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How Stress Affects Your Health

stresshealth — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:10:49 +0200

It's essential to understand the effects that of stress on various areas of your life. It doesn't only your mental well-being-it can also cause physical symptoms as well. Fortunately there are ways to eliminate the effects of stress and improve your quality of life.

Common Physical Effects of Stress

Most people are familiar with the common effects of stress such as tension headaches, stomach ulcers, and acne, but many people don't realize the effects stress can have on your health in the long-term. For instance, did you know that stress can cause asthma symptoms? I was unaware of this effect until I was treated for a recurring case of bronchitis that also caused wheezing. At the time I was working full-time, going to college full-time, raising three kids including a problematic teenager, and dealing with the effects of a dead marriage. It took a three week trip away from everything to help with the stress and get me back on track without the inhaler the doctor had prescribed.

Sometimes we don't realize that stress is the cause of many common ailments including allergies, gastrointestinal upsets, angina pain, sleep disorders and even the common cold. We don't look at stress as the cause for physical symptoms because we see stress as the cause of emotional issues such as panic attacks and anxiety disorders. Sometimes we even overlook substance abuse as an after effect of stress, and though it may not always be a cause, smoking, drug abuse, and alcohol abuse can definitely be worsened because of stress.

Why Stress Creates Physical Symptoms

Although we don't know why stress affects our physical well-being in every case, it is safe to assume that it has a detrimental affect on our immune system. Lack of sleep-or at least quality sleep-can be stress related, and without proper sleep there is no way one can maintain a healthy immune system. Another factor affecting the immune system during times of stress is failing to eat healthy foods. When we are stressed, we tend to pick at our food or grab snacks that are not healthy. Chocolate is a well-known stress reliever, so many people reach for it when they feel stressed.

How to Relieve Stress

Each of us has our own way to relieve stress, but eating is not one of the ways you want to achieve that. Exercise is a very good way to reduce your level of stress, especially high level aerobic exercise that allows you to concentrate on your activity and push other thoughts from your mind. A couple of activities that I have found works for me is going to the beach and just listening to the roar of the ocean. Even if it is cold outside, you can stand on the boardwalk and listen to the waves cracking on the sand. Music is another way I can relax, especially when I put on my favourite band and allow myself to pretend I'm in the concert hall listening or imagining my favourite group member is singing just to me.

You will also find there are some vitamin supplements that have stress-relieving qualities-the B vitamins fall into this category as do some other vitamins as well. The important element here is to find an activity that helps you reduce your stress level so you sleep well, eat properly, and learn to leave the stresses of your job at the office when you leave for the day. Though you may have stresses at home, many of those are created by bringing home stresses from the office.

Marie Watson writes weight loss, diet plan, health, beauty and general well-being articles for the Slim Eazy website at http://www.slimeazy.com

How Does Stress Effect Health And Wellne...

stresshealth — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:10:02 +0200

It can start early in the morning when you get stuck in rush hour traffic. It only becomes exacerbated at work. Then back home at night dealing with your children's travails of the day. It is stress. And it is present in almost all of our lives. What are the consequences of this widespread stress? How does stress effect health?

Stress can have serious effects on both our mental and physical health. These manifestations can take immediate effect, or they can be delayed in their impact. The most salient example of the latter is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The most common immediate effects are increased blood pressure and rapid heartbeat.

So widespread is the problem, that studies have shown a substantial majority of both doctor's office visits as well as serious maladies can at least partially be attributed to underlying stress. Seeing the magnitude of the problem, we are well served to fully explore and understand how stress impacts our overall health.

A large part of the problem is that stress can exist without respite creating conditions which are always present. These are referred to as chronic conditions. Some, including high blood pressure, are especially nefarious resulting in very serious consequences. There are many contributors to high blood pressure including those relating to diet, but stress is high on the list.

Most of the physical manifestations of stress which result in adverse health effects relate to the body's production of adrenaline. This hormone serves to prepare the body for any potential danger. One's senses are heightened, the heart pumps blood and the oxygen it contains faster, and the pupils change to allow sharper vision.

When appropriate, this bodily response can save your life. However, when triggered by the stresses of everyday life it can be deadly. High blood pressure has been tied to heart disease, stroke and other potentially life threatening events. Adrenaline can be helpful and of course exciting, but it can also be a deadly enemy.

In addition to physical effects, stress can have significant mental health impacts. Everyone reading this knows that stress does not ordinarily coincide with happiness. Stress limits one's patience, causes sudden mood changes, and serves to disrupt both family and work relationships. These effects can prove to be equally detrimental as physical ones.

It is present, and will most probably remain so, among all of us. As the world more emerges into the technological age, it is projected stress will rear its head all over the developing world to match the levels seen in America. Many more will be asking the question of how does stress effect health.

What you want to know is how does stress effect health and wellness. To find out more, check out Panic Away here at http://PanicAttacks.Superior-Products101.com.

How Does Stress Affect Health?

stresshealth — Tue, 20 May 2008 20:08:45 +0200

It's not uncommon for people to ask, "How does stress affect health?" We have often heard rumors about how stress can ruin you physically and mentally. Is there any truth to it?

The truth is that researchers are still trying to determine the exact effects of stress. There are several studies that show a tentative but strong connection between stress and certain health problems. Some things are already certain though. Studies show for example that at the most, 90% of complaints in clinics are due to stress with 43% of people suffering badly from stress. The OSHA itself has said that stress is a major work hazard.

Ongoing studies seem to show that people are often more prone to certain conditions. Here are some of the possible health problems that people under stress may have to face:

- Stress may be responsible for certain heart ailments. The hormones produced during a state of stress increase blood pressure and heart rate. This increase will in turn put too much pressure on the arteries. This could harm them, cause them to thicken, and eventually lead to heart disease.

- One major answer to how does stress affect health has something to do with the immune system. People under stress tend to be more prone to colds and infections. This is because the hormone cortisol which is present in large amounts when under stress also tends to hinder the work of the immune system.

- You could gain more weight when under stress. This is due to the body's quick use of carbohydrate stores. This in turn could encourage you to eat more. On the flip side, those who are too busy to even eat could lose weight and consume all of their energy stores. That would leave them with nothing to draw energy and nutrients from.

- You may have noticed that you may experience more stomach complaints when under stress. If you miss meals due to your preoccupation with stressful factors, then you could develop hyperacidity. Loose bowels are also a natural reaction to stress due to chemical reactions that cause the stomach to digest food improperly.

- Your body is not the only part that stress affects. Your mental and psychological states are also in danger. Stress naturally produces anxiety, worry and frustration. These could lead to the development of more serious psychological conditions such as depression.

- Stress can rob you of your sleep. Night sleep is the body's way of recharging itself so you can face the next day with renewed energy. If you lose sleep, your body would not have been rested well enough. This naturally takes its toll on your daily performance. Your vital organs suffer too since they have been on working mode from dusk till dawn.

- Those who experience stress complain of various other conditions. You may experience, headaches, rashes, gum problems, menstrual irregularities, hair loss and sexual problems.

So how does stress affect health? As these conditions would show, it can affect it in various ways. Make it a point to learn to manage stress to ensure your health.

Prevent stress-related diseases. Find answers to questions on how does stress affect health and on how to manage stress properlyl.