Stress and Your Body
Let’s face it, we can’t avoid stress no matter what we do in life. It’s part of overcoming obstacles and achieving our goals.
But, when stress becomes unmanageable, it can compromise our health.
The Brain
When we are under stress, the hypothalamus signals the autonomic nervous system and the pituitary gland to release cortisol and epinephrine. Epinephrine is the stress hormone.
When there are excessive levels of cortisol in our body, it can interfere with our learning and our memory skills.
Elevated levels of cortisol may also increase the risk of mental illness.
Cardiovascular System
- Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Stress causes the heart to beat faster and blood vessels to constrict, leading to higher blood pressure. Over time, this can increase the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
- Cholesterol Levels: Stress can raise cholesterol levels, contributing to the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Digestive System
- Stomach Issues: Stress can cause stomach aches, nausea, and other digestive issues. It can exacerbate conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and increase the risk of ulcers.
- Appetite Changes: Stress may lead to changes in appetite, either causing overeating or a loss of appetite.
Muscles
- Muscle Tension: Stress causes muscles to tighten, leading to tension headaches, migraines, and other types of pain.
- Chronic Pain: Ongoing muscle tension can lead to chronic pain conditions, such as back pain and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.
Reproduction in Women
- Menstrual Cycle: In women, stress can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, more painful periods, and changes in the length of cycles.
- Sexual Function: Stress can reduce sexual desire and performance in both men and women, and it can contribute to issues like erectile dysfunction in men.
Management of Stress
It’s not always easy to manage stress but it is crucial to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Techniques such as regular exercise, mindfulness meditation, adequate sleep, and social support can help manage stress levels and mitigate its impact on the body. If stress becomes overwhelming or unmanageable, seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor is often a wise step.
There are many options out there if you feel like you aren’t handling things as well as you can. You can always talk to your GP or you can call the Samaritans, if you feel like your situation is beyond medical help.
We’ve included some useful links below. There’s always someone to help.