2021, Techniker Krankenkasse commissioned the opinion research institute Forsa to conduct a survey on the topic of stress. The topic was dealt with comprehensively. There is a link in the appendix, as the results of the survey are well worth reading.

One question was: “What is the main reason why you feel stressed?”. Several answers were allowed. Top of the list: stress at work with 47%, followed by demands on oneself 46%.

Stressors and gender

In the aforementioned study, the stressors differed between men and women: The main reason cited by 55% of women was too high demands on themselves. Men seemed to be less stressed in this respect at 36%. For men, however, the main reason for stress was school, studies and work (49%); for women it was 45%.

The area of stress caused by school, study and work is the only area in which men are slightly more stressed than women. Otherwise, women are consistently more stressed everywhere.

Women are significantly more stressed than men, particularly in the areas of partnership conflicts and parenting and care work. It is assumed that women have to cope with higher workloads and are therefore more stressed.

Women who are not employed have just as much stress as men who are employed. Here too, the TK study assumes that the stress caused by care work is the cause.

Graphic Germany Has Stress Nov2020
Another series of studies worth paying attention to in connection with the topic of stress are the Swiss Life Germany Stress Studies. Here is a graphic with some of the results from the Swiss Life Germany Study 2020.

Stress in the workplace

Stress at work was not only at the forefront of the TK Stress Study 2021.

Researchers at Stanford University analyzed 228 studies to determine data on stress in the workplace. One of the results is shocking: 120,000 deaths in the USA are the direct or indirect result of stress at work!

In the Swiss Life Stress Study 2023, 51% of employees stated that they were stressed or even very stressed. If you add people in training or studying, then 61% of people are even quite stressed. Time pressure (49%), workload (41%) and an unpleasant working atmosphere (30%) were cited as increasing stress. – Compared to the Swiss Life Stress Study from 2021 (see above), the situation has therefore improved.

The figures in the chart below vary because the questions were different. In the Swiss Life stress studies, people were asked what stresses them out at work, while the TK study asked what stresses them out the most.

A heavy workload is also at the forefront here. A third of the participants stated that friends and family were missing out due to the high workload.

The stress increased with the weekly working hours. Particularly bad: more than 40 hours a week.

What leads to stress and burnout at work?

Medical sociologist Johannes Siegrist from the University of Düsseldorf on Deutschlandfunk radio:

“We know, for example, that someone who works more than three hours of overtime a day has a more than 70% increased risk of suffering a heart attack or dying. So, there are upper limits to stress, and appropriate wages are important. We have growing income inequality and also injustice when you compare the top earners and the minimum wage earners.”

Siegrist: “Our research shows that people who work themselves to the bone for years in their job, achieve what is required, perhaps also achieve more out of inner drive than what is objectively required and who are then not adequately rewarded, who fall into such a critical balance between effort and reward, that they also have an increased risk of stress-related illnesses.”

2021 Infographic Stress study This is what stresses you out most at work

Stress at work – what can companies & managers do?

Employer responsibility

Of course, companies have a duty of care for the people who work for them! They are responsible for only giving employees as much work as they can realistically and healthily manage. Furthermore, those responsible in companies should look at how their colleagues are doing. – Out of responsibility, but also in their own interest: the health and productivity of employees is of course a more important resource for the success of the company. The damage caused when a person in the company is absent is much more costly than prevention.

However, we have learned from experience that managers who are already in the spiral of “I have to, I have to, I can hardly manage it, stress, stress and on and on” are often unable to get out of it. No amount of “Gee, go home early” will help. If someone tends to have unhealthy stress patterns or is perhaps even a workaholic, then he or she will not listen to a manager. In this respect, employees also have a responsibility.

Responsibility of employees

We have seen people who were acutely overworked being sent home and secretly sneaking back into work. Or employees who smuggled their work laptop home unnoticed to work over the weekend. They pre-programmed the emails they wrote on Sunday so that they were not sent until Monday, so that no one realized that they had worked at the weekend.

Stress in the workplace

Corporate culture and stress

Both sides need to take responsibility: Managers and employees must pay equal attention to the volume of work, stress levels and health status of employees. And very importantly – they need to talk about it! The basis for this is a trusting corporate culture.

