How Stress Affects Health

We are all under stress. Some of us simply cannot handle stress like the others. Because of this, health problems start because of stress mismanagement. Everyone undergoes stress and it's up to us to learn to control ourselves so that stress will not get the better of us.

After all, our body deserves to be treated well and we have to find ways to relieve stress so that our overall health will not suffer. Our bodies suffer in many ways when we undergo stress. Stress does have a lot to do with it. This is a fact because the effects have been researched and have been found to be measurable. Every time that the body undergoes stress, the adrenal glands release catecholamine or stress hormones that make the body react to stress. If stress is continually experienced, the different parts of the body are affected and the person may become more vulnerable to diseases and illnesses.

Stress can be sudden or has been there for a long time. It is the chronic type that is especially harmful to the brain because of certain chemicals and hormones called glucocorticoids that are released by the adrenal glands. These hormones are needed by the body during acute stress or emergency stress. The bodily effects of stress may fall under any of the following categories: emotional, mental, physical, spiritual or social. Physical signs that are manifested with stress can easily be identified by anyone. You may start to worry that you are not handling your stress well when you see any or a combination of the following physical signs: Headaches and dizziness, Jaw pain, Grinding of teeth, Shortness of breath, Heart palpitation, rapid or irregular heartbeat, Cold and clammy hands, Constipation or diarrhea; frequent urination, Nausea, Dry mouth and difficulty in swallowing, Indigestion, Ulcers, Muscle spasm, Psoriasis, Acne, Eczema and too much sweating.

If stress is left unattended, psychiatric problems may even occur. Anxiety disorders and phobias may follow. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is another difficult problem that will be harder to treat. You may also see these certain behaviors in individuals who are under too much stress: Irritability, Inability to concentrate, Sexual difficulties, Fidgeting and pacing, Hyperventilation, Talking too fast or always in a hurry to do things, Increased or constant fatigue, Insomnia and nightmares, Weight gain due to increased appetite and comfort eating of more sweet stuff, Tics, twitching or trembling, Crying, Work inefficiency, Substance abuse, Indecisiveness, Overspending, Incessant smoking and too much drinking.

The things that one should really look out for in case these symptoms arise would be sudden shortness of breath, rapid breathing and a heartbeat that is way too fast than the usual, dizziness with sweating, and especially severe chest pain. When one also is having thoughts of committing suicide, it is time to seek the help of a professional. It would also be helpful to seek for medical attention if you feel that you are no longer functioning properly at home and also at work.

This is especially true when you are also feeling very anxious but you do not know where the anxiety is coming from. It is also a lookout sign if you suddenly feel an attack of panic or you are suddenly very fearful of something, like getting dizzy when you are in a high place. It has become really serious when all of a sudden, you are losing weight even without losing appetite, you have become very intolerant to heat. There is also a need to worry if you see that there is a lump in your neck or your eyes are protruding. Also be wary if you feel that you are losing control of your anxiety and you feel that there is now a need to seek help.

When you are under too much stress, do not take your body for granted. Maybe you think you can handle it but the truth is, your body is reacting wildly and is asking for help. Do not ignore telltale signs because you will have more to worry about if you do not do something about it fast. There are many ways to relieve stress. Simply search the internet and learn to manage your stress, that way you learn to cope with difficulties that sometimes seem beyond your control. Copyright (c) 2008 Konstantin Koss.

Konstantin Koss runs the popular website Real Relaxation.net. Want to learn more about how stress affects health and how to manage stress? For more articles on stress management visit his website.