Stress Management And Health

Stress always goes hand in hand with health. Depending to the stress level of a person, the impact of stress in the body can range from minor sweaty palms to death. Letting stress build can slowly deteriorate health and can cause major health risks. Managing stress and health are important ways to avoid health risks in the future. In order to manage stress and health better, a person must first be acquainted to the severe effects of stress in the body. 

Physical And Behavioral Signs Of Stress

Stress can be induced by either external or internal factors. External stressors involve situations in the workplace, death, illness, or by simply becoming angry. In most cases, people suffer self induced stress. The good news is that stress whether self induced or otherwise can be taken care of.

Stress can affect major body systems. When a person is stressed, there may be an increase in heart rate and elevation in the blood pressure. The continuous pressure on the heart makes a person susceptible to cardiac arrest and other heart related conditions.

The digestive system may also be affected during stress. Some people experience diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, dryness of the mouth and the throat. Stress can also cause sleeping disorder, nausea, and in serious cases tightness of the chest, stiffness of the neck and jaw and also the back muscles. 

Changes in behavioral patterns are also noticeable in a person experiencing stress. Smokers experience increase in smoking pattern. Aggressive behaviors and hostility towards others and even inanimate objects are sometimes linked to a person experiencing stress. Irregular diet habit may also be noticed diet in a person suffering from stress.

Some people who cannot handle stress may resort to alcohol and drug use. Lack of concentration may also be noticed in people suffering from stress.   Additionally, compulsive behavior, impatience and carelessness are also the behavioral effects of stress.

Long Term Implications

A long term exposure to stress can surely deteriorate a person’s general well-being. During stress the body produces hormones that enable the body to cope with the current situation. Short term effects of stress tense muscles, queasiness and an in increase in breathing and heart rates.

The long term implications of stress include allergic reactions, digestive disorder, heart disease, fatigue headaches and migraine. Impotence and premature ejaculation can occur in men while erratic menstrual cycle for women. Sleeping pattern can also be affected and can sometimes lead to insomnia. 

Living Healthy

Identifying stress early is very important to one’s overall health. When stress becomes too much to handle, the damage to a person’s physical and mental well-being can be very difficult to reverse. Living a healthy life can help a person cope with stress easily.

Exercise is very important in stress and health management. Along with a healthy diet, exercise can be said to be the most effective way to lower and cope stress levels as well as general health. It improves sugar metabolism through efficient use of insulin. Taking vitamins and avoiding alcohol are other proven successful methods in improving health and help a person cope with stress better.