Stress:
The confusion created when one’s mind overrides the body’s
basic desire to choke the living daylights out of
some jerk who desperately deserves it.
Unknown
Everyone takes it for granted that stress can have profound effects on your mental health. It can cause you to lose focus, or it can trigger episodes of depression or anxiety. It might affect your memory, and it can have a negative impact on your relationships with others. But did you know that stress can adversely affect our physical health as well?
What’s the physiology of stress?
In addition to the changes that stress brings out in your mind, it can cause a number of physiological responses. How does that work?
1. Alarm reaction
First, you experience a stress alarm reaction. This is what is commonly referred to as the “fight or flight” response. Hormones, pheromones, enzymes and other chemicals, including adrenaline and endorphins, flood into your bloodstream, and you experience a sudden burst of energy. This increases your blood pressure and your breathing rate. Digestion slows down, because you don’t need to digest for either of these situations. And, blood rushes to your major organs.
2. Stress resistance
Once the initial threat has passed, your body moves into a stage called stress resistance. The body begins to function somewhat normally again, but it is still on alert. It begins to repair any tissue damage that happened during the initial stage of stress.
3. Exhaustion
The third stage is stress exhaustion. This occurs when you experience ongoing stress. This is the stage where the most damage is actually done. The immune system will likely be suppressed because of the overload of certain chemicals. And this is the stage in which your cardiovascular system often suffers the most.
What is the physical result or toll?
The end results of too much stress can be detrimental to our health. The strain that it puts on your cardiovascular system can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, even stroke. You might have difficulties with weight gain because of the changes in metabolism or in your eating habits. Are you a stress-eater?
Your immunity may become so impaired that you find that you are getting sick more often.
Stress can also affect your body in ways that are less serious but also bothersome. It can cause headaches and body aches. It might lead to skin problems, like acne. It can disrupt your normal sleep pattern. It can cause sexual dysfunction. And it can also make you more susceptible to allergy symptoms.
Some of the health problems that you already experience may be exacerbated by stress. This is particularly true for disorders that are connected to your nervous system, like as chronic pain, digestive issues, and bowel disorders. If these things are already present, excessive stress can make a bad situation worse.
Everyone experiences stress. It is a perfectly normal and unavoidable part of life. However, too much stress can cause a number of problems for you. That is why it is so important that you to learn how to deal with your stress and stressors quickly and effectively. Doing so will help reduce its harmful effects on both your mind and body.
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