If you’ve ever braved the hustle and bustle of Lagos, whether as a Nigerian or a visitor, you’ve definitely crossed paths with stress. From the endless traffic, struggling for bus, to crowded buses to the noise pollution and the city’s relentless pace, stress is practically a given.

Stress is like that uninvited guest who shows up at your door with a suitcase after you’ve ignored all the warning signs. It’s a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. For instance, if you’ve been burning the midnight oil on a project, depriving yourself of sleep and good food for a week (7 days) straight, your body’s response is what we call stress. Honestly, I wouldn’t even make it to day seven before crashing.

Whether it’s work pressures, family demands, academic stress, or the never-ending Lagos traffic, stress is always lurking. But fear not! Today, we’re diving into the nitty-gritty of stress and discovering how to outsmart this drama.

Types of Stress: The Big Three

Acute Stress: This is short-term stress that hits you hard but passes quickly, if you quickly attend to it might not take a toll on you. Think about the nerves before a big presentation or the rush when you’re late for an appointment. It’s intense but brief and can often be resolved with a break, tackling the issue head-on, or practising relaxation techniques.

Episodic Acute Stress: This type hits when someone frequently experiences acute stress. If your lifestyle feels chaotic with too much on your plate, you might be dealing with episodic acute stress. Constant worry and urgency can lead to persistent tension and fatigue. Tackling this stress involves better time management, setting realistic goals, and seeking support from mental health pros like us at MANI (call our helpline 08091116264).

Chronic Stress: The grandmaster of stress. It’s a prolonged and constant feeling of stress that can seriously affect your health if left unchecked. Chronic stress can stem from ongoing issues like financial troubles, an unhappy marriage, or a stressful job. It can lead to anxiety, depression, heart disease, and a weakened immune system. Managing chronic stress often requires significant lifestyle changes and professional help, remember MANI dey for you, so you can always reach out to us.

Now let’s talk about how you can combat this stress.

Generally, a good tip would be taking breaks, relaxing, eating well and sleeping well. 

How about you not taking more than you can handle at a time? Maybe also develop a good to-do list and something that helps you track and manage your time properly. Also when you start to see a sign of stress no matter how little, try to address it and not ignore it.

I will leave you with these few tips for now. Stay tuned for our next blog post, and remember don’t let stress win!