8 Things You Should Know About Stress

Life can sometimes be stressful. Everyone we see is complaining about stress, be it at work or at home. We associate this depressing, clingy and painful feeling that we experience now and then, with stress. But does it count as stress, or have we just made it up? 

Here are 8 interesting things you need to know about stress so you can deal with it in a better way.

• Stress is nothing but a hormonal response:

Ever wondered what exactly stress is? It is just a hormonal response from your body. It starts with the brain’s hypothalamus sending a signal to your kidneys and the nervous system. The kidneys, in return, release a stress hormone which includes cortisol and adrenaline.

• Women are more affected by stress than men:

In comparison to men, women tend to experience more physical signs of stress. This certainly does not mean that men don’t. They equally experience stress but are more likely to handle it better and escape the physical signs.

• Stress can jumble up your thoughts:

Stress can bombard your mind with so many random thoughts at once. It’s a condition where random thoughts do not let you concentrate on one important thing.

• Stress can make you sweat bullets:

Stress raises your body temperature instantly. When stress increases your body temperature, sweat releases in the follow-up process. You will feel sweaty, even in the winter.

• Stress can severely affect your digestive system:

Stress can have adverse effects on your digestive system. People have associated stressful situations with a bloating stomach. It can cause diarrhea, excessive urination and upset stomach.

• Stress is bad for your emotional health:

It is no secret that long term stress affects your overall health including mental, physical and emotional. At first, you might feel angry and irritable, but with time, the anger can convert into prolonged sadness. This can not only make you feel helpless but also, guilty for no reason.

• Stress can affect your sleep pattern:

Stressful days and nights go hand in hand with insomnia. People with stress complain about sleepless nights and sleepy days. As it is hard to sleep with a mind racing with unnecessary thoughts at night, you are left with no choice but to stay exhausted during the day. 

• Stress can make you prone to chronic diseases:

Stress is a horrible thing to have. It might not directly cause a disease, but it can create a situation where any chronic disease can attack you. For example, when the kidneys release cortisol, this can increase blood sugar production which can result in type 2 diabetes. Similarly, it can cause high blood pressure and heart diseases such as cardiac arrests and heart attacks.

The affects of stress are not minor or inconsequential.  Stress, either in small amounts or chronic amounts over time, can cause negative impacts to your mental and physical health.  It’s important to understand stress in order to learn how to manage and control it.

Learn more about how the Purawell Stress Reduction Program can help you manage your stress at www.purawell.com.