Stress is something we often experience daily. Anytime we face a stressful situation, the body automatically prepares to react. It releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that act to increase our heart rate and breathing, contract muscles, and elevate blood sugar for quick energy. These functions are necessary to help us respond in an emergency. However, prolonged and unmanaged stress can become chronic and negatively affect both mind and body.
Stress and the Body
Chronic stress affects every system of the body. Tense muscles can lead to soreness, neck and back pain, headaches, and migraines. Consistently elevated stress hormone levels increase the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. It can trigger or exacerbate respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions. Long-term stress can also suppress immune system function and cause fertility and reproduction complications. Chronic stress even affects the body in the way we choose to cope with or manage it. All too often, we choose poor coping strategies that involve emotional eating, increased alcohol consumption, more screen time, limited activity, and decreased or interrupted sleep. These unhealthy strategies directly impact our bodies as well.
Stress and the Mind
Long-term stress doesn’t only affect the body. It takes a toll on our cognitive and mental health as well. Chronic stress can trigger or worsen feelings of anxiety or depression and cause mood changes. Research has also shown that stress can impair cognitive functions like memory and focus. According to Harvard Health1, chronic stress activates different parts of the brain and “builds up the part of the brain designed to handle threats, and the part of the brain tasked with more complex thought takes a back seat.” More research is still needed to determine the long-term memory or cognitive effects of prolonged stress.
Practical Ways to Manage Stress
Eliminating stress is next to impossible. However, implementing healthy ways to cope with stress will better manage its effects on the mind and body. Incorporate regular physical activity. Be social by talking with friends and family members. Keep a journal to reflect and process thoughts and feelings. Eat a healthy diet that includes nutrients to fuel your day. Take short mindful breaks with deep breathing, muscle relaxation, or meditation. Practicing these healthier coping strategies will allow you to better respond in times of stress rather than impulsively react.
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