What Chronic Stress Is Actually Doing To Your Body & How To Stop It
We have all been told stress is a killer, but how many of us take this statement literally or relate it back to ourselves. I think many of us live with so much stress on a daily basis that we just assume we are immune to its effects. Unfortunately, until we are actually brought face to face with a life-threatening situation and/or condition we don’t tend to take this statement very seriously. In the hope that something will actually speak to you and help you avoid future issues, let’s take a look at some of the effects stress does have on the body.
Okay, so I’m sure all of us have done or are doing one or more things from this list. This is how we are reacting to the stress in our life, but what are the actual, physical effects it is having on our body? Stress is the body’s reaction to harmful situations – whether they’re real or perceived. When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in your body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury. This reaction is known as ‘fight or flight’. During stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten and blood pressure rises. You are ready to act – this is how you are able to protect yourself.
Side Effects of Chronic Stress
Stress means different things to different people. What causes stress in one person may be of little concern to another. Some people are better able to handle stress than others. Not all stress is bad – slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of you is a good thing. Our bodies are designed to handle small amounts of stress, but we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without it having an impact on our health and longevity. It can contribute to:
Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders
Cardiovascular disease including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks and stroke
Obesity and other eating disorders
Menstrual problems
Infertility problems
Sexual dysfunction
Skin and hair problems such as acne, psoriasis, eczema and permanent hair loss
Gastrointestinal problems such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis and irritable colon
Your central nervous system is in charge of your ‘fight or flight’ response. At the base of your brain, the hypothalamus tells your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline speeds up your heart rate and send blood rushing to the areas that need it most in an emergency, such as your muscles, heart and other important organs which boosts energy supplies and elevates blood pressure. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars in your bloodstream, enhances your brain’s use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also slows down functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight or flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. When the perceived danger is gone, the hypothalamus should tell all systems to go back to normal. Otherwise, the response will continue which is what happens when we live with chronic stress on a day to day basis. How is this affecting us?
Respiratory and cardiovascular systems
Under stress, your heart pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you’ll have more strength to take action, but this also raises your blood pressure. As a result, frequent or chronic stress will make your heart work too hard for too long. When your blood pressure rises, so do your risks for heart attack and stroke.
Digestive system
Under stress, your liver produces extra blood sugar (glucose) to give you a boost of energy. Chronic stress can lead to type 2 diabetes. Rapid breathing and increased heart rate can also lead to heartburn or acid reflux due to increased stomach acid. Stress can cause ulcers to act up and can affect the way food moves through your digestive tract. It can also have a huge impact on your intestinal microflora which will affect the immune system, mood, digestion along with pretty much every cell in your body.
Muscles
Muscles tighten up under stress. If they remain that way for extended periods of time it can lead to headaches, back and shoulder pain, neck pain and other body aches.
Immune System
Chronic stress weakens the immune system which leaves us vulnerable to viruses as well as bacterial infections. It can also increase the time it takes to recover from illnesses or injury.
Sleep
Chronic stress can have a huge impact on our ability to sleep. Insomnia and/or restless sleep patterns do not give our body time to rejuvenate and heal. This can lead to chronic fatigue and the need for stimulants to keep us going through the day. This can begin a vicious cycle of needing caffeine and/or sugar to keep us going which leads to all of the health concerns associated with these substances.
Reproductive System
Chronic stress can cause ovulation to stop which leads to infertility problems and can lead to early menopausal symptoms. It can contribute to irregular periods, cramps, PCOS and many other problems which come from unbalanced hormones.
Brain
Chronic or long-term stress can cause decreased brain mass and weight. These structural changes in the brain can lead to memory, cognitive and learning difficulties. Changes in the structure of the hippocampus of the brain can occur. These changes, together with increased levels of cortisol, can affect how neurons communicate with each other.
It should be becoming pretty obvious how dangerous chronic stress can be on our bodies. When we start talking about irregular heart rhythms, suppressed immune systems, infertility and altered brain structure – we’re talking about some serious health conditions!
Ways To Decrease Stress In Your Life
The good news is that we can be proactive when it comes to managing the stress in our life. For instance:
Learn and practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga, and meditation. Find what is soothing to you – soft music, oil diffuser, reading, hot bath, crocheting, puzzles, etc.
Exercise regularly. Walking helps to reduce cortisol and to release endorphins. When our body is fit, it is in much better shape to deal with stress.
Keep a positive attitude – look for the things all around you to be grateful for instead of the things which are causing you anxiety
Eat healthy, balanced meals – staying away from junk foods, processed foods, fast foods and highly processed foods will help in every way to give you a better outlook and to be less stressed
Learn to manage your time more wisely. Learning what is truly important in life and what is not can go a long way toward making life less stressful. Our time is like a checkbook – if we don’t keep it balanced and learn that we have a limited amount of time to share between family, friends, work, community, leisure, exercise, alone time and church – we may find that our account is quite often overdrawn.
Make time for hobbies and interests – life is supposed to be enjoyed, not just endured. Figure out what type of activities you enjoy and make time for them.
Get enough rest and sleep – this is our recovery and repair time – our body needs a chance to unwind, detox, destress and repair.
Get outside in nature. Give yourself a chance to breathe fresh air, listen to the wind blowing in the trees, listen to the song of the birds, shuffle your bare feet through the grass, listen to the creek running past you, enjoy animals – cuddle a kitten, play with a puppy, lay with your dog, ride a horse, pets can be a great source of comfort and support.
If you have issues with anger, then learn and practice anger management skills. Learn how to be assertive by communicating through words instead of yelling, screaming or becoming destructive.
This is an extremely stressful time for everyone with Covid, riots, political struggles, lockdowns, masks, and restrictions we have never seen before. More than ever, this is a time to create peace, security and safety within ourselves and our families, so that we do not get caught up in all of the stressful situations around us.