Negative Effects of Stress on the Body

Stress can play havoc in our lives and drain us of all our mental and physical energy. It only has a negative effect on us and prevents us from leading a normal, happy and healthy life.

What is Stress?

In today's competitive world, we have often heard people saying 'I am stressed out'. But what exactly is stress and how does it affect our overall well-being?. Basically, stress is the body's response to situations that simply cannot be handled. It is an internal process within the body that triggers a chain of chemical reactions causing a number of health problems. Although the body is capable of tolerating stress up to a certain level, when it is persistent and occurs repeatedly it can lead to physical and mental disorders. Following a busy schedule, meeting deadlines and irregular working hours to accomplish goals are some of the common sources of stress. When a person is constantly working under tremendous pressure, it can cause a great deal of damage to the body.

How Stress Affects Our Health

Prolonged stress can disrupt normal bodily functions. Impact of stress can elevate blood pressure, increase the likelihood of a heart attack and stroke, and accelerate the aging process. Excessive stress can make the person susceptible to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. The body's ability to perform decreases considerably. Stress lasting for quite some time can cause hair loss which may lead to baldness. People under stress often face difficulty in sleeping. They lose sleep and are unable to relax both physically and mentally. Poor concentration and memory are considered to be one of the side effects of stress. In general, when stress overpowers you, health issues that may erupt are as follows:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Weight fluctuations
• Chronic pain
• Muscle tension
• Irregular heartbeats (heart pounds faster)

Stress can also contribute to the development of gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea or constipation. Stress can also impair the immune system, thereby making the body vulnerable to infections like cold and flu. Stressed out people can be besieged with skin problems like eczema, hives and psoriasis. The impact of stress can also interfere with the digestive system. This may cause increased acidity, stomach upsets and poor digestion. Other effects of stress on the human body include:

• Sexual dysfunction
• Lowered metabolism
• Ulcers
• Periodontal disease (tooth and gum disease)

Stress response in the form of unhealthy behavior has also been noticed. Many people when exposed to stress, abuse alcohol that can have a direct impact on their relationships. Stress is one of the biggest contributor to the increased incidence of anti-social behavior that mainly involve domestic and workplace violence. There have been instances where people succumbed to stress and committed suicide.

Although stress is something that cannot be avoided, the good news is that it can be easily managed by following certain techniques that provide stress relief. Yoga and meditation are some of the popular techniques that can help to improve stress management and allow to lead a healthier lifestyle. One should also take the help of a doctor who has years of experience in treating stress related ailments.