What exactly is stress?
Stress is a normal human feeling that everyone experiences. In truth, the human body is built to experience and respond to stress. When you face changes or challenges (stressors), your body responds physically and mentally. That’s what stress is.
Stress reactions assist your body in adapting to new environments. Stress may be beneficial in that it keeps us aware, focused, and ready to avert danger.
If you have an important test coming up, for example, a stress reaction may help your body perform harder and remain awake longer. However, stress becomes an issue when stressors persist without release or moments of rest.
What happens to the body when it is stressed?
The autonomic nervous system of the body regulates your heart rate, respiration, vision changes, and other bodily functions. The body’s built-in stress response, known as the “fight-or-flight reflex,” aids it in dealing with stressful situations.
When a person is under long-term (chronic) stress, the stress response is constantly activated, causing wear and tear on the body. Symptoms of physical, emotional, and behavioural nature emerge.
Physical manifestations of stress include:
- There are aches and pains.
- Chest discomfort or the sensation that your heart is beating
- Exhaustion or difficulty sleeping
- Headaches, dizziness, or trembling
- The blood pressure is too high.
Stress can cause emotional and mental symptoms such as:
- Irritability or anxiety.
- Depression.
- Panic attacks occur.
- Sadness.
People who suffer from chronic stress frequently attempt to cope by engaging in harmful habits such as:
- Excessive or frequent alcohol consumption.
- Gambling.
- Overeating or the emergence of an eating disorder
- Compulsively engaging in sex, shopping, or internet browsing.
- Smoking.
- Taking medications.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Stress?
A little tension here and there is nothing to be concerned about. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can induce or aggravate a variety of significant health conditions, including:
Depression, anxiety, and personality disorders are examples of mental health issues.
Heart illness, excessive blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, heart attacks, and strokes are all examples of cardiovascular disease.
Obesity, as well as other eating problems
Menstrual irregularities
Impotence and premature ejaculation in men, as well as lack of sexual desire in both men and women, are examples of sexual dysfunction.
Acne, psoriasis, and eczema, as well as irreversible hair loss, are examples of skin and hair disorders.
GI issues such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and irritable colon
How to Manage Stress
If you are experiencing stress symptoms, taking efforts to control your stress can provide several health advantages. Investigate stress-management techniques such as:
- Participating in frequently physical exercise
- Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi, or massage are all examples of relaxation techniques.
- Maintaining a sense of humour
- Having fun with family and friends
- Making time for interests like reading a book or listening to music
- Try to discover active methods to deal with your stress. Inactive methods of stress management, such as watching television, surfing the internet, or playing video games, may appear calming at first, but they may raise your tension in the long run.
When Should You Seek Assistance?
If you are unsure whether stress is the reason, or if you have made efforts to manage your stress but your symptoms persist, consult your doctor. Your doctor may want to rule out any other possible causes.
Consider contacting a professional counsellor or therapist, who can assist you in identifying causes of stress and learning new coping strategies.
Also, get emergency medical attention right away if you are experiencing chest discomfort, especially if you are also experiencing shortness of breath, jaw or back pain, pain spreading into your shoulder and arm, sweating, dizziness, or nausea. These might be warning signals of a heart attack rather than stress symptoms.
