Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.
Stress is a normal part of life. Many events that happen to you and around you — and many things that you do yourself — put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts.
Stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to avoid danger. When you’re preparing for an exam, the anxiety you feel will motivate you to focus on your work. The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it.
Negative Effects of Prolonged Stress
Stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.
Stress that continues without relief can lead to a condition called distress — a negative stress reaction. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.
Stress also becomes harmful when people use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs to try to relieve their stress. Unfortunately, instead of relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems.
- 43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress
- 75% to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are from stress-related ailments and complaints
When stress … gets CRAZY
The body’s stress-response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels and other systems resume their regular activities.
When stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on. The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body’s processes. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Digestive problems
- Heart disease
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Memory and concentration impairment
Learn healthy ways to cope with the stressors in your life. Call us or come in for an appointment if you need assistance.
Finding An Outlet
The bottom line is stress, whether chronic or acute, is a big deal if you don’t find an outlet. The best way to handle stress is to expel it! You have more control over your stress than you realize. You have the power to consciously send a signal to your body:
- Exercise
- Outdoor Activities
- Yoga
- Deep Breaths
- etc.
Continue to stew in stress, and you’re telling your body there is an imminent threat. Practice methods of calmness, and you’re signaling that all is well. The moment you break the pattern of stress, is the moment you send a message to your brain that you are OK — slowing down that release of chemicals.
If you have reoccurring anxiety or stress related issues, give us a call at 801-724-9840 or drop by our office in Orem, UT.