The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines stress as the body’s response to any pressurizing demand. Challenges that can result in stress include the pressure to perform at work or school, significant life-changing moments, and traumatic experiences. It’s normal to experience stress periodically as it keeps you alert, enabling you to perform better in life. But it’s important to ask – is stress affecting my health? Stress will affect your health when it starts interfering with your daily life and disrupting your inner peace. There are a few essential things you should know about stress. Reach out to Sunflower Wellness if you feel your stress is taking over your life.
Insight Into Stress
Everyone experiences stress at different times in life, so you’re not alone. Studies reveal that a normal human being will undergo stressful moments several times in a lifetime. What matters most is how you cope with stress to prevent it from overwhelming you.
Not all stress is unhealthy. Some pressure is crucial in helping you to avoid a dangerous situation or a possible threat. In such circumstances, your breathing pace and heartbeat will increase, causing muscle tension due to increased brain activity. Also, in non-threatening situations such as school work, stress can motivate you to work hard to score better grades on tests.
However, long-term stress is harmful to your health as it’s challenging to cope with any chronic illness impacts. Long-term stress results from unclear signals, making it difficult for the body to trigger specific responses to mitigate the condition. Life-saving reactions start disrupting normal body functions, such as digestion, sleep patterns, and cardiovascular activities.
As a result, you may experience digestion issues, sleeplessness, anger, and irritability. If those reactions persist, they’ll strain your body, leading to chronic mental health conditions.
How Is Stress Affecting My Health?
The human body has the natural conditioning of experiencing and reacting to stress. The condition worsens if you use drugs and substances as a means of self-medication. Instead of providing relief to your body, these substances increase your stress level, creating more severe problems.
Health experts make several observations about stress, including:
- An estimated 43% of adults in the US have adverse health issues that are stress-related
- About 75% to 90% of people who seek medical attention exhibit the signs of stress-related ailments
- Stress significantly contributes to other physical conditions, such as headaches, hypertension, asthma, depression disorders, and diabetes
- Stress is among the primary workplace hazards as it costs the American industry an estimated $300 billion every year
- People have a 50% chance of experiencing emotional disorders due to stress reactions that go unrecognized and remain untreated for long
How to Manage Stress
Is stress affecting my health, and how can I manage the condition? It’s essential to have an answer to this question to prevent the hazards of stress early. Mental health experts in Kansas concur that people who take the appropriate steps reduce the negative impacts of stress.
One of the most effective strategies you can use is being observant of the symptoms; carefully monitor your body to detect any early signs of stress. However, this will depend on your body’s response to the triggers of stress.
While at home, try engaging in exercise regularly to keep the mind healthy and distract it from negative thoughts that may cause stress. For the best results, speak to your loved ones about the condition – a reliable support system can help you to recover fully.
If you display distress symptoms, visit a mental health care provider for professional help. In rehab, you’ll learn how to manage stress through various programs:
- Anxiety disorder treatment
- Trauma therapy
- Depression treatment program
- Partial hospitalization program
Is stress affecting my health? If you continually ask this question, you probably need professional help. At Sunflower Wellness Retreat, we offer a safe and drug-free environment for people struggling with mental illnesses, including stress. Contact 855.730.8825 to learn more.
