Physical Impacts of Stress on the Body
Stress of any kind can have an immediate impact on our bodies. From a raised heart rate and increased breathing to tensed muscles, stress brings about a physical response. Stress causes the body to release adrenaline and cortisol, which can increase blood pressure, raise the heart rate, and change the way the body metabolizes sugars. Outwardly, you may notice a surge of energy that is accompanied by a pounding heart, clinched muscles, and an overall tense feeling.
The stress response is a way for your body to cope with difficult circumstances and can provide the energy needed to complete a workout, get through an intense meeting, or conquer a fear. But too much stress or stress from the wrong sources can lead to negative impacts.
Chronic stress and your health
The daily stresses of life that ebb and flow certainly have an effect on your health. Chronic stress, which is constant and unrelieved over a long period of time, impacts your health in even more profound ways. This sort of stress can leave you overwhelmed and even debilitated.
Chronic stress often leads to problems with sleep, anxiety, high blood pressure, and a weak immune system. It can even lead to illnesses that may impact you for the rest of your life, as it raises the risk for heart disease, depression, and weight gain.
Action steps to reduce stress
Unfortunately, too many people living with chronic stress or even brief periods of high stress do not take the time to deal with it. Simple changes in life can lead to a large reduction in stress, even if you have no control over the causes of your stress. Taking the time to deal with the effects of this hardship and pressure can give your body time away from the stress response, recharge your batteries, and mitigate the effects on your body.
● Exercise of any sort is a great way of releasing the pent-up energy of stress and has a way of calming your body and mind. Choose your favorite form of exercise and carve out time in your schedule to get to it.
● Counselors or therapists provide a safe space for processing and releasing the emotions that accompany stress and can help guide you in ways to cope.
● Meditation is a great way of calming your mind and body or restoring the peace after a stressful upheaval, and it only takes a few minutes a day.
● Massage therapy helps your body release stress and relaxes the muscles that are chronically tightened by stress. Even when stress has its roots in emotional situations, the posture of your body will change and tense. Massage helps restore a more natural body function.
● Spending time with your family or friends can be a great way of relieving stress as well, especially if you’re doing a fun activity. Even when your schedule seems too busy to handle something extra, it is worth adding enjoyable activities to it. This mental break is rejuvenating and can carry you through the rest of your busy schedule.
Some periods in life are more stressful than others. Even if you are in a period of relative calm, it is worth implementing stress management techniques into your daily life. When the inevitable comes, you will be equipped to better handle the stress and its effects on your body.
