Much research has been undertaken these recent years to study the effects of stress on a person’s physical health. It has been shown that patients of medical conditions like mental illnesses, heart disease, or other chronic conditions are the ones who are the most affected by stress, although people who are found healthy may also be at risk.
The connection between heart-related conditions and stress has been studied widely. Mental stress has been found by researchers to increase the demand for oxygen in the body by causing heart rates and blood pressure to go up. This means that people who have a history of heart disease will have to face this added pressure, increasing the risk of stroke, heart attack, and possibly, death.
Interestingly, even those with no diagnosis of heart disease may face a certain risk from stress. Experts have found stress to act as a trigger of stroke or heart attack even for people who are healthy heart-wise. Stress is suspected to set off dangerous ruptures of plaque in people who have no awareness of being in early onsets of hardening of arteries. These ruptures can then lead to strokes or heart attacks, which are known to be life threatening no matter what the health of the person in question.
Stress is also found to affect the portions of a person’s nervous system, particularly those that control the heart, the respiratory system, the digestive system, and even the glands and the skin. This indicates that medical conditions that are affected by a response of the nervous system, such as irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, or digestive disorders, are more likely to be compounded when the overworked nervous system meets up with more stress. Also, those with a history of depression or other mental conditions are also found to face the likely worsening of symptoms when periods of high stress come along.
In terms of healthy people, stress is shown to make them more susceptible to diseases by making the immune system weak: this results in an easier chance of catching a cold as well as other contagious disease. When a person undergoes extreme stress, especially over a long time period, such as several days or even weeks, certain parts of his immune system tend to be less effective for fighting off diseases, particularly viral infections.
But doctors have good news: the effect of stress on a person’s immune system is not permanent. Interestingly, the immune system has been found to react to stress depending on a person’s perception of its effects. Experts believe that the more overwhelmed a person feels, the greater will be the effect of stress on his immune system.
This is truly an interesting discovery as it gives hope for people who face stressful situations everyday in their lives: it turns out that those who focus on negative things while excluding positive ones wind up “perceiving” more stress, resulting in a greater level of consequences to the physical and mental health. This emphasizes the importance of keeping a balanced, and hopefully, of a positive outlook in life.
If you are facing rather stressful situations, these tips might help you reduce the negative triggers fighting against your health:
1. Try to stick to as normal a routine as possible; a schedule typically lets a person feel like he is in control despite the chaotic circumstances around him.
2. Maintain close connections with family, friends, clergy, or other people with whom you can confide your troubles. This strong network of social support will give you some relief in the midst of stress.
3. Do not deprive yourself of healthy recreation, as these fun things you do, like playing with kids or taking care of pets, help relieve stressful thoughts. If you feel pressured, feel free to find a way to enjoy yourself, steering away from the things that trigger stressful responses from you. If at all possible, try to minimize your contact with the people who stress you out a lot, especially right before bedtime.
4. Be sure to get enough rest and good nutrition.
When you understand just how stress can affect your overall health, you might understand better how important it is to keep it in check. Enjoy a healthier you with a happier outlook in life!
