{"id":65985,"date":"2019-06-17T18:32:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-18T02:32:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=65985"},"modified":"2019-06-20T20:57:47","modified_gmt":"2019-06-21T04:57:47","slug":"5-surprising-things-stress-can-do-to-your-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-surprising-things-stress-can-do-to-your-body\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Surprising Things Stress Can Do to Your Body"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

You just\ngot off a terrible meeting, your boss gave you an impossible deadline for the\nnext project, your team is pushing you to make extra hours, and you still need\nto pick up the kids at school. Your body is in a \u201cfight or flight response.\u201d\nYour stress levels are high, you feel your breath get quicker and even feel\nyour heart beating faster than usual. Although this is all a natural response\nfrom your brain, if you submit yourself to this kind of situation too often,\nchances are your health will be at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately,\nstress is a common issue in current society. According to a study, at least 25{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}\nof Americans claim they are dealing with high-stress symptoms<\/a>, and 50{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} say to suffer from\nmoderated stress levels. The causes for stress may vary, but 46{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c} say it is\ncaused by an excessive workload. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you stressed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A small\nlevel of stress isn\u2019t always a bad thing. Sometimes it can help you deal with\ndifferent situations, such as having extra attention during an event planning,\nenhancing your focus for a new job or motivate you to improve your performance.\nHowever, too much stress can affect your health, both mental and physical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\npersistent stress symptoms might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    You might get easily agitated, frustrated\nor have mood swings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Feel overwhelmed, have difficulty in\nrelaxing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Depression, low self-esteem, irritability<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Constant worrying, racing thoughts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Inability to focus, poor judgment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Insomnia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What stress can do to your\nbody<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\nhypothalamus is a tiny but powerful controller in your brain. It is this\ncontroller that \u201csays\u201d to your brain to release stress hormones into your\nsystem, which triggers your body to an emergency state. It will affect all your\nsystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obesity and eating\ndisorders<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hunger\nmight be increased during tough times, mostly caused by a hormone called\ncortisol, which is released during stressful periods. When you ingest food, it\nis like having an instant reward. Especially if you go with carbs and sugar.\nThese two types of food tell your brain to release a chemical called serotonin,\nresponsible for promoting instant better mood and energy. The problem is, this\nwon\u2019t solve your stress and might even make you feel guilty for overeating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another\nside effect is just not eating at all. Some gastrointestinal problems might\nkeep you away from food, and in some cases, can even trigger severe eating\ndisorders such as bulimia and anorexia. These both disorders tend to be a\ncoping system, as a way to get back control of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are\nsuffering from one of these problems, specialists recommend trying a few\nhealthy ways to handle. One of them is keeping a food diary. You can write down\nhow much you have been eating daily and what might have triggered your urge to\neat, or not eat. You can also add exercises in your routine, meditation and try\nout some comfort food recipes<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skin and hair problems<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Your skin\nand hair reflect how healthy you are. High levels of stress might make your\nskin more sensitive and reactive. It could also affect its ability to\nregenerate and heal. Skin problems might be aggravated, such as psoriasis,\neczema, and herpes. Hair loss is also associated with stress. Trichotillomania and Alopecia Areata<\/a> are some of the most related\nproblems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\npossible ways to cope with this problem is t: practice some relaxation\ntechniques, such as deep breathing and yoga, eat a healthy diet, treat your\nskin and hair with care and try to keep away from negative people. Your\nenvironment and people around can add up a lot to your stress levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastrointestinal problems<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The\ngut-brain connection is something to take seriously. It can link anxiety to\nstomach and vice versa. Heartburn, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and constipation\nmight be a few of the short-term digestive problems caused by stress. In the\nlong term, stress might exacerbate existing conditions such as irritable bowel\nsyndrome (IBS), stomach ulcers, indigestion, and constant nausea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one\nof the most challenging problems to handle, mainly because it might provoke\npain and discomfort. Try to understand what makes you stressed during the day\nand try to find a solution for that. You can also talk to people about your\nconcerns, suffer in silence might add up to your pain. Remember to eat well and\ntake breaks during your day. Don\u2019t be afraid to make changes. It is your health\nat stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Stress can\nlead to excessive jaw clenching or teeth grinding at night. This can lead to\naching pain and complications that are even more serious, which might also\nraise your stress level. Bruxism can cause teeth sensitivity, jaw pain,\nheadaches, and tooth erosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides\nworking on your mental health state, to reduce stress levels, you can also use\na night mouth guard. Mouth guards can be customized to fit your mouth<\/a> for better comfort, protecting your\nteeth from damages. It also relaxes muscles and redistributes occlusal forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heart and Lungs problems<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Stress\nhormones might affect your respiratory and cardiovascular systems too. The\ndistribution of oxygen-rich blood can be jeopardized, maximizing issues such as\nasthma and emphysema. Your heart also might have to work double to pump enough\nblood through your body, raising the chances of a stroke or heart attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are\nconstantly feeling tired and out of breath, don\u2019t put yourself at risk and ask\nfor professional help. Therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists are the\nprofessionals that can help you find the right path to cope with stress.\nSometimes, you just need to talk to someone outside your environment, who will\nbe able to give you serious advice. Stress-related problems can escalate\nquickly and evolve to severe mental health issues such as depression and panic\nattacks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You just got off a terrible meeting, your boss gave you an impossible deadline for the next project, your team is pushing you to make extra hours, and you still need to pick up the kids at school. Your body … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14569,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[62,4629,274],"yoast_head":"\n5 Surprising Things Stress Can Do to Your Body<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/5-surprising-things-stress-can-do-to-your-body\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Surprising Things Stress Can Do to Your Body\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You just got off a terrible meeting, your boss gave you an impossible deadline for the next project, your team is pushing you to make extra hours, and you still need to pick up the kids at school. 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