Loading a structural element or a specimen will increase the compressive stress
until the reach of compressive strength. According to the properties of the
material, failure will occur as yield for materials with ductile behavior (most
metals, some soils and plastics) or as rupture for brittle behavior (geometries,
cast iron, glass, etc).
In long, slender structural elements -- such as columns or truss bars -- an
increase of compressive force F leads to structural failure due to buckling at
lower stress than the compressive strength.
Compressive stress has stress units (force per unit area), usually with negative
values to indicate the compaction. However in geotechnical engineering,
compressive stress is represented with positive values.
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(1.2.2) Stress in Biological terms:
Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a
human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats
to the organism, whether actual or imagined. It includes a state of alarm and
adrenaline production, short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and
exhaustion. It refers to the inability of a human or animal body to respond.
Common stress symptoms include irritability, muscular tension, inability to
concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and
accelerated heart rate.
The term "stress" was first used by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s
to identify physiological responses in laboratory animals. He later broadened and
popularized the concept to include the perceptions and responses of humans
trying to adapt to the challenges of everyday life. In Selye's terminology, "stress"
refers to the reaction of the organism, and "stressor" to the perceived threat.
Stress in certain circumstances may be experienced positively. Eustress, for
example, can be an adaptive response prompting the activation of internal
resources to meet challenges and achieve goals.
The term is commonly used by laypersons in a metaphorical rather than literal or
biological sense, as a catch-all for any perceived difficulties in life. It also became
a euphemism, a way of referring to problems and eliciting sympathy without
being explicitly confessional, just "stressed out". It covers a huge range of
phenomena from mild irritation to the kind of severe problems that might result in
a real breakdown of health. In popular usage almost any event or situation
between these extremes could be described as stressful.
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(1.2.3) what is Stress?
Stress refers to the strain from the conflict between our external environment and
us, leading to emotional and physical pressure. In our fast paced world, it is
impossible to live without stress, whether you are a student or a working adult.
There is both positive and negative stress, depending on each individual’s unique
perception of the tension between the two forces. Not all stress is bad. For
example, positive stress, also known as eustress, can help an individual to
function at optimal effectiveness and efficiency.
Hence, it is evident that some form of positive stress can add more color and
vibrancy to our lives. The presence of a deadline, for example, can push us to
make the most of our time and produce greater efficiency. It is important to keep
this in mind, as stress management refers to using stress to our advantage, and
not on eradicating the presence of stress in our lives.
On the other hand, negative stress can result in mental and physical strain. The
individual will experience symptoms such as tensions, headaches, irritability and
in extreme cases, heart palpitations. Hence, whilst some stress may be seen as
a motivating force, it is important to manage stress levels so that it does not have
an adverse impact on your health and relationships.
Part of managing your stress levels include learning about how stress can affect
you emotionally and physically, as well as how to identify if you are performing at
your optimal stress level (OSL) or if you are experiencing negative stress. This
knowledge will help you to identify when you need to take a break, or perhaps
seek professional help. It is also your first step towards developing techniques to
managing your stress levels.
Modern day stresses can take the form of monetary needs, or emotional frictions.
Competition at work and an increased workload can also cause greater levels of
stress. How do you identify if you are suffering from excessive stress?
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Psychological symptoms commonly experienced include insomnia, headaches
and an inability to focus. Physical symptoms take the form of heart palpitations,
breathlessness, excessive sweating and stomachaches.
What causes stress? There are many different causes of stress, and that which
causes stress is also known as a stressor. Common lifestyle stressors include
performance, threat, and bereavement stressors, to name a few. Performance
stressors are triggered when an individual is placed in a situation where he feels
a need to excel. This could be during performance appraisals, lunch with the
boss, or giving a speech. Threat stressors are usually when the current situation
poses a dangerous threat, such as an economic downturn, or from an accident.
Lastly, bereavement stressors occur when there is a sense of loss such as the
death of a loved one, or a prized possession.
Thus, there are various stressors, and even more varied methods and
techniques of dealing with stress and turning it to our advantages. In order to do
so, we must learn to tell when we have crossed the line from positive to negative
stress.
Good stress v/s Bad stress:
Stress has often been misunderstood to be negative, with few people
acknowledging the importance and usefulness of positive stress. In our everyday
lives, stress is everywhere and definitely unavoidable; hence our emphasis
should be on differentiating between what is good stress, and what is bad. This
will help us to learn to cope with negative stress, and harness the power of
positive stress to help us achieve more.
There are 4 main categories of stress, namely eustress, distress, hyper stress
and hypo stress. Negative stress can cause many physical and psychological
problems, whilst positive stress can be very helpful for us. Here’s how we
differentiate between them.
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Eustress:
this is a positive form of stress, which prepares your mind and body for the
imminent challenges that it has perceived. Eustress is a natural physical reaction
by your body which increases blood flow to your muscles, resulting in a higher
heart rate. Athletes before a competition or perhaps a manager before a major
presentation would do well with eustress, allowing them to derive the inspiration
and strength that is needed.
