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April is Stress Awareness Month
How Stress Can Affect the Body
April is Stress Awareness Month and a good time to discuss the effects of stress on our bodies. Stress has a way of rearing its ugly head and sometimes it can be overwhelming. As much as we wish it weren't so, stress is part of our daily lives.
Your body is designed to deal with stress. Our natural fight-or-flight response kicks in when we feel threatened. The brain triggers the release of hormones and a sense of alarm. The hormones are meant to help us fight the threat or run away from it. But what happens if your body feels stressed a lot? How does your body fare if you are in constant state of alarm?
When your body is in a prolonged stressed state, it doesn’t have time to recover. Heart attacks, cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses are linked to stress. That’s why it’s important to reduce it. Stress is triggered by the way you deal with what’s happening, not from what’s happening. A stress trigger for one person may not be a trigger for another person. Understanding what makes you feel stressed is an important step that may help you deal with triggers and better cope with stress when it strikes.
Stress can affect your entire body. It can worsen many health problems — from depression and migraines to asthma and sleeplessness. Stress also raises your heart rate and blood pressure, making your heart work harder. Over time, these effects may damage your blood vessels and contribute to heart disease.
It's important to know the difference between stressors and things that can excite you to action. Things that make you worried, anxious, or depressed can be harmful to your wellbeing. Knowing common signs of stress can help you handle them:
Head and Mood: Stress alters memory and other brain functions like mood and anxiety. That’s why you may get a headache or feel forgetful and disorganized.
Heart: Stress may lead to chest pain or a fast heartbeat. It can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Stomach and Digestion: Stress touches the brain-gut link. It may set off pain, bloating, and other gut issues. Stress can change digestion and affect what nutrients your body absorbs when you eat.
Back: Anxiety and stress can lead to muscle tension and cause back, shoulder and neck pain.
Whole Body: Physical warnings of stress include aches and pains, insomnia, frequent colds, headaches, fatigue, and infections.
Since stress can cause many health issues, one of the best things you can do is learn to manage it. A few simple steps can help you get started. Try a deep-breathing break or go for a walk. Check in with your family and friends when you need support and build in some time to relax each day. Reach out if you are struggling with your mental health. Talk to your doctor or other health care providers.
For information about how stress affects the body, visit here.
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