It requires openness, a constructive approach to mistakes and trust. And that really is the task of managers: to create an atmosphere in which people who are suffering from a high level of stress can openly discuss it.

It is also the responsibility of managers to ensure that people in the company always have the resources they need to complete their tasks – which of course includes sufficient time.

Best practice

We have often observed how companies have dealt with employees suffering from high levels of stress. We particularly liked one reaction to an employee’s burnout: after the employee returned to the company, we first talked a lot with each other and determined what the mutual needs and opportunities were at the moment. Before his burnout, the employee had worked as a service consultant with a lot of pressure and contact. After the discussions, the company offered him a completely different position: as a trainer for trainees. Here, he was no longer under any operational time pressure. He was able to act according to his abilities. He learned to set himself apart and flourished in his new role.

Low-stress working conditions

As nice as it is to be able to do a few yoga sessions at work in between or to have your employer pay for the gym – unfortunately this doesn’t help against an excessive workload, constant disruptions, difficult management, a faltering flow of information and deadline pressure. Such measures can at best alleviate the situation. Employers are called upon to design working conditions in such a way that their employees are exposed to less stress AND to provide stress management courses.

Basically, it can be said that it is worthwhile for companies to create healthier, less stressful working conditions, as fewer sick days, higher productivity and satisfied, productive employees are the positive consequences.

And in view of the shortage of specialists and workers, it is also advisable to treat people in the company with care. Resignations and absences due to illness and mental health problems are becoming increasingly difficult to cushion.

However, companies can optimize working conditions.

Swiss Life Germany Stress Study 2023

The Swiss Life Germany Study 2023 simply asked people what they need to reduce stress at work. The result: flexible working arrangements four days a week, financial provision. People were also asked which conditions are particularly important for their well-being at work: the working atmosphere, the opportunity to work independently, job security, colleagues and work-life balance were frequently mentioned. And these are almost all factors that managers can influence.

Stress study 2023
Results of the stress study by Swiss Life Germany

How to deal with stress?

Individual susceptibility to stress

We have already mentioned it before: in principle, the same situation can trigger enormous stress in one person, but another person can deal with it calmly and strategically. The personal assessment of the respective situation plays a major role, as we have seen in the Lazarus stress model, as do other factors such as age, socio-economic status, etc. age, socio-economic status, etc.

Here is another list of factors for individual susceptibility to stress:

  • Threat potential
  • Resources for coping (time, energy, money, etc.)
  • Quantity of loads
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Health
  • Socio-economic status
  • Mental resources

We have seen that we can influence some of these factors.

Of course, there are some circumstances that we cannot change immediately or at all.

This is where we start to look at how we can set ourselves up well when it comes to stress. We will go into more depth on this in further articles.

Mental resources

Mental resources

We have already talked about most of the factors mentioned above, but not yet about psychological resources.

Mental resources have a stabilizing effect.

You have such resources:

  • if you are stress-tested, for example, because you have already successfully mastered several similar situations;
  • if you are a rather laid-back person who is not easily rattled due to your nature or previous experiences;
  • if you actively work on calming down again and again, for example through yoga or relaxation techniques;
  • if you have an environment that reliably supports you even in difficult situations.

Further stresses have a destabilizing effect.

That may be the case:

  • a poor physical or mental health condition
  • Hormonal changes such as the menopause
  • Exceptional situations
  • major changes or losses
  • Difficult situations of loved ones
  • several stressors at the same time.
  • It has been proven that people with too little money suffer from permanent stress.

Systemic stress

Of course, there are also stressful situations that simply remain stressful. These include, for example, existential problems such as poverty, unemployment, domestic violence or constant stimuli such as racism or bullying or a workload that is permanently too high.

It would be wrong to advise those affected by stress that they simply need to change their attitude. The workload should be adapted to the people and not, conversely, employees should simply be asked to work better when they are stressed. In the long term, shifting responsibility for stress to the private sphere will not help here; the situation must be fundamentally changed. Nevertheless, stress management can be used to alleviate the symptoms.

