Effects of stress on health
Maintaining states of stress for a long time affects our physical and psychological health. Becoming aware will motivate us to reduce its impact on our life.
We are increasingly used to living with stressful states on a daily basis. We have normalized the frenetic pace of life, the feeling that we cannot stop and still we do not get to everything . The personal, social and work demands are increasing and all this, finally, ends up taking its toll on the body.
Generally, we do not give stress the importance it really has. We don’t heed the signals, we ignore the red flags, and we continue to push ourselves beyond our means. The consequences of stress on both physical and psychological health are extensive and increasingly frequent.
What is stress?
Stress is a psychophysiological reaction that occurs in the body to an excessive environmental demand . When we perceive that the external demand exceeds our capacities to face it, stress appears. At that moment, a hormonal cascade begins to help us take action.
Our body is prepared to withstand specific peaks of stress , for example the one that can appear in the face of a threat of theft or the days before an exam. In these cases, it helps us to take the necessary measures to protect our integrity and our well-being.
The problem arises when stress is maintained over time for a long time and becomes chronic. If this happens, a mechanism designed to activate us in solving a specific problem is constantly installed in our lives. The permanent activation, the continuous hormonal flow ends up wearing down our energy, unbalancing our internal state and seriously affecting our health.
Effects of stress on health
Depression and anxiety
Long-term chronic stress can lead to states of depression and anxiety. In addition to the hormonal imbalance and the energetic waste that it entails, stress affects all the main areas involved in good health. Sleep disturbances appear, food loses quality and social relationships suffer. All of this can contribute to the individual beginning to experience anxious and depressive symptoms .
Skin conditions and hair loss
Skin eruptions such as acne or eczema can be caused by continuous states of pressure; other conditions such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis flare up and get worse . In addition, excessive hair loss can occur, which in some cases can lead to total baldness.
Menstrual problems
It is very common that, in sustained states of stress, irregularities in the menstrual cycle occur. Intensely painful periods can appear and it is even possible that menstruation is completely withdrawn in severe cases. The explanation for this phenomenon is found in the hormonal imbalances that a prolonged state of stress produces.
Digestive disorders
Stress alters the functioning of the digestive system; makes heavy digestions, the typical “everything feels bad to me.” In addition, it deregulates intestinal transit and is closely related to the appearance of stomach ulcers , since it increases the production of digestive acids that enhance these types of problems.
Arterial and heart problems
Prolonged mental fatigue and pressure are associated with such serious diseases as hypertension and coronary heart disease ; Although these effects are long-term, they are really serious and should alert us to the need to reduce stress.
Weight problems
Sustained stress often prompts us to binge eat, the so-called emotional eating. In the absence of other more adequate resources to manage the situation, we turn to food to balance ourselves emotionally. Additionally, in this situation, the brain stops correctly perceiving satiety signals. For all these reasons, stress is frequently associated with being overweight and even diabetes.
The importance of reducing stress
In sum, maintaining states of stress for prolonged periods can severely affect health and well-being. For this reason, we must try to adopt habits that help us reduce its impact. Meditating regularly and having a supportive social network are two of the most important factors . They will help us reduce the basal level of anxiety and face environmental stressors in a much more positive way. In general, it takes a change in mindset, slowing down, and beginning to focus on the present.
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