Stress is often considered a destructive factor that should be avoided. But in fact, having a balanced and appropriate amount of stress can positively affect our performance. Stress can have positive results by increasing motivation, concentration, and attention. Anything can be harmful and destructive if it goes beyond normal limits and is ignored. Excessive stress can lead to decreased productivity and increased toxic effects on a person’s mental and physical health. The harmful effects of stress can make existing diseases worse.
The good news about stress is that there are many practical and simple ways to identify and manage the symptoms of excessive pressure. By considering these methods and managing stress, you can live a happier, healthier, and more productive life.
Excessive stress, if not controlled, has many mental and physical damages. In the rest of this paper, we will mention the harmful effects of stress on the health of the body and soul and propose ways to manage it.
Worry and anxiety.
The term “stress” is often used instead of “anxiety.” However, stress is more of an emotion, and anxiety is more of a state of mind that involves fear or anticipation of a threat.
Anxious arousal activates the “fight or flight response,” which triggers stress hormones. The fight or flight response is a physiological response humans show to dangerous situations, attack, or escape to save themselves.
A low-stress level is a healthy response to threatening and stressful events and prompts a person to respond rationally and correctly.
If the level of stress hormones is not used correctly in the body’s defense reactions, it will have the opposite result. Unused energy trapped in the body leads to crippling anxiety that negatively affects daily activities and even personal relationships.
Irritability and anger.
Stress and irritability have a direct relationship. As your stress becomes more and more unbearable, the rational part of the mind dominates the emotional part of the brain. As a result, a person loses control of his behavior against the onslaught of emotions.
Stress hormones, primarily adrenaline, create a lot of strength and stability in a person when faced with a threat. If the brain’s rational part cannot distinguish between a real or imagined emergency, even harmless events and interactions can be perceived as a threat. As a result of the uncontrollable emotional reactions caused by the rush of adrenaline, such as excessive anger or extreme irritability, a person may experience. Such emotional explosions, such as social relationships and job performance, usually harm daily life.
Depression and immobility.
Stress, especially long-term, can attract all the attention and concentration of a person, leaving no time to look around and enjoy the surrounding environment.
In addition, rumination, a persistent and repetitive focus on an event or situation, often occurs and traps one’s thoughts in the current distress or unfortunate situation. The result of such conditions is depression and immobility, which leads to dysfunction, Such as reduced work quality, job burnout, withdrawal from family and friends, decreased sexual desire, etc.
Memory problems.
Stress usually allocates a large part of brain activity to itself and keeps less space and energy for storing more information. This issue causes slight or even severe forgetfulness and causes memory problems. This issue also depends on the level of stress hormones in the body. A balanced stress level can strengthen memory, but a high-stress level can cause memory problems.
Research has shown that long-term severe stress can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Cardiovascular problems.
Stress directly affects heart health. Stress hormones, primarily cortisol, increase blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat that increases the risk of heart disease.
Also, existing heart diseases are aggravated by stress, which can lead to high blood pressure and sometimes heart attacks. Therefore, stress management is an essential task in maintaining heart health.
Immunodeficiency.
The main task of the immune system is to defend the body against diseases. In stress conditions, the cells responsible for maintaining the body’s immune system decrease, and this causes vulnerability to disease.
In addition, stress hormones are released to protect the body. They immediately activate the body’s muscular and emotional resources to deal with an upsetting event so the body can quickly return to balance. When severe stress levels are not resolved or maintained for a while, stress hormones continuously signal the body to defend itself. This long-term increase in arousal affects the internal organs and eventually manifests as a physical illness.
Muscle tension.
As we mentioned before, severe stress sends signals to the body that says there is a problem in the body.
Stress hormones are released and communicate with the muscles, telling them to tense up to deal with stressors and psychological pressures. When the body does not respond to these stimuli to activate, energy is stored in the muscles, causing pain and discomfort.
Headache.
Headache is a common complaint of stress sufferers. While the real reason for the connection between the two is still a matter of debate, it makes sense that increased blood flow to the brain can cause the same changes that cause migraine headaches. Also, like muscle tension, the build-up of stress and energy from unresolved stress can cause headaches.
Unless you can adequately deal with the cause of your worry, stress hormones will fuel headaches and other physical and mental ailments.
Weight Gain.
Weight gain is usually a result of long-term stress. Food is sometimes used as a source of comfort and can have beneficial psychological effects for some people.
