Understanding how stress affects your body can be a challenge, as the answer may depend on how stressed you are and how long you are stressed.
For example, recent research has shown that low to moderate levels of stress can actually be good for your ability to learn and apply knowledge. High stress levels, on the other hand, can have a negative impact on your working memory.
Likewise, short-term stress can have a different impact on your body than long-term stress.
So how does stress affect the body when it is momentary or chronic? Here, experts break down the most common physical, mental and emotional outcomes for both, and offer some tips on how to manage stress to help prevent long-term health issues.
Short-term effects of stress on the body
Cleveland Clinic psychologist Dr. Susan Albers-Bowling noted that everyday stressors such as forgetting to pay a bill or missing the bus to work tend to cause stress to short term, low to moderate, on the body.
“What happens in the body is that our muscles start to tense up, our heart starts beating faster and more oxygen goes to our lungs, this is to help prepare for the stressor” , she said in a Cleveland Clinic article. “The good news is that often the stressors are minor. Once the stressor passes, our body returns to its normal resting state.”
Dr Suchita Shah, an undergraduate primary care tutor and examiner at the University of Oxford, explained in an article that short-term stress can also be “acute” if the stressor involves an unexpected crisis, such as a car accident. In these situations, your stress response typically lasts about two to three days.
In addition to experiencing the same physical symptoms you would experience with short-term, low-to-moderate stress, the health impacts of intense short-term stress can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Irritability and mood swings
- Chest pain
- want to isolate
- Sleep problems
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Feelings of detachment
- Concentration problem
Effects of long-term stress on the body
“Chronic stressors are things like financial problems and conflicts with family members,” Albers-Bowling said.
She noted that with long-term stress, “your body is stuck in overdrive in this fight or flight response, and it can’t calm down. So your body is continuously flooded with cortisol. This causes inflammation. , and it’s inflammation that makes you vulnerable to chronic disease.”
According to Yale Medicine, long-term stress can increase your risk of developing:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Stroke
- heart disease
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Type 2 diabetes
- Arthritis
- Obesity
- Metabolic syndrome
- Addictions including drugs, alcohol, gambling or food
Harvard Health notes that chronic stress can also increase your risk of developing several types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. It does this in part by lowering activity levels in brain regions that handle high-level thinking tasks.
Global stress management
Keeping your stress under control helps ensure that it doesn’t become a long-term problem that affects your health. The good news is that there are several proven methods to help you manage your stress.
Immerse yourself in nature
Research reveals that parks, rivers and lakes can be great stress relievers. In fact, the Yale School of Environment notes that several studies have revealed nature’s ability to reduce stress levels and improve psychological health.
One such study included nearly 20,000 participants and showed that 120 minutes a week in nature (but no less) increased people’s feelings of good health and well-being.
“Two hours a week is hopefully a realistic goal for many people, especially since it can be spread out over an entire week to benefit,” said the study’s lead author, Mathew White, after the study was published.
Eat the right foods
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), eating a “rainbow of fruits and vegetables”, reducing sugar intake and avoiding alcohol are great ways to reduce your stress.
Take time to rest and relax
“After going through periods of big change, high demand, or big losses, it’s essential to hit pause and rest. Often, creating time and space to rest means saying ‘no’ to invitations and requests for help, at least temporarily,” Johns Hopkin stress management expert Frances Callahan recently posted on a blog.
Disconnect from social (and traditional) media
As with sugar and alcohol, the APA recommends “dietary restriction” of the media. This can help reduce the psychological impact of dealing with so many stories, which can trigger the stress response.
Know when to ask for help
“If you’re having trouble getting to work, or if you have changes in your sleep patterns or appetite, these are indications that your stress levels may be spiraling out of control,” Albers-Bowling explained.
Your doctor can work with you on a stress reduction plan that may include medication, stress management techniques, and counseling.
Callahan noted that “stress is inevitable, but well managed, stress can promote emotional and intellectual growth and resilience as we age.”
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