Strategies against stress

Being generally well-positioned in terms of stress, i.e. learning behaviors and strategies that make it easier to deal with stress, reduce stress and even make us resilient, can keep illnesses caused by chronic stress at bay and keep us young for longer

We work with companies on topics such as stress and resilience.

info@berlinerteam.de
Less stress

Stress Mindset

The US health psychologist Kelly McGonigal says: “See stress as your ally!”. Excuse me? Why is that?

We have already dealt in detail with the scientifically well-documented consequences of chronic stress – and this does not suggest that stress is an ally, but rather an enemy.

Stress and mortality risk

According to McGonigal, your risk of dying from stress increases if you rate stress as negative and harmful to your health. But stress is extremely dangerous if it is a permanent condition. That is a fact. Simply ignoring stress risks cannot be the solution.

But how did McGonigal come to this conclusion? The basis is a US study in which 30,000 Americans were repeatedly asked over 8 years: “How much stress did you feel exposed to last year?” Another question was: “Do you believe that stress is harmful to your health?”. In the further course, the mortality registers were checked – and it was found that people who had an increased stress level in the last year had a 43% higher risk of dying. – But only if they perceived the stress as a threat.

It was also striking that people with high stress levels had an even lower risk of death than people with only moderate stress – if they did not consider stress to be a health risk. McGonigal explains that the personal assessment of stress as harmful to one’s own health ranks 15th among the causes of death in the USA.

The deceased can hardly defend themselves against this analysis. Especially as it is a correlation and causality is not proven.

Change your stress mindset

McGonigal: “If you change your attitude to stress, you can change your physical stress response.” She describes a Harvard study in which people were put under a lot of stress using the TSST Trier Social Stress Test mentioned above. On one occasion, the test subjects were told how harmful stress is to health, on another occasion they were told that stress optimally prepares the body for a challenge (eustress). And lo and behold: in the stress pessimists, the heart rate increased and the veins constricted; not in the stress optimists, on the contrary, there were even positive physical reactions. McGonigal compares the biological state of the stress optimists with joy and courage.

She has published a book on the subject in which she sets out the latest scientific findings and provides instructions for practical implementation in the second part of the book: “Stress as a happiness factor: Why stress makes us successful and healthy.”

Well, in view of the overwhelming medical evidence, whether stress makes us healthy is more than questionable. Instead of responsibly creating healthy living and working conditions that are worth living in, we are being encouraged to simply make friends with stress and change our stress mindset. This seems a little under-complex.

But if our attitude to stress is seen as one of several cogs that we can turn in order to position ourselves well in terms of stress, then it becomes a shoe. In other words: don’t let stress stress you.

Video with stress researcher Kelly McGonigal in English. It’s worth watching because she presents her expertise in a very humorous way.

Healthy stress behavior

In 2023, DKV and the German Sport University Cologne asked whether Germans exhibit healthy stress behavior. Good news: 48% of the representative respondents do. In future articles, we will be looking at what healthy stress behavior is all about. This much can already be revealed: healthy stress behavior is, on the one hand, a subjectively perceived low stress level; on the other hand, it is strategies and behaviors that help to deal with stress in everyday life. These include exercise and sport, spending time with friends and family, reading or listening to music, and relaxing, ideally with relaxation techniques. And of course you can do a lot more…

Proportion of the population with healthy stress behavior¹ in Germany by age group in 2023

Statistics: Proportion of the population with healthy stress behavior¹ in Germany by age group in 2023 | Statista
You can find more statistics at Statista

Study on stress behavior

The difference between 30 to 45-year-olds (35%) and people over 66 (68%) is significant. It can be assumed that the difference is due to the fact that people between 30 and 45 are usually fully occupied with work and family and, in contrast, most people over 66 are retired, under less pressure to perform and have more time to devote to enjoyable things.

Resilience

Resilience – what is it?

Resilience means resistance. The term resilience comes from physics. It describes the ability of materials to return to their original state after great stress – in this case the application of force. One example is a rubber band that, even if it has been pulled apart extremely, simply returns to its previous shape after this stress, as if nothing had happened.

