In our accelerated, modern world, our nervous system is stressed at almost every moment of the day. There are both positive and negative sources of stress, especially the negative sources of stress are those that damage our physical and mental health. Problems at work, or family conflicts all have an adverse effect on our mood and nervous system. Too much stress can also worsen our physical health, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal problems, cancers, and in many people, obesity can be attributed to stress. Unless we move to an uninhabited island where we are ourselves, the daily stress effect is inevitable. We are nervous about work, we are tense about home disputes, problems, we suffer from financial problems, and we lead to tension, nervousness, depression, and poor work performance.
The concept of stress was added to the dictionary of medicine in the 20th century. The definition of stress can be traced to the names of Lazarus and Folkmann, who defined stress as when a person sees a burden, compulsion, or opportunity from the environment as something that exceeds their resources. Stress is actually our body’s reaction to change, and its main goal is to be able to adapt to those changes. However, we cannot exist without stress, because stress can help our lives in some way. By overcoming difficulties and obstacles, we can become stronger, more persistent, and thus more successful and happier. Motivational stress increases the level of adrenaline in the body and thus also increases our performance. And because we will be vigilant about it, we can practically say that stress is an important means of survival, we also call it positive stress. We don’t always have to be scared that when we come across something new in our lives or changes happen in our usual days, no matter how scary or unpleasant, we focus more on positive stress and try to deliver maximum performance. Of course, the situation is different when this stress becomes fear, anxiety, because then we are paralyzed and unable to do the job. The point is that too little or too much stress is also detrimental to our bodies and our mental health, so it is essential in our everyday lives. However, care must be taken that stress does not overwhelm us.
Noisy world
Persistent noise and noise, whether in our homes or workplaces, can lead to severe mental disorders. If we cannot rest properly at night, we will wake up tired, nervous and tense in the morning, so the performance of our work and activity that day will probably be weaker than we would expect from ourselves. It would be important for us to enjoy our work, not just work for a living, which unfortunately is not given to everyone. Too much work is also stressful. That is why it is very important to be able to relax and unwind in our home, among our loved ones, after a tiring day. There are several solutions to reduce stress. Exercising stimulates brain function and also enhances our physical strength. Let’s go out often in nature, take in the fresh air and find ourselves some kind of relaxing or fun hobby, reading, board games, joint family and friends programs all help to overcome stress. Unfortunately, statistics show that people with stress have an increasing incidence of cancer and an increased tendency to commit suicide.
Silence and tranquility are also prerequisites for relieving our lives of stress a bit, but in order to be able to relax in peace and harmony in our home or relax watching our favourite movie, or perhaps relax while listening to music, we also need to reduce distracting outside noise. Noises cannot be completely ruled out, even at night. The human ear hears and transmits all sounds to the brain, so we can practically never be completely silent, but there is no total silence and there is no need for it. There are so-called deaf rooms that are so attenuated that no sound or reflection is present at all. If we enter a room like this, after a few minutes we feel uncomfortable, everything seems lifeless, boring, dull. Sounds and even echoes are needed, but they are definitely worth dealing with, as prolonged noise or commotion increases our stress levels, can cause ear fatigue, headaches, and physical and mental illness. In our home, bedroom, living room, but even in our music or cinema room, it is worth placing a plasterboard covering on the walls to reduce noise. Nowadays, minimalist, clean interior design is very fashionable, but it may not be beneficial in terms of acoustics. The expansive, bare, hard walls, the ceiling, the glass surfaces are all reflective surfaces from which sounds bounce back into the room and bounce here and there.
Sound of silence
We can remedy this problem by using acoustic panels, sound traps. These elements can be fixed to the walls and ceiling. Sound-absorbing curtains should be used for window surfaces to eliminate external noise. To dampen foot sounds and shock sounds, lay soundproof carpets on the floor, preferably covering as large an area as possible if you want a more peaceful, calm, noiseless environment. If our apartment is echoed, we should ventilate and decorate our home as often as possible with as many home textiles, furniture, and place outstanding ornaments, shelves, cabinets on the walls, all of which are able to absorb sound and reduce noise to some degree. Positive and motivating stress can be helpful, but strive to provide yourself with time and space for quality relaxation and rest on a daily basis. Lack of sleep, which can be caused by long-term background noise, makes the brain exhausted, which understandably inhibits creativity, thinking, and memory as well. Listen to relaxation music or songs from our favorite band, our favourite movies, watch a favorite wine, a glass of wine or a glass of soft drink, tea, and if we pay attention to even the acoustics, we will soon experience its beneficial effects.