Stress: the body’s response to pressure caused by different situations in your life.
A stress response can be beneficial in that it keeps us attentive, motivated, and prepared to avoid danger. However, when stressors persist without reprieve or moments of relaxation, it become a problem.
This is the case when in today’s fast-paced environment, where prevalent chronic stress places a significant cost on your mind and body.
Keep reading to learn about the effects of stress on your physical health, mental health —and what you can do about it.
How Stress Affects the Body
Endocrine And Central Nervous Systems
The central nervous system controls your ‘fight or flight’ response.
When presented with a stressful event, the hypothalamus sends a signal to your adrenal glands to release stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones increase your heartbeat and increase blood flow to your important organs.
Usually, the body will regulate itself after the event, but if the stressor is still present and/or your central nervous system fails to regulate itself, the stress response will continue.
Frequent or chronic stress can be a causative factor in physical and mental health problems like diabetes, obesity, immune disorders, depression and chronic fatigue.
Musculoskeletal System
Muscles stiffen up all at once in response to quick onset stress, then relax once the stimulus has passed.
But if you’re under constant stress, your muscle tension will be prolonged as well.
Chronic, stress-related musculoskeletal disorders can be worsened by muscular tension and eventually cause muscle atrophy, which is the thinning or loss of muscle tissue.
Respiratory System
The respiratory system is responsible for supplying oxygen to cells and removing carbon dioxide from the body.
Stressful situations can cause the airway between your lungs and nose to constrict causing physical symptoms like shortness of breath or rapid breathing.
For people with pre-existing respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stressful life events can exacerbate breathing problems.
Stress-induced fast breathing (hyperventilation) might trigger a panic attack in someone who is prone to them.
Cardiovascular System
Overwhelming stress can also cause an increase in your heart rate. Your blood pressure rises, trying to supply oxygen-rich blood to your whole body.
With ongoing stress, you can experience high levels of stress hormones as well as high blood pressure which can eventually lead to heart disease;.
Frequent or chronic stress can put you at risk for hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. There is also the possibility that long term stress can impact your cholesterol levels.
Digestive System
When your stress levels increase, your liver will produce extra blood sugar to provide energy to the body. If your stress levels stay elevated chronically, the extra blood sugar surge may increase the likelihood of diabetes.
In turn, there might be an increase in stomach acid which can cause heart burn and acid reflux. Some research has also linked long-term stress to gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or stomach ulcers.
Reproductive System
Stress overload can cause male hormone testosterone levels to drop over time which may eventually interfere with sperm production and sexual desire or even cause erectile dysfunction.
Male reproductive organs such as the prostate and testes may be more susceptible to infection as a result of chronic stress.
Stress effects in women also include lack of sexual desire, painful periods and an increased risk for postpartum depression.
How do you know you’re stressed?
Emotional Symptoms
- Easily become frustrated, agitated and moody
- Feeling overwhelmed and unable to relax
- Low self esteem
- Isolating yourself
Physical Symptoms
- Cold or sweaty hands
- Body aches
- Insomnia
- Clenched jaw and teeth grinding
Cognitive Symptoms
- Stress induced memory impairment
- Constant worrying and thinking
- Inability to focus and make good judgements
- Feeling pessimistic
Behavioral Symptoms
- Substance abuse
- Developing a fidgety behaviour
- Procrastinating
- Appetite changes
What causes stress?
There are a lot of things that can trigger stress. Furthermore, not everyone reacts the same way to an event – something that stresses you out may not have the same effect on another person.
Thus, it can be hard to narrow down the exact causes of stress. That said, some common stressors include:
- Serious life events
- Work-related stress
- Financial instability
- Relationship difficulties
- Unrealistic expectations
- Pessimistic outlook on life
What can I do to handle stress effects?
Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing are examples of relaxation techniques that stimulate the body’s relaxation response, which is the complete opposite of the stress response.
Maintain a balanced diet. Your mood and ability to cope with life’s stressors can be affected by the food you eat.
Get some sleep. Tiredness can heighten stress by prompting you to make unreasonable decisions. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can interfere with your sleep.
Release Your Stress With Elite Spine Centre!
Chiropractic treatments can help relieve you of chronic stress symptoms, especially when it comes to muscle tension!
Chiropractic adjustments can aid in helping to calm the nervous system and could reduce the fight-or-flight response that most individuals have when they are anxious.
When your body is relaxed, it often helps your mid to relax as well.
Interested to know more?
Don’t wait – contact us today to relieve your stress!