Can Stress Do Even These to the Human Body?

Women are More Stressed as they Juggle Personal, Professional & Family Life

Stress takes a toll on all our lives. People experience stress while at work, rearing kids, managing finances or in a tangled relationship. Stress is sometimes advantageous as it helps to bring out the best in a person, but when it becomes too much there are many different side effects attached to it, both mentally and physically.

Stress need not cause a disease but it can worsen disease symptoms. It affects different persons differently depending on the person’s adaptability.

Stress Can Affect Mental, Emotional & Physical Quotient

1. Muscles tense up when the body is stressed as a reflex reaction to guard against injury and pain. Stress causes soreness, pain or tightness in muscles and symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions as well. Tension headache and migraine headache are related to chronic muscle tension in the neck, head and shoulder areas.
2. Individuals start breathing harder when stressed. A death of a loved one can even trigger asthma attacks or rapid breathing (hyperventilation).
3. Acute stress experienced when under a deadline to complete office work or slamming the brakes to avoid an accident increases heart rate which becomes normal again in sometime. Chronic stress experienced for a prolonged time causes long-term heart problems such as hypertension, stroke or heart attack. If you experience extreme heart palpitations, tightness or chest pain it is better to meet a physician immediately.
4. Hair loss and skin problems such as eczema, rosacea, itchiness or excessive sweating is also common when under great stress.
5. Stress makes a person eat too much or too little food. Stress induces the brain to become extremely alert of the stomach sensations. You experience butterfly feelings, nausea, pain or even vomiting under severe stress. Digestion too becomes a problem when under chronic stress manifesting itself in the form of diarrhea and constipation. Irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers and acid reflux (GERD) are common effects of chronic stress.
6. A strong immune system is needed to fight diseases, but stress reduces the body’s defense mechanism increasing the chances of cold, flu, autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease and even affects the male reproductive functioning.
7. Menstruation is affected when the young girl or a woman is stressed. Menstrual cycles become irregular, periods become painful, length of the cycle changes and pre-menstrual syndromes such as cramps, bloating and mood swings increase. While menopause itself is a stressor, a stressed person experiences severe hot flashes, increased number of hot flashes and severe mood swings as well.
8. Depression is common side effect of stress. Stress reduces the desire to involve yourself in activities that you usually enjoy, right from your favorite hobby to sex. This is more common in the case of women who juggle between personal, professional and family life.
9. The hypothalamus of a stressed person signals the pituitary and autonomic nervous system to produce epinephrine and cortisol, which are also known as the stress hormones. The release of such stress hormones induces the liver to release more glucose, a blood sugar that comes to rescue in the ‘fight or flight’ situation. Managing stress can help a person manage blood sugar levels too without any medication sometimes.
   
   

Handling Stress
How you handle stress matters most while trying to combat it. Regular exercise, being happy, keeping yourself composed, socializing with people, setting aside time for hobbies and relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation or a massage session can reduce your stress levels.

Symptoms of stress are signs of other health problems too. It is better to talk to your physician to rule out any health problems. Once he/she is sure that stress is to be blamed, the physician would recommend that you meet a therapist or a counselor to handle your stress.
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Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, restricting alcohol, avoiding smoking and leading a happy life are sure ways to minimize stress. Meet a registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com for a lifestyle makeover that helps you reduce stress and become more blessed