A little stress never hurt anyone, but chronic stress can wreak havoc on your health.
Modern-day stressors
When we’re under severe stress, our body releases adrenaline and cortisol. This was great when we were hunters and gatherers and had to be ready to outrun a bear or mountain lion. But these hormones increase your heart and breath rates to put us in a state of heightened alert. For most of us, a typical day doesn’t require us to stay ready to run for our lives.
But we don’t need to be in dangerous situations to experience the negative effects. Pressures from work, college exams, financial problems, relationship issues and tight deadlines can lead to chronic stress with emotional and physical complications.
Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Irritability
- headaches
- digestive problems
- fatigue or difficulty sleeping
- changing in appetite or eating habits
- an inability to focus
- feelings of helplessness
- chaotic thoughts
- nervousness
- low self-esteem
- disorganization
- loss of sexual desire
The impact of chronic stress on your health
Although almost everyone has experienced the effects of short-term stress at some point in their life, there are also more long-term consequences.
You may notice that you get more frequent illnesses or infections. You may develop obesity and/or diabetes. Some people develop high blood pressure, heart disease or a weakened immune system. Others may experience sexual dysfunction, depression, PTSD or anxiety disorders. Still others may experience burnout, skin irritations, gastrointestinal disorders and even schizophrenia.
Coping with stress
If you’re finding yourself chronically stressed, consider the following tactics:
- Get more—and better—sleep. Doctors recommend at least seven hours each night.
- Practice yoga or meditation. There’s plenty of research showing that both can do wonders to help your body cope better.
- Exercise regularly.
