What Stress Does to Our Bodies
Stress occurs in our lives daily. Left unchecked, stress can build up to a level that affects our physical and mental health. For instance, our shoulder and neck muscles tense up when we are stressed which leads to backaches, tight neck muscles, and headaches.
Both tension and migraine headaches can be caused by chronic muscle tension in the shoulders, neck, and head. So, if we are always stressed, we are at higher risk for chronic headaches.
Stress can also put us at risk for high blood pressure. When we get stressed, our body releases hormones that constrict the blood vessels which increase our blood pressure. While studies have shown that stress does not directly cause this, it can be a contributing factor. In turn, high blood pressure can cause a wide range of health issues like stroke and heart disease.
Lastly, stress can take a toll on our mental health. When we always feel pressure to get something done, it is easy to develop depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are the root of distraction, apathy, and health issues.
So how can we fight stress? The key is self -care.
The Importance of Self -Care
We all have busy lives and whether it’s through work, school, or other hobbies, it can be easy to neglect our own health. Therefore, it is vital to make sure our own health comes first. If we forget to take care of ourselves, work, school, and our personal lives suffer. Self -care is a skill that everyone should learn. It not only lowers stress but can increase our physical and mental well-being.
Exercise
Stress can have negative effects on the heart and lungs where physical activity strengthens them. Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. It increases the health of our bodies and improves our self-esteem by increasing our levels of feel-good hormones. Excellent exercise choices include running, biking, or swimming.
Stress disrupts our sleep when we are worried. When we make exercise a routine, our sleep improves. Through exercise we can drop our level of tension and allows us to “be in the moment” and focus on tasks in front of us. Regular exercise helps us feel fulfilled which increases our energy and feeling of happiness. The bottom-line, regular exercise gives us a clear focus that helps us tackle life’s problems.
Techniques to Relax
There are many ways to relax however these techniques have been shown to be effects for many years. Take a look one may help you!
Relaxation techniques shown to reduce stress:
- Breathing exercises
- Guided imagery
- Meditation
- Yoga
These techniques help direct our minds away from distracting thoughts and ideas, instead helping us to focus on self -care.
- GUIDED IMAGERY helps us focus on soothing places or events which helps our mind relax by taking our focus away from stressful thoughts.
- MEDITATION helps us bring our mind’s attention to the present moment releasing us from our current concerns and helps us reorder our thoughts.
- YOGA helps reduce stress by giving us a mental focus and releases tension through stretching and improving balance.
Socialize with Positive People
Depending on our own relationships with family and friends some of them may increase stress! It is important to identify the people in our lives who provide a sense of safety and positive friendship. Lean on those friends and family who relieve stress. By being with those we feel happy with, we can reduce stress by letting the worries of the day wash away. After having a good time with friends, our problems seem much easier to tackle.
You are Number One
With so much going on in our lives, it is very easy to forget our own well-being. When we remember to practice self -care, we develop the skills to reduce stress and increase our overall health. If we neglect ourselves and let stress continue to build up, then work, school, and our daily life are impacted to a point where we no longer perform in a productive meaningful way. Knowing how to reduce stress is key in staying on top of life. By practicing self -care, we not only lower our stress levels but increase our physical and mental well-being, leading to life fulfilled.
Resources
Kulkarin,S., O’Farrell,I., Erasi, M., & Kochar, M.S. (December 1998). Stress and Hypertension. Wisconsin Medical Journal (11):34-38. Retrieved November 27, 2021 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9894438
n.d. (May 24,2021). Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
n.d. ( August 18, 2020). Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469
n.d. ( September 10, 2019). Six relaxation techniques to reduce stress. Harvard Health Publishing-Harvard Medical School. Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/six-relaxation-techniques-to-reduce-stress.
n.d. (November, 2018) Stress effects on the body. American Psychological Association. Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
