Photo by Liza Summer
In today’s current climate of go, go, go and achieve all the time, stress is a significant part of everyday life and the impact it has on the body is profound. Over 63% of Canadians feel that their stress levels have either remained the same or increased in the last five years. Stress is increasingly becoming a national health crisis, so it is more important than ever to learn how it can affect your body.
Nervous System
Your nervous system is responsible for coordinating your body’s reactions whenever you find yourself in a “fight or flight” situation. An organ in the brain called the Hypothalamus signals the adrenal gland to release two stress hormones: cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream. These hormones carry out two functions:
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Adrenaline significantly increases your heartbeat and uses the increased pressure to send blood to the areas of the body that will need it the most. For example your extremities such as your arms and legs to prepare them to run away and take you away from the perceived danger.
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Cortisol increases sugar levels in the bloodstream and heightens your brain’s use of glucose, and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
Once you have removed yourself from the stressful situation, your hypothalamus stops releasing your stress hormones, and your body returns to normal functioning. Sustained stress can cause the excessive release of these hormones which ultimately has an adverse impact on your central nervous system which can lead to psychological problems such as eating disorders, social isolation, and drug abuse.
Cardiovascular System
During your fight or flight response, you also breathe faster so your body can receive oxygen-rich blood as quickly as possible. As mentioned above, your blood pressure tends to increase under stress. Being confronted by stress over a long period of time will increase your risk of suffering from a stroke or a heart attack, as your heart is not designed to work hard for extended periods of time.
Muscular System
You may have noticed that some part(s) of your body tense up whenever you are stressed or anxious. These muscles stay tensed throughout your ‘fight or flight’ response and will only stop once you fully relax.
People with chronic stress tend to suffer from more body aches, shoulder and back pain, and frequent headaches because their muscles remain tense and strained. If such issues are not addressed, an addiction to pain medications may eventually occur.
Reproductive System
When stressed, the dysregulation in the body can result in consequences for your sexual and reproductive health. You may notice your sex drive slowly declining. In women, sustained stress can result in interruptions in the menstrual cycle and lead to more painful periods or, in severe cases, miscarriages.
On the other hand, in men, stress can increase testosterone, but only temporarily. Over time, testosterone levels decrease, followed by a decrease in sperm production. Stress also plays a role in causing erectile dysfunction in males and is known to cause infections in the testes and prostate.
Digestive System
Stress has a well-documented impact on the digestive system. When you are under stress, your liver releases more blood sugar into the bloodstream. Under normal circumstances, this accounts for the energy needed to commit to the fight or flight response. However, if you are stressed for a long time, increased blood sugar levels can be overwhelming for your body and can lead to Type-2 diabetes.
Also, stress tends to impact the food as it moves within your body. This can manifest in many ways, such as constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach aches. The increase in breathing and heart rate can also impact your digestive system.
While stress does not directly cause ulcers, it has been noted to be one of the factors which may increase your risk of having stomach ulcers. Stress can increase your stomach acid levels and is known to increase acid reflux and heartburn.
Immune System
Stress is only a positive thing for your body if it’s for a short period. It can enhance your immunity, leading to quicker healing from infections and wounds. However, large amounts of stress for prolonged periods can weaken your immune system and make you susceptible to even the most basic pathogens. If you feel you catch the common cold or other forms of flu more often than before, reflect on how much stress your body is experiencing.
It is important to know what stress can do to your body, but it is also critical to work through your stress triggers so you can not only recognize when you are stressed and also learn ways to relax. In this fast-paced world, we’re collectively experiencing increased stress levels, even though we consider it to be a normal part of living in modern industrial society.
However, the stress that an average person in North America has is by no means normal. While stress is part of what makes us human and has allowed us to survive and evolve on Earth, humans are not designed to sustain stress over a long period. Suffering from chronic stress can take an incredible toll on your body and can significantly impact your quality of life. According to the American Heart Association more women are suffering heart attacks today related to stress.
While our current stress levels might be reaching an all-time high, we also have access to more resources than ever before. Use them to your advantage. From YouTube ASMR to meditation videos, there are all kinds of stress relievers you can access within a few taps. Or you can use more traditional means and spend more time with friends or use meditation to help you relax and unplug. Regardless how you accomplish it, it is vital to learn ways that you can slowly unwind and let the stress out of your body. Keeping it in will only cause your body to deteriorate.
In summary, living with extreme levels of stress for long periods of time can and will have adverse effects on your physical health. Uncontrolled stress is a killer because it is almost always accompanied by high blood pressure which is known as the “silent killer.” There are different approaches to learning how to manage your stress from jogging, working out, meditating, using breathing techniques. Another highly effective tool for managing stress is to learn how to practice mindfulness. All can and will help you reduce your stress levels in relatively short form but these techniques are meant to be incorporated into your daily routine if you want them to have any lasting impact. Intermittent stress that comes and goes is not as threatening to one’s health but it is still something you need to pay attention to because living with ongoing stress may become a “habit” that you stop noticing and that’s when it becomes dangerous. It is important to take care of your body if you want to live a long, happy and healthy life and paying attention to stress levels and your responses to them is a great way to start.
Contact your local health care or mental health institute if you or a loved one is suffering from from chronic stress.
This blog is not intended to provide medical advice.
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