Distress
We are familiar with this word, and know that it is a negative form of stress. This
occurs when the mind and body is unable to cope with changes, and usually
occurs when there are deviations from the norm. They can be categorized into
acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is intense, but does not last for
long. On the other hand, chronic stress persists over a long period of time.
Trigger events for distress can be a change in job scope or routine that the
person is unable to handle or cope with.
Hyper stress
This is another form of negative stress that occurs when the individual is unable
to cope with the workload. Examples include highly stressful jobs, which require
longer working hours than the individual can handle. If you suspect that you are
suffering from hyper stress, you are likely to have sudden emotional breakdowns
over insignificant issues, the proverbial straws that broke the camel’s back. It is
important for you to recognize that your body needs a break, or you may end up
with severe and chronic physical and psychological reactions.
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Hypo stress
Lastly, hypo stress occurs when a person has nothing to do with his time and
feels constantly bored and unmotivated. This is due to an insufficient amount of
stress; hence some stress is inevitable and helpful to us. Companies should
avoid having workers who experience hypo stress as this will cause productivity
and mindfulness to fall. If the job scope is boring and repetitive, it would be a
good idea to implement some form of job rotation so that there is always
something new to learn.
The types of stress are named as eustress and distress. Distress is the
most commonly-referred to type of stress, having negative implications, whereas
eustress is a positive form of stress, usually related to desirable events in
person's life. Both can be equally taxing on the body, and are cumulative in
nature, depending on a person's way of adapting to a change that has caused it.
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(1.2.4) Coping with Stress at Work place
With the rapid advancement of technology, the stresses faced at work have also
increased. Many people dread going to work, hence the term “Monday Blues”.
What is the reason for this? There is partly the fear from being retrenched in bad
times, leading to greater job insecurity on the part of those who remain.
Undoubtedly, occupational stress is one of the most commonly cited stressors
faced by people all over the world.
Stress refers to the pressure and reactions to our environment which results in
psychological and physical reactions. Whilst some stress is good for motivation
and increasing efficiency, too much stress can result in negative impacts such as
reduced effectiveness and efficiency. More and more people are feeling isolated
and disrespected at work, and this has led to greater occupational stress. Many
companies have taken to consulting experts and professionals on ways to
increase connectedness and motivation of their employees.
Some companies organize parties and make their employees feel valued at
work. These are measures to motivate employees and help them to feel secure
at their jobs, translating into greater productivity. However, not all companies
have such measures in place, and some have not gotten it quite right. Hence, it
is up to you to make sure that you can cope with stress at your workplace, and
use it to help you work better. Here are 3 simple steps to help you with coping
with stress in the workplace.
Step 1: Raising Awareness
Help yourself to identify when you are facing rising levels of stress, tipping the
scales from positive to negative. This is important, as being able to identify signs
of being stressed can help you to take steps to ensure that your overall quality of
life does not drop. If left unacknowledged, the problem will only snowball, leading
to disastrous consequences to your health and overall wellbeing.
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You can identify if you are feeling stressed by checking if you have any physical
or psychological reactions, such as excessive sweating or heart palpitations, or
the onset of headaches, irritability or the need to escape. If you experience any
of these reactions, identify if you are feeling any overwhelming negative
emotions, and if you are constantly worried.
Step 2: Identify the Cause
You need to be able to analyze the situation and identify what is causing the rise
in stress. These stressors can be external and internal. External stressors refer
to things beyond your control, such as the environment or your colleagues at
work. Internal stressors refer to your own thinking and attitude. Often, we only
start reacting to stress when a combination of stressors working together
exceeds our ability to cope.
Keep a diary or a list of events that have caused you to feel strong negative
emotions, or that are likely stressors. This will help you to identify the causes of
your stress. Whilst it is not always possible to eradicate them, we can change the
way that we cope with it.
Step 3: Coping with Stress
In order to deal with the situation that is causing you stress, you need to calm
your mind and body so as to stave off the reactions and cope with it in a positive
way. This can be through different methods, such as taking time off. If a situation
is triggering your stress and you are unable to calm down, remove yourself from
it. Go outside and take a walk to calm down. Alternatively, you can try
implementing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing. If it is an internal
stressor, stop your thought process until you are able to deal with it logically.
The key to making these 3 steps work for you is to practice them. These are not
instantaneous solutions, and you need to condition your mind and practice them
so that you can implement it when you are feeling stressed.
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(1.2.5) Stress Management
Stress management is the need of the hour. However hard we try to go
beyond a stress situation, life seems to find new ways of stressing us out and
plaguing us with anxiety attacks. Moreover, be it our anxiety, mind-body
exhaustion or our erring attitudes, we tend to overlook causes of stress and the
conditions triggered by those. In such unsettling moments we often forget that
stressors, if not escapable, are fairly manageable and treatable.
