Effects of Stress: What You Need to Know

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Effects of Stress: What You Need to Know

Are the effects of stress leading to poorer stress health? Here we provide some common stress effects, and give you stress management tips that help protect you from the stress.

Have you felt tired and frazzled at the end of the day? Do you feel overwhelmed and pressured?

If so, then you may be suffering from some of the many physical and emotional effects of stress.

How stress affects your mind and body depend on whether you have stress under control.

Our survival reflex – the fight or flight response

Stress is a part of everyday life.

While there are a number of positive aspects to stress, stress is implicated in 75-85% of diseases that afflict modern society - see "how does stress affect health?"

The Body’s Stress Response

When stressed your body activates the stress response. Stress hormones are released and your body prepares for the emergency.

Breathing rate and muscle tension increases as your body prepares for the emergency.

In the past, stress served an important function. The caveman who narrowly escapes the jaws of a saber-tooth tiger thanks to the boost of adrenaline lives to fight another day.

But surely it is different today? We need stress about as much saber-tooth-hunting gear, right?

Wrong!

While many of us don’t have to face life-threatening stressors, we do live in a world that can be every bit as threatening.

Whenever you feel threatened, worried or upset, your body responds as though you have come face to face with a hungry tiger.

The fight or flight response is activated as you prepare for the emergency.

This increases energy which can cause us to feel increasingly stressed – and more often than not the chemical byproducts accumulate in the body - leading to a range of physical and emotional effects of stress.

Physical and emotional effects of stress

Stress can boost your concentration and focus, helping you to maintain motivation and discipline. But too much stress can result distress.

Each of us experience stress in different ways but some of the effects of stress include:

Warning Signs of Stress
Physical effects Feelings of nausea Feeling faint or sweaty Headaches or migraine Indigestion, constipation Increased skin irritations e.g. eczema An increase in minor illnesses Feeling tired all the time	Emotional effects Increased forgetfulness Difficulty making decisions A loss of a sense of humor Increased irritability or moodiness Negative thinking Poorer concentration Being constantly worried

When looking at these warning signs and symptoms of stress, keep in mind that these symptoms could be due to other medical problems. It is important for you to visit your local doctor for a complete checkup.

Effects of chronic stress on the body

Does your daily commute to work make you frustrated and angry? Do you find that you get headaches when stressed? Are you often feeling pressured and overwhelmed? Are you worn out and frazzled at the end of the day.

If so, then you may be suffering from the effects of chronic stress.

Throughout your day the fight or flight response could be constantly activated as overwork, financial concerns, traffic jams or office politics frustrate or annoy you throughout the day.

Unlike acute stress, chronic stress is deceptive and can be implicated in a number of physical, emotional and behavioral difficulties.

Common Difficulties with Chronic Stress

Emotional difficulties: anxiety disorders and depression, increased anger, a heightened level of fear or constant worrying, and a generally more negative outlook on life

Behavioral difficulties: insomnia and other sleep problems, increased alcohol,nicotine and/or drug consumption as a coping mechanism, an increased chance of eating disorders, and a general level of increased accident proness.

Thinking difficulties: feelings of hopelessness, increased apathy and negative thinking, poorer concentration and decision making

The fight or flight response is the alarm phase of the general adaptation syndrome, which describes the affect of acute and chronic stress and how stress can lead to burnout and poorer stress health.

What can you do today to deal with the effects of stress

Here I have described the short and long-term effects of stress on your mind and body. However, the good news is that their is a direct opposite to this stress response which is known as the relaxation response.

The relaxation response decreases the heart rate and blood pressure, reduces muscle tension and generally counters the effects of stress. Here are some ways to turn on the relaxation response.

Meditation techniques to relax

When stressed the body activates the stress response. However, the stress response, when activated for too long can take it’s toll your health and wellbeing. Practicing the following meditation techniques will promote your relaxation and focus your mind.

Release muscle tension with progressive muscle relaxation

Have you ever been told to "Relax". Perhaps it was your partner who was noticing you getting frustrated, or a dentist before starting the drill. While you may have been told to relax, it is unlikely you were told how to relax. Progressive muscle relaxation, through a process of tensing and relaxing different muscle groups has been shown to promote relaxation.

Promoting relaxation and stress relief through hypnosis

Hypnosis has helped many people to reduce their stress. Hypnosis can be used to promote a deep relaxation and increase suggestibility. Hypnosis can help you to change the way that you perceive stress and develop your confidence and coping ability to deal with stress.

Breathing exercises to relax

Look at your breathing next time you are stressed. Are you breathing shallowly? You may even be holding your breath. Breathing for relaxation is about the simplest and most effective stress management technique. These breathing exercises allow you to improve your oxygen intake and promote a calming effect that counters the stress response.

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