We are all living more stressful lives. Whilst it is a sign of the times, should we be accepting this? More often than not, many of us tend to ignore the signs of stress that our bodies are trying to send to us. Whether you’re studying an IIE BCom honours or a different programme like a B.Ed or BA, we all need to be more mindful about stress and the effects it can have on the body.
Stress does not discriminate. From those already in a position of business leadership to anyone working towards an Honours degree in business management, the impact is much the same. Whilst studying an IIE BCom honours degree will help prepare you for your chosen industry, it’s up to you to choose how you deal with pressure. When your body talks, you should always listen. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s time to make some changes.
Your memory seems to be less effective these days
If you’re starting to get a little forgetful, the chances are that stress is causing it. With our lives getting filled with countless tasks that need completion, it’s easy to lose focus on the things that we need to remember. This rushing from job to job and place to place means that we are never really present. As a result, we don’t take in everything that we ought to. If this is the case for you, perhaps there is too much on your plate. This might be the time for you to speak up, cut down and prioritise on what is and isn’t necessary.
You feel permanently thirsty
Must. Drink. More. Water. Are you guzzling litres of water and feel like it never makes a difference to your thirst? That could be stress telling you that your adrenal glands are fatigued. To put it plainly, your adrenals help you regulate the fluids and electrolytes in your body. With too much stress, they can’t do this effectively. Whilst it helps to keep drinking water, this is only a short-term solution. You’ll need to address the true issue at hand… stress.
Your muscles are tight and achy
When you haven’t been going to the gym as regularly as you used to but your muscles still hurt, this could be another way that stress is rearing its ugly head. It’s important to remember that stress can have physical effects as well as emotional ones. So although you might feel emotionally fine, your body has taken a beating. Thanks to the stress hormone cortisol, your muscles will tense up and cause pain.
You either sleep too much or have insomnia
One of the psychological ways that stress impacts us is on our sleeping patterns. You might be feeling constantly tired and unable to get out of bed. This could signify a greater issue as mild signs of depression are accompanied by a difficulty to rise in the morning. If you feel completely wired and unable to fall asleep this could be because your mind is racing due to all the tasks you need to get done tomorrow. We suggest setting a good routine that includes no screen time before you go to sleep as well as a decent bedtime hour.
Don’t let your qualification be another worry
At The IIE’s Varsity College we know that you have enough to contend with. It’s why our constant academic support empowers our students to take life to the next level. With lecturers who are true experts in their field, you’re bound to get insights that you just won’t find in the textbooks. For more on our popular IIE Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Management please click here.
Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). South Africa’s leading private higher education provider that’s registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC).