What does Stress Do to Your Body?

Stress can be described as a response your mind gives to change in situations that it can’t handle. The human body responds to these changes through mental, emotional and physical responses.

Stress is normal in life. Your body comes under a lot of pressure from the environment and from within. The type of stress you go through can be termed as either good or bad stress. As a result of this stress, the human body responds in different ways. These responses can trigger a lot of health issues in the human body.

Here is what stress does to your body. 

9 Things Stress Does to Your Body

1.    Leads to Exhaustion

Apart from keeping you up all night, stress causes the release of the cortisol hormone. Once in your bloodstream, you experience increased heartbeat. The hormone also helps increase the supply of oxygen to the brain and makes it possible for the body to handle the stress. However, frequent stress causes the body to minimize the amount of cortisol released. This means that you do not have the burst of energy you would normally have. As a result, you will always feel exhausted and sluggish.

2.    Messed Up Libido

The mind plays an important role when it comes to your sexual life. When under stress, it becomes a bit hard to get in the mood. This is because chronic stress affects your body’s ability to produce sex hormones. These hormones are what keep your sex drive going. When you do not have enough of the sex hormone being produced, you experience a dip in sex drive.

3.    Makes It Hard to Go for A Long Call  

When you are under chronic stress, it has an effect on the number of hormones your thyroid glands release. The thyroid gland is responsible for releasing hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism and other processes. When the amount of hormones is affected by stress, it leads to constipation. Therefore, if you suddenly find it hard to go for long calls, you may need to find ways to relieve stress. Drinking plenty of fluids, exercising or taking laxatives can help to ease constipation.

4.    Effects on Your Skin

When looking into what stress does to your body, you cannot overlook the effects it has on your skin. Stress has a way of manifesting in the form of skin acne. This is because stress leads to the over secretion of the androgen hormone. In excess, it causes the skin to flare up. 

Rashes are also indicators of stress. When you are under stress, your immune system is also affected. This can cause bacterial infections such as eczema to develop.

5.    Memory Loss

Different types of stress, most notably traumatic stress can lead to loss of memory. This is because stress causes the hippocampus (part of the brain responsible for memory) to shrink and this makes it harder for you to remember different things. Also, the damage stress has on this part of the brain can make it hard to store new memories.

6.    Leads to Weight Gain

According to a study, dieters who undergo training for stress management find it easier to lose weight than dieters who don’t undergo the training. The reason lack of stress supports weight loss is that one cannot binge eat as they would when under stress.

7.    Hair Loss 

When you suffer from hormonal imbalance caused by stress, one of the side effects is hair falling out. This can be corrected by adopting a healthy diet and trying to relieve stress. This goes a long way in balancing your hormones and making it possible for new hair to grow.

8.    Causes Backache

When you are under stress, your blood pressure rises and so does your heart rate. This causes the body muscles to tighten. This can cause various aches and pain, with a backache being the most common. Stretching and exercising are recommended to lose the muscles. 

9.    Sleep Deprivation

When you are stressed, it becomes hard for you to sleep because your mind is constantly thinking and worrying. Anxiety makes it hard for you to fall asleep. When you do not sleep, your body does not rest. This can weaken your immune system and lead to numerous side effects like fatigue and mood swings. This also limits the body’s ability to fight off infections. Also, lack of sleep increases your chances of developing diabetes, heart problems, and obesity.

How to Relieve Stress 

Now that you know what stress does to your body, it is important to find ways to ensure you keep stress at bay. There are numerous ways to relieve stress and prevent it from affecting your everyday life.

1.    Listening to Music

When a situation starts to become overwhelming, it is advisable to retreat to your happy place. Nothing can distract you from stress the way that music does. Listen to music that makes you happy and calms you. Music has a very positive impact on your brain, body and blood pressure.

2.    Seek Help 

When you feel stressed, it is always recommended that you find someone to talk to. Find someone who understands you and will be empathetic with your situation. Talking about your stress goes a long way in helping you to relieve it. All you need is a reassuring voice to make you feel better.

3.    Eating Right 

When you are under stress, it is easy to forget to eat balanced meals. You turn to fatty foods and sugary foods for comfort. One way to relieve stress is to watch your diet. Eat right boosts your body’s immune system and helps to fight off infections associated with stress.

4.    Exercise

Exercising is a great way to relieve stress. When you exercise, your body releases happiness hormones like serotonin, Oxytocin, and dopamine. These help you to feel better and relaxed, which helps to get rid of stress. Consistent exercising can help to relieve symptoms associated with chronic stress. 

5.    Meditation

Meditation allows you to stop your mind from focusing on stressful issues and instead go to a happy place. It helps with relaxation. Meditating for 15 minutes twice a day is recommended for people with stress. 

What stress does to your body? Now you know the harms, it’s best to have it under control.

 
 
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