And of course it is desirable for us humans to always find our way back to a state of relaxation after a major stressful event. If the physical and mental system can recover, chronic stress does not build up and the typical stress-related illnesses do not occur.

It is possible to train stress resilience.

I’m stressed – what can I do?

We’ve already mentioned a few things: cuddling, loving contact with family and friends, lazing around and resting and high-proof chocolate. Of course, there’s so much more and we want to dedicate at least one whole blog post to it.

We will take an in-depth look at what you can do when the stress is already there. How do you manage to deal with it and calm down again? How do you build up resources and behaviors to protect yourself from stress and its consequences in the long term? Change your mindset.

And we give seminars and coaching sessions on stress and resilience!

info@berlinerteam.de
First aid for stress

First aid for stress: 10 tips

So much information about stress, but none about how to deal with it? No! We don’t want to leave you on your own. That’s why we’re ending this article with a little first aid kit to combat stress.

As you know, we will be reporting in more detail in future articles. About how you can develop more composure and a better way of dealing with pressure and demands.

In a nutshell, here are our

Anti-stress tips:

  1. Check the expectations of others!
    • Check: what expectations do your employer, your environment and your family really have of you?
    • Is it possible to do all this? Is it realistic what is expected of you? Sometimes it’s just not possible: the staffing levels are too low and there are sickness absences. The customer has to be satisfied. You do everything you can. Yes – that’s commendable. But sometimes it’s just too much.
    • Realize that you can’t do everything!
    • If the expectations are not realistic, then let them go! If you don’t manage to fulfill excessive expectations, you are still okay. You’ve given it your all. That’s what counts.
  2. Check your expectations of yourself!
    • Check what expectations you have of yourself! Are they realistic?
    • We often push ourselves relentlessly. Where others say: “Give me a break!”, we think: “I still have to manage somehow!” But that’s probably not a good idea. Therefore: Be kind to yourself!
    • Lower your standards and learn to like yourself, even if you’re not perfect!
  3. Learn to say no!
    • Many of us find it difficult to say no. Especially when we don’t want to disappoint anyone. We don’t want to let anyone down. We want to please and prefer not to come into conflict. We worry that the relationship with the other person could be damaged if we say no.
    • A friendly, firm, clear no is something that many people get on with very well. Because if the other person says yes, then you know that it really is okay and you can rely on the person’s word.
    • Friendly no’s with a brief explanation are best. If necessary, with an alternative: “Unfortunately, it won’t work out now because I have to finish project A next week, but how about in three weeks?”
  4. Let go of what you can’t change!
    • A reliable source of stress are all the things that we find unbearable but cannot change. War, inflation, climate change and so on. All things that we cannot change. We can’t even change the perhaps narcissistic character of our boss. Or the structure of the company, the customers. All of this falls into the category “that’s the way it is!”.
    • For all circumstances in the “that’s the way it is!” category, the smarter, less stressful way is to let go, accept what is and come to terms with it. Think about how you can best deal with the given situation!
  5. Change what you can change!
    • Sometimes we sink into brooding. And stay there instead of taking action and helping to get out of the stressful situation.
    • Think: what can I do myself so that I am well? So that I get what I need?
    • Inform the people it concerns about what you need, what might be too much. Give feedback!
    • Move from the feeling of being a victim of the situation into action and thus into self-efficacy!
  6. Think optimistically!
    • Our minds sometimes play horror movies for us: what could be so bad? What if the climate crisis really escalates? What if the Middle East conflict gets out of hand? What if I lose my job? What if Corona comes back? We are plagued by negative visions and we feel bad about it. We don’t even realize that we’re sitting in the warmth, are full and everything is going reasonably well. Just thinking about such scenarios can trigger stress.
    • First of all, accept reality. What is working right now?
    • Avoid pessimism and try to be optimistic! In the style of: “We’ll find a way – we’ve always survived so far”, “It’ll work out”.
  7. Recharge your resources!
    • Make a conscious effort to schedule time to recharge your batteries!
    • Take some time in the evening to really wind down and relax! This can also be a good book.
    • Take micro-breaks throughout the day! Just take a short break from your workstation, look out of the window and take a deep breath!
    • It is important that you forget thoughts of work and stress for a moment and arrive in the here and now.
    • You are in the here and now with your senses: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel? What do you taste? This allows you to come back to the present. You can feel your breath and your body and enjoy what is happening around you.
    • This is how you build up your serotonin levels again.
  8. A healthy body contains a healthy mind
    • In principle, we all know that alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, lots of white flour, sugar and meat are not good for our health.
    • Unfortunately, especially in times of high stress levels, we tend to eat sweets and wash it down with lots of coffee, drink an extra glass of wine and smoke stress cigarettes. The problem: not only does it not help; no – it only makes the stress worse! Stupid, isn’t it?
    • If you eat unhealthy things, your body is under even more stress. Especially if you drink alcohol to relax, your body has more work to do at night, can’t relax and your sleep gets worse. This means that the strength you actually need is not available to you the next day. The result: your nerves are on edge.
    • Eat healthily and not too much, get enough sleep, exercise, cut out sugar, alcohol and the like – and you’ll immediately be in a much better position when it comes to stress!
  9. Plan pearls into your life!
    • Plan beautiful situations, pearls, into your life! These are situations that make you happy, at the top of the list, of course, a vacation, a walk, a meeting with friends or family, an excursion, time for something you like to do.
    • If something beautiful is waiting for you in the future, then you can run towards it much more happily.
    • In retrospect, enjoy the beautiful situations you have experienced because they make your life worth living. This also reduces stress.
    • We also have an article on this: Life balance and a fulfilled life: The Pearl Principle
  10. Cultivate your relationships and engage in exchange
    • If you’re driving yourself crazy, if your head is spinning, meet up with someone who is sympathetic to you and talk to them!
    • Good relationships help to lower your stress levels.
    • The exchange helps. You realize that you are not alone, you can look at the situation from a different perspective, you get support, maybe a tip, maybe confidence or help.

