October 4, 2021
What is Stress?
Stress is something that happens to everyone and it’s your body’s way of responding to pressure and anxiety. It is often triggered by experiencing a sense of unfamiliarity, unexpectedness or a lack of control – which is bound to happen from time to time! This can develop into a sense of being overwhelmed and cause anxiety. Stress can impact your body in numerous ways, both mentally and physically. Stress can even affect your ability to think clearly.
There are a few ways to know if you are stressed by the way your body and mind feel. Here are a few symptoms to keep an eye out for:
- Headaches
- Increased heart rate
- Dizziness or shaking
- Anxiety, depression or irritability
- Frequent forgetfulness
- Trouble concentrating
If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should meet with a medical professional to rule out other, potentially more serious, causes and discuss ways to reduce stress.
How Does Stress Affect Your Body?
1. Mental Health
Stress and mental health problems can go hand-in-hand. When stressed, it can reduce your enthusiasm for activities that you normally enjoy. This can increase your symptoms of stress which result in a struggle to complete everyday tasks like chores, eating healthy and staying active. Long-term stress also raises the risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression1. Reach out to a friend, family member or even a medical professional for help with managing stress. Working together, you can help reduce your worries and find your way to a healthier lifestyle.
2. Sleep Insomnia
Do you ever feel like getting a good night’s rest when you’re stressed is nearly impossible? When you’re feeling stressed, your body has a hard time relaxing because it is releasing extra adrenaline and cortisol hormones, causing your heart rate to increase. This helps circulate blood to your muscles and organs quickly and efficiently. Your body does this to stay on high alert, which can cause sleep insomnia. While our bodies are often in an elevated state of alertness, it can cause us to have rapid, anxious thoughts at night which also make it difficult to rest. Insufficient sleep can then cause even more stress due to extreme exhaustion. According to the National Sleep Foundation2, a survey found that 43 percent of people aged 13 to 64 reported that they have a difficult time sleeping at night due to stress at least once a month.
3. Respiratory and Cardiovascular System
You may know the feeling of being so anxious that it feels like your heart is going to beat out of your chest. Stress can affect your respiratory and cardiovascular systems and result in a panic attack. One of the ways your body deals with stress is by going into a fight-or-flight response mode, which is why your body produces extra adrenaline. This will lead to an increase in heart rate, as you begin to breathe quickly in order to distribute oxygen-rich blood throughout your body faster. Though this may seem like a helpful way to reduce stress symptoms in your body naturally, it also raises your blood pressure. As your blood pressure increases, so does your risk for having a heart attack or stroke. Too much of the stress hormone can result in making any heart and lung conditions like high blood sugar, asthma, heart disease or heart rhythm abnormalities worse3. If you start to notice you have pain or tightness in your chest or begin to have heart palpitations due to stress, see a doctor as soon as possible or call 911.
4. Immune System
Having a strong immune system is vital if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but stress can weaken your body’s natural defenses against illness. Stress decreases the body’s white blood cells which are used to fight off infection and decrease your body’s response to sickness. While you are under high amounts of stress, you may be more prone to catching illnesses like colds, the flu and other infections. Being stressed can also lengthen the recovery time of an illness or injury. It is important to take care of your immune system by boosting it with a healthy diet and physical activity.
KEEP READING: 5 Immune-Boosting Super Foods To Try
5. Stomach or Digestive Problems
Do you ever feel like you have a stomachache or are constipated from being under so much stress? Excessive amounts of stress may affect the way some bodies process food, which may lead to constipation. When people are stressed, it can also show in their digestive system by producing pain, gas and diarrhea. You might also experience nausea or vomiting. There can additionally be an increase in stomach acid that can cause heartburn or acid reflux. Stress also has a strong link with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other complex conditions.
When your body is under strenuous amounts of pressure, your liver will produce extra glucose (blood sugar) to give you more energy, but your body struggles to keep up with this boost of extra glucose in your system. By increasing your blood sugar, it may put you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
6. Muscle Tension or Stiffness
Sometimes stress can be the reason for headaches, back and shoulder pains, and other common body aches. While your body is stressed, your muscles will tense up so they can protect themselves from getting injured according to the American Psychological Association4. If you’re under constant stress, your muscles won't get the chance to relax. This lack of relaxation will cause aches and spasms of pain throughout your body. Muscle tension from stress can result in flare-ups of symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions. By staying active, it can help your body’s aches and pains reduce when in long-periods of stress.
How Do You Manage and Prevent Stress?
There are plenty of ways to help manage your stress, or to help you prevent chronic stress in certain situations. Keeping your body healthy and fueled by eating right and staying active can help your body handle stress. If you are overly anxious, try going for a run or walk outside to release excess energy or even practice yoga to help your body relax. Overthinking can increase stress, along with not taking a break during a busy schedule. Meditation can aid your body to relax and help your mind calm down and to stop worrying.
RELATED READING: The Physical Health Benefits of Meditation
It’s also important to make time for hobbies that we enjoy. A lot of times, we cut out the “fun” in our lives when we are stressed. The fun activities help to put us in a good mood and keep our mind at ease. If you feel as if you are frequently at high levels of stress and have a difficult time calming down and enjoying your life, it may be a good idea to talk to someone about what is causing your stress. Talking aloud about your problems to a loved one or getting professional help may reduce stress levels and get you back on track.
Don’t let stress dictate your life. Find stress relievers that work best for you. Anxiety and other mental health disorders can be serious and should not be ignored. MedExpress recommends seeking immediate medical attention for suicidal thoughts or other severe symptoms. It is important to continually look for tools that will help you combat life's inevitable ups and downs. Managing your stress will help you live a healthier life and become a happier you.
References:
1 Mental Health Foundation: Stress. Last updated March 26, 2021. Accessed July 9, 2021.
2 National Sleep Foundation: Stress and Insomnia. Last updated June 24, 2021. Accessed July 8, 2021.
3 Hale Plus Hearty: Natural Cure For High Blood Pressure. Last updated May 11, 2017. Accessed July 9, 2021.
4 American Psychological Association: Stress Effects on the Body. Last updated November 18, 2018. Accessed July 8, 2021.
5 Anxiety & Depression Association of America: News and Research about Stress. Accessed July 9, 2021.
6 The American Institute of Stress: What is Stress? Accessed July 9, 2021.