In our world today, where there are too many things to do and not enough hours in the day, where technology can allow us to be “on-call” all of the time, it’s pretty easy to get ‘stressed-out’. However, stress can cause many health issues, both seen and unseen.
Here are seventeen reasons for your health to avoid stress in your daily life:
1.) Headaches – Higher stress levels have been associated with a greater number of headaches per month.
2.) Hair Loss – In a study comparing sets of twins, those women who reported higher stress levels experienced greater thinning and hair loss.
3.) Memory – In animal studies, chronic stress has been linked to damaged glutamate receptors and impaired memory.
4.) Acne/Psoriasis – Singaporean researchers found a significant increase in acne among students at exam time, especially male students.
5.) Insomnia – In a 2010 study, a poor psychosocial work environment was shown to double the risk of developing a sleep problem.
6.) Heart Attacks – A study of 200,000 employees in Europe found those with stressful jobs are 23% more likely to have a first heart attack.
7.) Worsens Asthma – In a study of 5,000 adults, chronic stress was found to double the risk of asthma.
8.) Cravings for Sugar and Fat – Animal studies have shown that an elevated level of stress hormone CRF tends to lead to cravings for sweet foods.
9.) Digestion – Stress can disturb the delicate balance of microorganisms in our guts, leading to multiple digestive problems.
10.) Belly Fat – Repeated studies have linked elevated cortisol levels with excess fat in the abdominal region, even among otherwise slender women.
11.) Back Pain – Stress, along with elevated cortisol levels, has been linked to chronic back pain. Stress management is a treatment option for chronic pain sufferers.
12.) Sex Drive – Studies have shown that elevated cortisol levels appear to interfere with sexual function, and prevent us from getting aroused.
13.) Blood Pressure – Stress results in higher blood pressure, which can result in a host of health problems including heart disease.
14.) Adrenal Fatigue – Chronic stress can lower sex hormone levels, and ultimately impair the body’s capacity to produce stress hormone too. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, an inability to handle stress, and low immunity.
15.) Blood Sugar – During stressful situations, hormones like adrenaline and cortisol cause our blood sugar to rise. One study showed that men under permanent stress were 45% more likely to develop Type II Diabetes.
16.) Aging – Chronic stress has been known to affect telomere length, a key indicator of premature aging.
17.) Immune System – Stress has been repeatedly shown to weaken immunity. It also appears that the duration of the stress, not the severity is the most important factor.
When faced with stressful situations, consider finding ways to combat the stress through mindfulness tactics like meditation or journaling, talking to a friend or a professional, or exercising.
