Stress

Next on the list of The Top 12 Worst Thing we do to our Health

Stress.

We have all had times of too much stress.

Stress can be emotional, psychological or physical and when we are too stressed we don’t manage it well. Unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating, alcohol, and withdrawing socially can be temporary solutions which often compound the original problem.

Some stress can be helpful, it pushes us to get stuff done. Too much is overwhelming. Whether it is a real or perceived threat, having good coping strategies can make a big difference.

Psychological stress has been linked to increased risk of depression, heart disease and even infectious diseases. Too much stress inhibits our ability to regulate inflammation and leads to disease.

Our immune system regulates inflammation in the body, but under stress, the immune cells are unable to respond properly and produce more inflammation that promotes disease.

Inflammation is linked to cardiovascular disease, asthma and autoimmune disorders.

Too much physical stress can reduce our ability to recover adequately leading to injury and illness. People under stress are more likely to catch a cold, have higher blood pressure and be more anxious. Long term effects of stress include a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.

Some of the more common symptoms of stress include:

Anxiety, lack of motivation or focus, feeling overwhelmed, irritability or anger, sadness and depression can be common emotional responses to overwhelming stress.

The good news is that you can manage stress in many different ways.

Not every stressful situation will benefit from the same techniques, but the more you practice healthy stress management techniques the better you will get, and the more able you will be to handle difficult circumstances.

Some of the most common stress management techniques include meditation, breathing exercises, mindfulness and regular exercise.

I am curious, how does stress affect your life and what do you do to manage stress?

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla