How Does Stress Affect You?

April is Stress Awareness Month. Stress isn’t only something you simply feel when you have too many obligations in life. It can have negative impacts on your health, your weight, your sleep and even your healing. The majority of the American population is under stress. Find out how that affects the body over time and how your body typically responds to stress!

What Is Stress?

Defined, stress is “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.” However, every person will define stress in a different way because we all experience it in different ways. Stress may take a physical toll on your body, causing knots all over your back and neck, tension headaches, migraines and more. Or, your mood may simply be upset because of too many demands in your life.

The symptoms of stress can be both physical and psychological, and people can experience symptoms in both areas at the same time. You may have extra demands in life because of a job, family obligations, a new baby, and even current health problems. The body changes to try to cope with the demands that too much tension and pressure can cause you—even if it’s just mental pressure.

Often, you sleep less because you are more alert and actively thinking. Your digestive system might slow down, causing you constipation, and your immune system may function poorly. Your muscles tighten up when you’re stressed, which can cause knots, points of tension and areas that ache and hurt. Too much stress over time (especially years), can actually lead to chronic health conditions and even a shorter lifespan. Nobody wants that! That’s why it’s so important to find time every day to de-stress.

Facts and Figures

The American Psychological Association reported in 2011 that “stress that interferes with your ability to function normally over an extended period of time — is becoming a public health crisis.” That was 8 years ago, and studies show that Americans are even more stressed than they were then. We’re not just talking about adults either. 1/3rd of children are reported to have physical health symptoms—headaches, digestive issues, stomach aches, insomnia, fatigue and more—due to stress.

Adults are even worse off, with 77% of people reporting regular physical health symptoms brought on by bouts of stress. 6 in 10 workers are stressed on the job and the degree of stress increases over time. 1 in 75 people are reported as having panic disorders, many of which are brought on by intense stress hormone responses in the body. Money, work and the economy are the top 3 causes of stress in Americans, followed closely by family responsibilities, relationships, health problems and how family members are affected by health problems. Interesting how several causes of stress are health problems themselves, which leads to additional health problems!

Stress-Relief At Home

Feeling stress creep up on you? Get a hold of it before it knocks you off your feet. Try these stress-relief methods:

• Take a time-out. When too many demands are putting you in fight-or-flight mode, stop what you’re doing a take 5 minutes or more to relax. Don’t think about any of your stressors during your time out.
• Meditate. Find a quiet, dim place where you can be alone. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, breathe deeply and slowly. Clear your mind and meditate for as long as you need to.
• Exercise. Health professionals recommend 150 minutes of exercise a week, or 30 minutes, 5 different days. Split that exercise up into 5-or 10-minute spurts to break up stressful periods of your day.
• Get plenty of sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours so your body stays healthy and your mind stays clear.
• Get your vitamins. Being vitamin deficient will affect your mood, energy, motivation and health.
• Take “me” time. Have a day of the week or time of the day set apart where you do whatever you want. Don’t focus on your stressors during that time.
• Talk to someone. Venting in a healthy way to loved ones or to a professional can help you manage your stressors and deal with them in a healthy way so your body (or others) doesn’t take the force of all your stress.
• Keep a positivity board near you. Have quotes you love or that make you feel good that are in plain view.
• Get outside. Being cooped up will make anyone stressed out. Get outside each day and soak up a bit of vitamin D, which will help with mood.

Stress-Relief with Professionals

Stress is a concern for so many because of the increase in strokes, heart attack, heart disease, mood changes and more that it can physically cause the body. Too much stress hormone running in your body leads to tissue damage all over the body over time, which nobody wants. You can relieve your stress, while also reducing your risk for chronic conditions and diseases through professionals services such as:

• Massage Therapy: This isn’t just a relaxing massage, but one that seeks to relieve health problems as well. Massage—or the art of muscle manipulation—can relieve stress, reduce pain and inflammation, restore a full range-of-motion and resolve muscular tension.
• Nutritional Assessment: You don’t always eat the best when you’re busy and stressed. See if you’re getting enough nutrients, and boost your mood and health with a nutritional counselor.
• Trigger-Point Therapy: Similar to massage therapy, this seeks to implement deep-tissue massage to remove knots of tension that build up over time, especially from stress. Knots can cause many health problems if left untreated.
• Food Allergy Testing: Don’t let seasonal or food allergies cause you unneeded stress and worry. Get tested today to see what foods and allergens bother you so you can avoid them this summer!

We have more than 20 different types of therapies that help treat countless health problems, many of which have a stress factor. Simply call Back2Health today at (843) 405-0025 for your consultation!