STRESS

Stress has been identified as one of the major causes of sudden death worldwide.
But what exactly is stress, what are its consequences and how can it be managed ?.
These are some of the questions which our correspondent tries to provide answers to in today's news analysis.
Stress is a mental pressure or worry caused by various problems in one's life.
It is a common knowledge that life itself is full of thoughts, demands, expectations, meeting deadlines, frustrations, making ends meet among others.
But if not properly managed, stress can affect one's central nervous system which can lead to bodily or mental breakdown or sometimes death.
It is a psychological fact that when a person is under pressure, he or she can not perform optimally or think straight.
Every profession or craft has it own peculiar challenges or hazards.
However some persons are privileged to work with a well defined schedule in a conducive work place while others are not so lucky.
It is instructive to note that stress in a work place could be cause by poor emoluments compared to the work load, inadequate working materials or equipment to get the task done as well as long overtime without a commensurate pay at the end.
In Nigeria stress is hardly noticed by those suffering from it and this portend danger because when stress become overwhelming it can negatively affect one's health, mood, quality life among others.
If not properly manage stress can lead to hypertension, stroke, fever, mental disorder, bodily pains, low productivity among other deadly consequences.
Research findings has shown that people can actually control or manage stress but unfortunately many Nigerians tends to cope with or control stress in ways that only help to compound the problem.
These crops of Nigerians are in the habit of drinking alcohol at the end of a stressful or hectic day, fill their stomachs with junk  or heavy foods, smoke cigarettes, sit in front of television all day watching worthless programmes or sometimes spend longer time with their computers or smart phones doing nothing productive.
In addition some used pills or hard drugs to help relax their nerves, thinking that they will get out better by so doing.
However stress experts have recommended relaxation, regular exercise, dieting, positive mental attitude, abstinence from habits such as smoking, alcoholism, hard drugs as well as regular medical check ups as ways of effectively managing stress.
Government and other relevant employers of labor also have roles to play in reducing stress among workers, such as making sure that workers are well paid and promptly, provide them with adequate working materials or equipment as well as create a conducive working environments for them to work.
Workers on their parts should make good use of their time off or vacations, so as to refresh themselves, engage in productive ventures during holidays, read the right books and also upgrade and develop themselves ahead of resumption.
Stress they say is inevitable but adherence to the various stress management techniques or scientific recommendations can go a long way to solving the problems.