Stress is a reality that we all have to live with. You may have noticed that the stress levels have reached an all-time high ever since the pandemic struck. This is when things began to go haywire and we began to lose control over various aspects of our lives including health, finances and interpersonal relationships.
Fortunately, earnest efforts are being made on all platforms to help people cope with stress, by emphasizing the need to boost psychological health. That is why in this article, we will talk about stress, the physical effects of stress and how you can alleviate this unpleasant feeling.
Stress is a natural reaction of your mind and body to any demanding or challenging event/experience. Stress is not simply a psychological strain. When you are faced with an unfavourable situation, alarm bells go off inside your body and it reverts to its primitive fight or flight instinct through a complex mechanism.
This is when the adrenal glands start producing the hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is beneficial in helping you respond to danger by suppressing those bodily functions that are non-essential in the fight-or-flight response, such as your digestive system and reproductive system. However these hormones prepare you by increasing blood glucose levels for energy, a faster heartbeat and breathing can be experienced.
All these functions of stress hormones were crucial during the evolutionary process because they kept the early humans alive. Once the threat has passed, cortisol levels drop and the body resets itself and all the systems go back to their normal functions.
However, that is not the case today. Our circumstances keep us in a perpetual state of stress. Be it the fear of losing your job, health or loved ones, we are always in a state of anxiety.
But you are not alone and there are ways you can control your stress. But before we go into that, we need to learn about the side effects of stress.
The side effects of stress are both emotional and physical. Once you identify the effects of stress on the body, you will be better equipped to take action against stress.
Long-term effects of stress on the body and mind can be quite dangerous and will impact different aspects of your health:
Stress is inevitable, you can’t escape it. But the good news is that there are ways you can curb stress. It will seem difficult at first but with persistence, you can do it! Here are a few strategies:
Being aware of stress, the effects of stress on the body and the long-term dangers of stress can help you live a fulfilled life. Whether it is for you or your loved ones, stay alert to the signs of stress so that you can take the right action at the right time. Consulting a psychotherapist or psychiatrist can help you magically. This can literally save lives.
Also Read: Effective Techniques To Reduce Cortisol Levels: A Comprehensive Guide
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