How Can Stress Destroy Your Health?

Stress; it is probably the most common health issue across the world. We've all felt it, and we've all dealt with it, or are still coping with its effects. Not just is it common, but stress also destroys health. Even though this may sound overdramatic, it is true. Sometimes we stress about trivial things, like the morning alarms or cold coffee, and sometimes we stress about more important and serious situations. Some people even stress about being stressed. There are times when stress plays on the positive side and acts as a strong motivation and fuel to get something done. However, frequently, stress causes serious diseases that can be fatal for one's health and body.

Stress is the number one cause of mental and emotional impairment of health, and many studies have even confirmed a direct correlation between stress and chronic conditions. Stress is one of those things that just waits around the corner and attacks everyone, for different reasons. Even so, there are many ways people can cope with stress; however, unfortunately, many people neglect to address the issue of stress in their lives. Therefore, we've decided to provide you with a list of common adverse effects stress has on one's health

Risk of Mental Illness

There have been numerous studies that have confirmed stress directly affecting long-term changes in the brain. According to VeryWellMind, these changes can stand as an explanation of the fact that those who experience chronic stress also experience mood and anxiety disorders later on in life. For example, researches from Berkeley University have conducted experiments looking at the impact of chronic stress on the brain. The experiments have shown stress creating more myelin-producing cells, but fewer neurons than usual. This usually results in a disruption in excess of myelin in the brain which consequently affects timing and balance of communication.

Stress is also known to cause depression with people who are experiencing chronic stress. It is also usually associated with the symptoms of the aforementioned diseases. In combination with low self-esteem and feelings of failure or underappreciation, stress can create complete havoc in the brain, causing emotional instability and anxiety. The good news is that stress and depression correlation can be effectively treated, just as long as one addresses the root of the problem and causes of stress.

Risk of Heart Disease

It is a well-known fact that stress can cause high blood pressure and heart problems. First, stress causes higher heart rate and then it causes the blood to flow faster, which in turn causes triglycerides and cholesterol to be released in the bloodstream. The way one's body reacts to such a combination of events is in the form of a headache, back strain or stomach pain too.

Sometimes stress is caused by a chain of events when the body releases adrenaline, a hormone that causes faster breathing and heart rate. This is an expected situation because this type of stress helps people deal with challenging situations. However, sometimes stress is constant, and the body releases adrenaline for days or weeks. This negatively affects the body and causes the heart to increase in the rate much more than it should be, even in normal, unstressful situations. Emotional stress can result in a risk of myocardial infection or even heart attack.

Risk of Gastrointestinal Problems

Stress is also known to affect one's digestive system and cause or make worse some of the gastrointestinal diseases. Since the central nervous system controls one's gut, according to EverydayHealth, it has its own network of neurons in the lining of the gastrointestinal system, known as the enteric nervous system. This system regulates digestive processes, and when one's body is stressed, in response, the digestive system can cause one's esophagus to go into spasm, can increase acid in the stomach, make one feel nauseous and can cause diarrhea or constipation.

There are also more severe cases where stress causes a decrease in blood flow and oxygen to stomach, which can lead to cramping, inflammation or an imbalance of gut bacteria. In such cases, disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease or peptic ulcers can appear.

Risk of Alzheimer's Disease

One of the most common neurodegenerative conditions in the world is Alzheimer's disease. It affects millions of people, and for years, doctors and researches weren't really sure of the cause. However, there were discoveries regarding the connection between the manifestations of dementia and stress, even early in one's life. Since stress leads to inflammation, it also accelerates the formation and progression of brain lesions.

One way to prevent the Alzheimer's disease from happening is by lowering stress levels in one's life. Doctors and researchers advise that people should think about this disease even in the early stages of their lives. They should take care of their long working hours, lack of sleep, poor diet, and even social media exposure, since all of these things can trigger stress. In order to prevent dementia, one should choose relaxing activities and include them in the daily schedule, as well as try to avoid chronic stress in the first place.

What can you do?

• Identify what's causing stress and monitor your state of mind, thoughts, and mood throughout the day
• Build strong and valuable relationships
• Reduce stress by looking up compare and contrast essay examples for college in order not to spend too much time on hard assignment
• Choose to say ‘no' and walk away from stress-inducing situations
• Get enough sleep, cut back on caffeine and remove distractions
• Ask for professional help
• Choose a healthy diet, relaxation exercises and go out