Environmental and Social Aspect of Stress

The Social Factor

It is very important to have humor in life because it is an essential part of stress management. Based on

the research, it was found that inadequate social interactions can affect individual stress. Social interaction

among

people such as hugging or other forms of human contact are significant in reducing the physical effects of stress.

It is recommended for an individual to participate in different social activities, such as in sports and in different

social organizations wherein you can meet several people.

Talking to a friend or to friends also allows you to rest and relax your mind and give focus on different things other

than work. Reducing stress also depends upon the people to whom an individual is associated. It is advised not to

associate with negative pessimistic people for they can increase stress level instead of decreasing it. Being

associated with positive and optimistic friends is good since they can decrease stress.

There are also studies that shows the significance of pets to stress. Animals or pets were said to decrease stress.

Petting an animal can give a calming effect like a lowered blood pressure or a decrease heart rate.

Based on another research, cardiac patients who use to have their pets tend to live longer than those cardiac

patients who do not have.

The Environmental Factor

The environment also plays an important factor in stress management. There are factors in the environment

that

affects individual stress. One of this factor is the noise. Noise in the surroundings can increase our stress levels. It

is very important to be exposed to a noise free environment to avoid being stress.

Another factor is the light, there are studies that relates depression to the amount of light an individual is

exposed. This can also affect our circadian rhythm. It is advised not to be exposed to artificial lights for it can

increase the stress level. Color is also a factor, research suggest that different colors can raise or can lower the

stress and the energy level. The red color is usually associated with anger or hostility while the blue color

associated  with the feeling of being more depressed.

Plants and photos of family and friends can also alleviate feelings of stress in the living and workplace. Another

thing is the smell, smell also plays a key factor in stress management. Based on a research, stress level can be

lowered using different aromas or odors such as in Aromatherapy. Odors in Aromatherapy send a direct message

to the brain via the olfactory nerve. This can effect the endocrine and hormonal systems via the hypothalamus.

The odors are very effective in influencing our emotional state as they hook into limbic system and other

emotional primitive parts of the brain.

The use of Aromatherapy can provide therapeutic benefits such as relieving pain, enhancing relaxation, stress

relief and others.