Stress is dangerous, any way you look at it. Today, people throw the term around so loosely, it doesn’t get taken as seriously as it should. Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain caused by adverse circumstances. When the consequences of these adverse circumstances are not managed, serious diseases in the body set in. In this article, I’ll talk about both physical and mental effects of stress on the body.
What types of stress are there?
There is acute stress, which is the most common. This one can cause a raise in blood pressure. Hormones in the body are released that constrict the blood vessels, and make the heart beat faster to raise the blood pressure. This is generally temporary, and stops once the stress is eliminated. There is episodic acute stress, which happens frequently over and over. And chronic stress, which is acute stress that isn’t managed, and goes on for a long time. As it sneaks up on you with symptoms that pop up out of nowhere, the body tries to balance and reduce it. In most cases, chronic stress has been going on for so long, that the conditions are irreversible.
What are the physical effects of stress?
Common symptoms of stress can be fast heartbeat, increased sweating, cold hands or feet, nausea and dry mouth. Generally, once you have these symptoms, your body is in stress mode. Serious conditions like headaches, insomnia, digestive disorders, changes in libido, and more can be directly related to stress. Digestive disorders alone are responsible for so many medications, surgeries, and patient’s loss of time with work and family. There are different parts of the nervous system in the body and when one is excited and another one is relaxed, it disrupts the function of the digestive and other systems. When this happens, it affects the organs and tissues of the digestive system. This can lead to very serious diseases. Reducing stress is one of the first things I have my patients do when suffering from digestive disorders.
What are the psychological effects of stress?
You have been under stress for a while, some symptoms like nervousness, brain fog, and difficulty performing daily activities may happen. Depression is one serious condition that may arise from stress. Once again, many patients who are on depression medications generally have undue stress. Reduction in stress may greatly reduce their depression. When stress affects your mental health, you know once again that you have affected the nervous system. You cannot live without a healthy nervous system. This is when stress can become fatal.
How can I stop stress from hurting my body?
Easiest and quickest way to stop stress is to slow down and stop what you’re doing. Take a few long deep breaths and relax. Set the timer in your home or on your phone to be sure and do this at least once an hour. Being sure that you eat healthy foods, and a balanced diet. Your body is a machine and has to be maintained to work properly. The right bloodwork can be done to look for trends in deficiencies you may have as well. Exercise that you enjoy is important, especially doing it on a regular basis. Yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques are very important as well. The bottom line is, if something is stressing you to the point of affecting her health, remove the stress. If you cannot remove what’s causing the stress, then you must find a way to manage it so it will not affect your health.
Any questions regarding my articles please email me:
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Leisa-Marie Grgula, D.C.
Chiropractic Physician
Accurate Care Pain Relief Center
21043 N. Cave Creek Rd. #A9
Phoenix, AZ 85024
602-493-2228
www.CaringPainRelief.com
