How stress affects your mental and physical health, and what you can do about it

Stress is unavoidable in life and can range from everyday situations such as being stuck in traffic on the way to a meeting to learning about the illness or death of a loved one. Stress is not always bad, though; some stress is good such as buying a new house, getting married, or having a baby. Stress, good or bad, affects your body; here are some ways stress affects you and what you can do to help yourself. 

What happens to your body under stress 

When you are in a stressed state, your brain sends out hormones in response to manage your body. These hormones help release instinctive actions called your fight or flight. Your pulse quickens, your breathing increases, and your muscles become more responsive. During this time, your body\’s other responses typically turn off, such as your need to urinate and have bowel movements. Blood is shunted to your essential muscles to help you become faster, stronger, and more alert.   

The long term stress is bad for your health 

Long-term stress can cause chronic health problems to the cardiovascular, digestive, immune, reproductive, and endocrine systems. When exposed to prolonged stressors, the body can cause insomnia, weight gain, heart palpitations, irritability, and mood instability. Over time stress on your body will cause long-term problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses.  Your immune response will be lowered, allowing you to become sick more often well.  

What you can do 

Even though stress is unavoidable, there are actions you can take to help cope with these stressors. Review if you are taking on too much at once and prioritize what needs to be done first. Do you have others around you that can help share your stress burden? Try to handle what is not most important in a more leisurely time frame.
Taking care of your body can help fight off disease and can help your body manage stress better. Eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk are cardiovascular-related illnesses, boost your immune system, and can improve your mood. Exercising releases hormones from the brain to help deal with stressors. Physical activity can help improve your overall mood, improve cardiovascular health, improve sleep, and help reduce depression.  

How Osteo & Physio can help 

Here are Osteo & Physio. We offer a wide range of therapies that can help manage your stress levels.  From massage therapy to benefit, you feel revitalized and tension-free.  Take a Pilates class to help strengthen your body and overall fitness. Call our reception team today to schedule an appointment and see how we can help manage your stress.