Stress Does What to My Body?

Stress is a familiar part of everyone’s life. In small doses, it can serve as a motivator for humans. However, the response to threatening and uncomfortable situations was originally meant to protect us from harm. Having the response occur continually is damaging in many ways.

What is This Stress Doing to Me?

• Your blood pressure rises. A higher blood pressure over a large amount of time can stress the heart and increase risk of heart attack and stroke.

• Stress suppresses the immune system. People who live very stressful lives are more prone to illnesses, such as colds.

• Stress disrupts the digestive system. Stress can cause cramping, heartburn, or even diarrhea.

• Stress releases chemicals that cause cravings for sugary snacks and fat. This can wreak havoc on your waist line.

• Insomnia is common in stressful lifestyles. Insomnia makes it hard to go to sleep. A person with insomnia never feels tired. They are easily awakened. If a person lacks decent sleep, so many of our body’s functions are interrupted and thrown off.

• Your memory may fail you under constant stress. The recall of details may become more cumbersome during stressful situations.

• Skin breakouts are also common due to stress overload.

With all the negative effects stress causes our bodies, it’s important to know how to prevent stress overload. Stress is practically impossible to completely eradicate from our lives. Let’s face it. A stress free life is impossible. However, there are methods to help counteract the effect stress causes.

How Can I Lower My Stress?

• Increase relaxation time. This can be different tasks for different people. Some relax by reading, taking a bath, or working on cars. Find your way of relaxing and make it a part of your routine. Meditation and yoga are common methods that focus on relaxing.

• Exercise regularly. Exercising will help to make you tired. This fights the unwanted symptoms of insomnia. Exercising also helps to fight off the expanding waist line that comes along with emotional eating.

• Eat healthy. Eating healthy will provide nutrients and chemicals to produce positive effects on your body. Try to eliminate alcohol, caffeine, and sugar from your diet. These items will contribute to the negative effects from stress.

• Get plenty of sleep. Getting the proper amount of sleep will prepare your body to deal with stress better. You will start the day feeling better when well rested.

• Avoid stressful situation. This seems so simple. However, some people are just attracted to drama. Drama means stress. Avoid it when you can and you will save your body some turmoil.

There are three different types of stress responses. The first one is the type of person that becomes excessively angry and restless during stressful situations. They can be overly emotional. The second type tends to withdraw from stressful situations. They shut down or pull away. The last type will freeze all together. These people feel an overwhelming amount of anxiety on the inside but do nothing in response. Regardless of the response type, a constant state of being in stress causes us to forget how to react to small issues. This is the reason stressed out people tend to make a mountain from a mole hill. They are so used to being prepared for World War 1.

The first sign of trouble triggers the over the top, end of the world response. The best thing we can do is recognize the effects and prepare to counteract them. Relax, have some fun in life! Kick your feet up and give your body a break.

Jennifer L Blair