Stress, either quick or constant, can induce risky body-mind disorders.
Immediate disorders such as dizzy spells, anxiety attacks, tension,
sleeplessness, nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health
problems. They may also affect our immune, cardiovascular and nervous
systems and lead individuals to habitual addictions, which are inter-linked with
stress.
Like "stress reactions", "relaxation responses" and stress management
techniques are some of the body's important built-in response systems. As a
relaxation response the body tries to get back balance in its homeostasis. Some
hormones released during the 'fight or flight' situation prompt the body to replace
the lost carbohydrates and fats, and restore the energy level. The knotted
nerves, tightened muscles and an exhausted mind crave for looseness.
Unfortunately, today, we don't get relaxing and soothing situations without
asking. To be relaxed we have to strive to create such situations.
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Recognizing a stressor:
It is important to recognize whether you are under stress or out of it. Many times,
even if we are under the influence of a stressful condition and our body reacts to
it internally as well as externally, we fail to realize that we are reacting under
stress. This also happens when the causes of stress are there long enough for
us to get habituated to them. The body constantly tries to tell us through
symptoms such as rapid palpitation, dizzy spells, tight muscles or various body
aches that something is wrong. It is important to remain attentive to such
symptoms and to learn to cope with the situations.
We cope better with stressful situation, when we encounter them voluntarily. In
cases of relocation, promotion or layoff, adventurous sports or having a baby, we
tend to respond positively under stress. But, when we are compelled into such
situations against our will or knowledge, more often than not, we wilt at the face
of unknown and imagined threats. For instance, stress may mount when one is
coerced into undertaking some work against one's will.
Laughter:
Adopting a humorous view towards life's situations can take the edge off
everyday stressors. Not being too serious or in a constant alert mode helps
maintain the equanimity of mind and promote clear thinking. Being able to laugh
stress away is the smartest way to ward off its effects.
A sense of humor also allows us to perceive and appreciate the incongruities of
life and provides moments of delight. The emotions we experience directly affect
our immune system. The positive emotions can create neurochemical changes
that buffer the immunosuppressive effects of stress.
During stress, the adrenal gland releases corticosteroids, which are converted to
cortical in the blood stream. These have an immunosuppressive effect. Dr. Lee
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Berk and fellow researcher Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University School of
Medicine have produced carefully controlled studies showing that the experience
of laughter lowers serum cortical levels, increases the amount and activity of T
lymphocytes—the natural killer cells. Laughter also increases the number of T
cells that have suppresser receptors.
What Laughter Can Do Against Stress And Its Effects?
• Laughter lowers blood pressure and reduces hypertension.
• It provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those who are unable to
perform physical exercise.
• Reduces stress hormones (studies shows, laughter induces reduction of at
least four of neuroendocrine hormones—epinephrine, cortical, dopac, and growth
hormone, associated with stress response).
• Laughter cleanses the lungs and body tissues of accumulated stale air as it
empties more air than it takes in. It is beneficial for patients suffering from
emphysema and other respiratory ailments.
• It increases muscle flexion, relaxation and fluent blood circulation in body.
• Boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-
fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and disease-destroying antibodies
called B-cells.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins—body's natural painkillers.
• Produces a general sense of well-being.
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(1.2.6) Workplace Stress
Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs
when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities,
resources, or needs of the worker. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad
array of conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety,
post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g.,
dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression,
substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory
problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even
injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may
lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.
Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today's workplace. About one-third of
workers report high levels of stress. One-quarter of employees view their jobs as
the number one stressor in their lives. Three-quarters of employees believe the
worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also
suggests that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations.
Health and Healthcare Utilization
Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are
any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems.
Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees
little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
On the basis of research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that job stress
increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal
disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in
health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also
show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health
care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in
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comparison to “low risk” workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an
increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high
levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job
stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational
injuries and illnesses.
Causes of Workplace Stress
Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work.
Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working
conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest
different ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought,
differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping skills are
most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in
other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone
else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and
ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance
of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that
certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for
a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for
job redesign as a primary prevention strategy. Personal interview surveys of
working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress,
were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and
2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing
work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at
high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54%
in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work
against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990,
increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in
the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers
reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of
Americans work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and
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more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These
figures represent a considerable increase over the previous three decades,
especially for women. According to the Department of Labor, there has been an
upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended
work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined
working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children.
Signs of Workplace Stress
Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed
relationships with family; friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are examples of
stress-related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more
difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be
influenced by many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly
accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of
chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal
disorders, and psychological disorders.
Prevention
A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the
most useful approach for preventing stress at work.
How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress
Ensure that the workload is in line with workers' capabilities and
resources.
Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers
to use their skills.
Clearly define workers' roles and responsibilities.
Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting
their jobs.
Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development
and future employment prospects.
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