Cortisol, or the stress hormone, causes stomach problems such as diarrhea and vomiting in the short term. However, in the case of long-term stress, cortisol causes weight gain. A healthy diet and regular physical activity can reduce stress and prevent weight gain.
Insomnia.
Insomnia means the inability to sleep satisfactorily, which causes distress and disruption in daily life functions. Severe stress can lead to insomnia or reduce sleep quality by driving conditions such as thinking and imagining more than usual and excessive stimulation. Lack of satisfactory sleep can increase daytime distress and interfere with daily activities.
Sleep is essential in daily functioning because the body relies on restful and adequate sleep to restore vital cells and nutrients. When the body does not have this opportunity to repair, it can suffer greatly and even worsen the existing diseases.
Tips for managing stress.
There are different ways to manage stress and the harmful effects of stress. Whatever your strategy for dealing with anxiety should be tailored to the needs of each individual. In the following, we review some practical ways to reduce stress.
1. Try expressing your feelings.
Expressing your feelings, whether by writing down your daily events or sharing your experiences with others, is the most helpful way to reduce stress.
2. Use mindfulness techniques.
Being more aware of your circumstances will help you take control of the situation and manage your body’s responses to stress.
Mindfulness helps curb the body’s natural responses to stress and allows you to monitor your thoughts, feelings, and emotions; As a result, it gives you space and time to balance your reaction to a stressful event.
3. Consult an expert.
In situations where the stress level is so intense that it is impossible to control it, we recommend you consult a doctor and request a stress assessment.
After the evaluation, you may be recommended for treatment, or seeing a psychotherapist to learn proper stress management techniques may be ideal.
However, there is no need for anyone to suffer alone. The community of doctors and therapists is available to listen and help you.
One of the destructive effects of stress is that it can cause somebody’s problems to become more severe, including headaches, eczema, and insomnia.
Therefore, although avoiding stress is impossible, it is necessary to control or minimize your stress. Identifying triggers and practicing stress control techniques can help prevent any stress-related complications.
What are some of the harmful effects of excessive stress on the mind and body?
Excessive stress can lead to worry and anxiety, irritability and anger, depression and immobility, memory problems, cardiovascular problems, immunodeficiency, muscle tension, headaches, weight gain, and insomnia.
How does stress affect memory?
Stress usually allocates a large part of brain activity to itself and leaves less space and energy for storing more information. This can cause slight or even severe forgetfulness and memory problems. Long-term severe stress can increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
What is the relationship between stress and cardiovascular problems?
Stress directly affects heart health. Stress hormones, primarily cortisol, increase blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat that increases the risk of heart disease. Also, existing heart diseases are aggravated by stress, which can lead to high blood pressure and sometimes heart attacks.
How does stress affect the immune system?
In stress conditions, the cells responsible for maintaining the body’s immune system decrease, and this causes vulnerability to disease. Long-term severe stress levels can affect the internal organs and eventually manifest as a physical illness.
How does stress contribute to weight gain?
Weight gain is usually a result of long-term stress. Food is sometimes used as a source of comfort and can have beneficial psychological effects. However, in the case of long-term stress, cortisol, the stress hormone, causes weight gain.
What are some practical ways to reduce stress?
Some practical ways to reduce stress include expressing your feelings, using mindfulness techniques, and consulting an expert for a stress assessment and proper stress management techniques.
How does stress lead to insomnia?
Severe stress can lead to insomnia or reduce sleep quality by driving conditions such as thinking and imagining more than usual and excessive stimulation. Lack of satisfactory sleep can increase daytime distress and interfere with daily activities.
How does stress cause muscle tension?
Severe stress sends signals to the body that there is a problem. Stress hormones are released and communicate with the muscles, telling them to tense up to deal with stressors and psychological pressures. When the body does not respond to these stimuli to activate, energy is stored in the muscles, causing pain and discomfort.
How does stress lead to irritability and anger?
Stress and irritability have a direct relationship. As stress becomes more unbearable, the rational part of the mind dominates the emotional part of the brain, causing a person to lose control of his behavior against the onslaught of emotions.
How does stress contribute to depression and immobility?
Stress, especially long-term, can attract all the attention and concentration of a person, leaving no time to look around and enjoy the surrounding environment. This can lead to depression and immobility, which results in dysfunction, such as reduced work quality, job burnout, withdrawal from family and friends, and decreased sexual desire.
