The hidden link between stress and physical health
Introduction
Have you ever had to run for the toilet when faced with a crucial situation? Have you ever been down with a sudden unexplained fever when under stress? Have you ever had a tiresome headache when you needed to be alert? These are but a few physical symptoms, or rather, outcomes of stress on our body.
Stress can be defined as our reaction to any given circumstance in our life. When we are under stress, our body releases hormones like adrenaline that activate our coping and response mechanism to face the stressful situation. Stress can be short-term or long-term. A continued state of stress of mind and body is known as distress.
Stress has various manifestations in our bodies. Long-term and prolonged stress can have harmful effects on our bodies. It can show in a plethora of ways :
- Aches and pains – especially back aches
- Skin problems – acne, hives, rashes
- Gastric issues like nausea, diarrhoea, stomach ache
- Headaches/migraines
- Sudden fever
In her book “You Can Heal Your Life”, Louise L. Hay mentioned how thinking and positivity can help us ease stress and listed the various ailments associated with each part of our body/thought/emotion.
Short-term stress
Short-term stress is what we encounter each day in our lives. Example: when the lift is not working and you have to walk 10 floors to your office; your car breaks down when you are running late for work; the power goes off when you are writing the last line of your article; your computer refuses to boot up when you are ready and all charged up to begin work.
Long-term stress
Long-term stress is what we encounter when we are stuck in certain situations in our lives. Example: When there are financial problems and you are struggling to make ends meet; when you face discrimination; or when you are under severe trauma in the aftermath of an accident/abuse.
The link between stress and physical health
Stress has a direct impact on our physical health. Let us see how:
- Aches & pains: Stress releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in our body. The stress tenses and stiffens our muscles leading to neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain etc.
- Skin problems: Stress causes skin-related problems like acne, hives, rashes, and redness of skin.
- Dental problems: Stress causes us to grind our teeth leading to muscle tension and jaw pain.
- Hair loss: Stress response causes hair to push our hair follicles into the resting mode. So, instead of alternating, hair becomes prone to falling in large clumps.
- Gastric issues: Stress is known to trigger gastric issues like acidity, constipation, diarrhoea, stress–eating, stomach aches, nausea, IBS, inability to eat, sensitivity to smell/light etc.
- Headaches/migraines: Stress is known to onset of mild to severe headaches/migraines, that just refuse to go away.
- Low immunity: Prolonged stress weakens our immune system making us prone to recurring colds and infections. Combined with unhealthy eating and less sleep, all together weaken the immune system, leaving us susceptible to frequent illnesses.
- Fever: Stress can bring about a bout of sudden fever making us weak.
- Cardiac issues: Stress is known to elevate blood pressure and blood sugar levels in our body which may lead to heart attack or stroke.
- Obesity: Stress can make us eat and yearn for comfort food (read: junk food) thereby making us prone to weight gain and (if left unchecked) obesity.
- Sleep issues: Stress deprives us of the sound sleep that we need. We are so caught up that we are unable to sleep.
- Vision: Stress can cloud our vision. We may experience blurred vision or a sharp pain behind the eyes.
- Dizziness: Stress can lead to dizziness too. Stressed neck muscles, poor posture, and dietary changes leading to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals can cause dizziness.
- Sore muscles: In times of stress, our muscles are in a state of hypervigilance (stiffness) making us feel tired and sore.
- Stress-based illness: Stress has led to the onslaught of “stress-related” illnesses like asthma, diabetes, and pain disorders.
- Sweat: Stress may increase the activation of sweat glands causing sweaty palms, and heavy sweat.
There is an onset of disinterest, lack of focus and concentration, forgetfulness, lack of energy, anger attacks, drug/alcohol/substance abuse, and low sex drive. Women may face problems with their menstrual cycle or have problems getting pregnant.
Who thought that stress could unleash such havoc in our bodies?
How to counter stress
The crux of the matter is that we need to manage stress to improve our physical and mental health.
- Breathe: long deep breaths
- Meditate
- Think positive thoughts
- Keep a journal
- Invest in family time
- Meet and converse with friends
- Play with your pets
- Spend time in nature
- Take up a new hobby
- Practice mindfulness
- Self-care: indulge yourself – a treat, a book, a spa visit
- Communicate: express yourself and release any pent-up emotions
- Read motivational books, hear motivational audios, see motivational videos
- Rapport: build a rapport with colleagues and delegate tasks
- Learn to say “NO”
- Discuss your problems with loved ones
- Work on your shortcomings
- Consult a therapist
- Join a support group
- Take up any therapy: art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy
Once you lower your stress levels, you will find that the physical symptoms have disappeared. Poof! It’s true.
Conclusion
Our stress is not going to benefit us at all, rather it will give us pain. Agreed, some stressful situations cannot be ignored, but, at least, we can try to face them better. We can try to control our stress response, rather than reacting to it. Our mind is very powerful and we need to harness it so that it learns to respond positively to stress.
A healthy diet, exercise, and adequate hydration increase our resilience to stress.
“Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be”.
