How Does Stress Harm Your Health?

how stress hurts your health

The modern lifestyle, increasing work pressure and challenging priorities have taken a toll on the human mind and body. This monotonous and demanding lifestyle has given birth to a wide range of physical and psychological conditions. In today’s time, chronic physical conditions like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are more prevalent than ever before. On the other hand, stress and anxiety are common psychological conditions affecting a large number of individuals across the globe. 

While a limited amount of stress is normal, and even healthy, continuous or severe stress can negatively impact your physical and mental well-being. The initial symptoms of chronic stress are relatively mild, like headaches and increased vulnerability to cold. However, if exposed to stress for a considerably prolonged duration, serious health problems may develop. Some of the most common stress-influenced conditions are: 

• Depression 
• Hair loss 
• Heart disease 
• Hyperthyroidism 
• Obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder 
• Sexual dysfunction 

Stress And Fight-Or-Flight Response 

When the human mind perceives any kind of threat or danger, it activates the Fight-or-Flight response. During the Fight-or-Flight response, certain hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, this gives the body a burst of energy and strength, thereby enabling it to fight or run away when faced with danger. The body undergoes various changes of the autonomic nervous functions during the Fight-or- Flight response. This prepares the body to deal with the perceived danger in a better way. However, once the perceived threat is gone, systems return to normal function via the relaxation response. Therefore, this fight or flight response can be lifesaving when there is an actual and imminent physical threat. 

But, in times of chronic stress, the Fight-or-Flight response is activated without any perceived threat or danger. This can cause long-lasting damage including high blood pressure, tension or migraine headaches. 

Since chronic stress can disturb your day-to-day life, it is essential to learn techniques to manage it for your physical and mental well-being. Below are a few things you could do to manage stress and lead a better life. 

Engage In Physical Activity 

When you feel stressed, you should consider taking a brisk walk in the fresh air. In addition to that, engaging yourself in physical activities on a regular basis can prove to be a great stress-buster. Exercise and other physical activities increase the production of happy hormones in the brain, thereby elevating the mood. Moreover, regular physical activity will also improve the quality of your sleep. 

Follow A Well-Balanced Diet 

A healthy diet can contribute effectively in reducing stress. The vitamins and minerals offered by a balanced diet help neutralize the harmful molecules produced when the body is under stress. Moreover, smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided as they can worsen the damage due to stress. 

Meditation 

Meditation is a simple, effective and a fast way to reduce stress. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can bring inner peace by calming your anxious mind. 

It is always better to manage stress effectively rather than enduring the several complications that arise due to chronic stress. However, to be on a safer side it is advisable to have a health insurance policy in place. Medical insurance can help you take care of heavy medical expenses. Additionally, with the help of leading financial institutions, you can customize health insurance plans according to your needs and requirements.

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