As I said, in the near future there will be articles on how you can deal with stress and how you can avoid it altogether.

Until then, we provide you with our articles on the topic of life balance:


Reading on the subject of stress

Our articles on stress:

Articles on the subject of stress by others

  • The questionnaire for self-assessment of stress levels

https://klinik-bonn.lvr.de/media/lvr_klinik_bonn/medizinische_abteilungen/5__gerontopsychiatrie_und_psychotherapie/pdf_forum/checklisten_selbsteinschaetzung.pdf

  • The biochemistry of stress

https://www.orthomol.com/de-de/lebenswelten/nerven-psyche-stress/stresshormone#:~:text=Ist%20ausreichend%20Cortisol%20vorhanden%2C%20bemerken,und%20wieder%20zur%20Ruhe%20kommt.

Stress and stress response in men and women

Stress and nutrition

  • P. H. Wirtz et al, “Dark Chocolate Intake Buffers Stress Reactivity in Humans”, J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. , vol. 63, no. 21, pp. 2297-2299, June 2014, doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.02.580.
  • D. C. Nieman et al, “Metabolomics-Based Analysis of Banana and Pear Ingestion on Exercise Performance and Recovery,” J. Proteome Res. vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 5367-5377, Dec. 2015, doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00909.

Stress and socio-economic status

  • American Psychological Association, APA Working Group on Stress and Health Disparities. (2017). Stress and health disparities: Contexts, mechanisms, and interventions among racial/ethnic minority and low-socioeconomic status popula- tions. http://www.apa.org/pi/health-disparities/resources/ stress-report.aspx
  • Cohen, S., & Janicki-Deverts, D. (2012). Who’s stressed? Dis- tributions of psychological stress in the United States in pro- bability samples from 1983, 2006, and 2009. Journal of Ap- plied Social Psychology, 42(6), 1320-1334. https://doi. org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2012.00900.x
  • Werdecker, L., & Esch, T. (2019). Stress and health. In R. Haring (Ed.), Health sciences (pp. 347-359). Springer

Stress makes you ill

Stress and the immune system

Stress and rheumatism

Stress and skin diseases

Stress and digestion

Stress and metabolism

Stress diagnostics

Stress in the workplace

Further sources and studies on the topic of stress

The authors

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