Regulating Stress in the Cloud

When we consider the digital frontier, our inclination is typically to look at how changes in technology are changing industries. And in a lot of ways that makes sense given the fact industries are capable of adopting and implementing on a large scale, and thus they showcase the potential impact of certain aspects of new tech. 

Yet underneath this drive within companies to be innovative there lies the core reality that it all comes back to how consumers – and human beings in general – are able to utilize technology overall, and in this case the cloud specifically, to bolster quality of life. 

Stress is an issue so widespread in varying degrees, its significance is often underrated. But, what research shows is that stress contributes to a wide range of serious chronic diseases. It’s an inevitable part of life that we all deal with at one time or another, but it doesn’t have be a serious game changer. 

The cloud can provide a method for individuals to regulate their stress on a daily basis in a way that previous generations never before had the ability to do; ultimately that means stress as a whole may take a back seat for some individuals, which is right where it belongs.

Why Talking About Stress Regulation Matters

For multiple reasons, those with high levels of stress face challenges when coping. These challenges have made the availability of appropriate cloud-based resources especially valuable. 

Firstly, there’s the fact that stress (and its inevitable companion, ‘busy-ness’) are glorified in today’s culture. Thus, just communicating that you’re not okay with it is countercultural, and makes taking the steps needed to combat it, all the more difficult. 

As Maggie Hariman writes for Stanford, "When we glorify stress and being busy, we normalize a culture where running ourselves ragged is not just celebrated but the norm. To not be busy makes you an outlier." 

Additionally, it’s not just that stress is in vogue, but mental health issues come at a social cost. Though there’s been effort to move away from incorrect, preconceived notions about the nature of mental health, stigmas still exist. 

This reality is what causes the journal of World Psychiatry to note that if you have mental health struggles you’re, "challenged doubly." Therefore, the investment of those both in technology fields and within the healthcare industry is crucial.

Engaging in Daily Stress Management

On the ground level, the cloud grants the ability to implement tools into the structure of one’s day that effectively either work to target and diminish contributors to stress, or help individuals respond to stress in helpful ways.

Understanding Health

According to the Mental Health Foundation, one of the foundational ways to manage stress is to assess how the components of your life are contributing to stress and feeling overwhelmed. The cloud gives individuals a new level of agency that can simplify this. 

The healthcare professionals at Bradley University write, "These (lifestyle and wellness apps) apps have benefits that range from general support and instruction to helping people who suffer from chronic illnesses or diseases be more accountable for their own well-being." 

Essentially, the cloud platform has paved the way for individuals to become more educated about their health, and by extension take control of it.

Proactively Combating Stress

Apps are also useful problem solvers. When individuals take the time and energy to understand the distinct components of their stress, they can then take strides towards addressing the sources of their stress, so that it does not impact their lives to the same degree. 

Personal Life: Apps are there for the downloading that help individuals incorporate methods of relaxation, mindfulness, organization, and overall positivity into their daily lives. Stress is powerful enough to cause serious health issues, but taking strides to change how the pressures of life impact an individual removes a level of power from those negative components. 

Professional Life: For a great many people, this is often the primary source of stress. The pressure to do well professionally is understandably widespread, and again, in professional circles it is especially acceptable to be stressed out. Thus, apps designed for team collaboration and productivity are valuable assets for those overwhelmed with the task of climbing the career ladder. 

These tools can make a world of difference for those willing to give a somewhat unconventional approach to stress management a try. 

Communication Within Healthcare

Cloud-based apps and wearables provide both healthcare professionals and individuals the ability to collect information, and distribute and share that information in novel ways. The efficiency and accuracy with which healthcare professionals communicate amongst themselves, and the challenges associated with communicating well with patients, have long been barriers to premium care. 

The tech that relies on the cloud to operate makes it easier than ever for individuals to take detailed notes that correspond to stress-induced issues like high blood pressure; that can make a world of difference given the fact research has shown the use of antihypertensive medication can be harmful. 

Essentially, the cloud is making it easier to deal with certain health issues before they require overt medical intervention. 

It takes away a lot of the risk of miscommunication, and the pressure on health care professionals to correctly translate what patients say, because the data says it for them. 

Stress – and its ability to negatively impact life – isn’t going anywhere. In a way, it is just part of the human condition. However, the cloud and the technology it effectively supports can and already is creating ways for individuals to understand where it comes from and how they can better cope with, and even prevent it from happening in the first place.

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About the Author

Avery Phillips is a unicorn of a human being who loves all things relating to people and their entrepreneurial spirits. Comment down below or tweet her @a_taylorian.