How stress impacts the body?

Your body’s stress response is a fantastic built-in device that helps you navigate stressful situations—the response kicks off when the brain and mind detect a threat or danger. In dangerous situations, this response can literally save your life. However, this response can sometimes be set off in situations that don’t necessarily require the amount of energy or full fight or flight response. We may struggle to down-regulate the fight or flight response in some circumstances, and stress can be long-lasting or become chronic.

Stress that interferes with the ability to function in relationships, at work, or in school is stress that should be addressed. Chronic stress can affect overall health. Some of its symptoms may include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Headache
• Sleep difficulties

Stress can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol abuse, drug use, social withdrawal, or eating unhealthily, leading to health conditions or complications of existing health conditions. Stress can also affect the respiratory system. The stress response cycle causes breath to come faster, and if there is an underlying issue like asthma, stress can cause that condition to worsen or create an acute issue.

Stress causes a temporary spike in blood pressure, which makes your heart work harder. When stress becomes chronic, and the spikes in blood pressure come more frequently. As a result, cardiovascular health risks can increase. These may include an increased risk for stroke or heart attack.

Stress can even lead to issues with blood sugar, including diabetes. During times of stress, the liver produces additional glucose to provide you with a surge of energy. This may happen so often with chronic stress that your body is negatively affected by this process, resulting in type 2 diabetes. The digestive system can also be negatively affected by stress. The risk of developing heartburn, acid reflux, and stomach ulcers can all be increased by the acid created by the stomach as a response to stress.

Sexual health may also be impacted by stress and chronic stress. Testosterone levels drop due to chronic stress, which makes sex for men challenging. Stress can cause heavier, irregular, and more painful periods for women. The immune system is affected because the stress response is triggered frequently; constant exposure to stress hormones can lower the immune system’s response to potential illnesses.

If you feel that stress you’re experiencing may be contributing to health issues, talk with your trusted medical provider, or reach out to a licensed mental health counselor.