How does stress affect health?

How does stress affect health is of increasing concern for many people. This page describes the stress and health connection and its primary role in how does stress affect your overall health.

How does stress affect health - there's good news and bad news:

The good news is that some degree of stress is essential to good health. Without some stress we would become mentally and physically weaker - we would atrophy (click here for a definition of stress).

As long as our defences and resources are stronger than the stress we are facing, and continue to be so beyond the duration of the stressful situation, we are ok and the stress experience (once successfully managed) will often leave us stronger than before (after an appropriate period of recovery, of course).

This is doubly good news as the major generic cause of stress is called, "living" (click here for information on the biggest causes of stress). It is inevitable that we will encounter situations that cause us stress but, if we can deal with it in ways that strengthen us, that's good news (click here for how to deal with stress).

The bad news in terms of how does stress affect health is that if the stress we encounter overwhelms our defences and resources (e.g. because of its intensity or our weakness or because it continues for a long time or is repeated in some form in quick succession), then it is likely to do us physical, mental or emotional harm.

WHY?

Well, to start with, the stress and health connection that can benefit us (as described above) will now work in the opposite way. Instead of being a stimulus that strengthens us, the stress becomes a burden that damages us.

We need to be aware of the signs of stress as early as we can so that we may take effective action to relieve stress with stress reducers such as ways to relax and mindful meditation.

How does stress affect health - how stress effects body and mind well being:

When we encounter a stressful situation, depending on its severity and unexpectedness, our automatic limbic brain survival programme may kick in.

For example, if we opened a door to find a man with a knife behind it, our limbic brain would take over and in less than a second it would flood our bodies with powerful chemicals including adrenaline, nor-adrenaline and cortisol, three powerful hormones that will enable us to run faster than ever before or fight harder than ever before (the flight or fight reflex).

In the time it would take us to work out consciously what to do, we could be stabbed to death.

The release of chemicals obviously changes our bodies and has significant effects in terms of how does stress affect health. For example:

* you are primed to run or fight, both of which will require energy so the glucose and fats in your bloodstream increase

* you will also need more oxygen but your breathing tends to get shallower and shorter

* your blood pressure will rise as your heartbeat increases. Blood may be diverted from the extremities to high priority areas (e.g. you may go pale when you're scared). This may create increased spasms or tension in the walls of blood vessels

* your mouth may go dry and your sweat glands increase activity (e.g. you come out in a cold sweat)

* your pupils will dilate (to facilitate sharper vision) and your hearing will become more acute

* your blood will clot more quickly than usual (so, if stabbed, you will not bleed as profusely as normal)

* you will likely have increased stomach acid that subsequently will lead to indigestion or stomach pain

* your muscles are likely to suffer increased tension which can then lead to neck, back and head aches and pains

* small proteins called endorphins will be released and act to reduce pain (and, often, to create the feeling of a "high" similar to that that might be experienced, for example, in a dangerous sport).

In terms of how does stress affect health, the above is often described as the alarm phase as our body switches into the flight or fight reflex.

Next comes the resistance or adaptation phase where we take action to deal with the stress and its causes. If we succeed, our bodies will return to their pre-alarm state but if we fail, we may stay in this phase for a long time.

In that event, we may enter the exhaustion phase which, as the name suggests, leads to our defences and resources becoming overwhelmed and if this state continues for a long time, could lead to physical or mental disease and, in extreme cases, death.

How does stress affect health - yes, but we rarely meet a stress situation as extreme as that illustration:

True. However, the above process is automatic and we are programmed to use it to survive.

Our brain will trigger this programme when it perceives a threat or stressful situation that could have negative effects on us physically, mentally or emotionally.

Sometimes this will be big, significant change stressors outside our direct control such as social or economic or political changes.

Sometimes it will be personal big change stressors such as divorce or bereavement.

Sometimes it may be an accumulation of small micro-stressors such as a delayed flight or train, car breakdown, aggressive uncaring service in a store etc.

So, whilst it may be true that an argument with the boss or spouse; or being stuck in a traffic jam; or being pulled over for speeding; or being unfairly judged or treated; or being late for an important meeting; or unintentionally deleting the email with the arrangements in it; or...........(fill in your own examples from the hundreds that could befall you in a typical hectic day)........... is unlikely to result in you being stabbed to death (?), your brain may still perceive these as (accumulating) stressors and trigger the flight or fight reflex.

And, whilst none of these micro-stressors may be overwhelming in its own right, the accumulated effect, of many of them piling up one after another, may be.

After all, if we keep getting into an alarm phase, without ever really completing the adaptation phase, it must have an effect, especially if we finish up in the exhaustion phase - again.

How does stress affect health - some examples::

In terms of mental health, we may experience the following stress effects, for example:

* loss of focus and concentration

* persistent negative thoughts and pessimism

* increasing trend of procrastination

* increased irritability

* unconscious coping mechanisms such as repression or denial

* anxiety, and feelings of fear, which if chronic, for some people may generate depression (whilst for others it may cause anger, hostility and rage).

How does stress affect health physically?. Well, we may experience the following stress effects, for example:

* ulcers and stomach disorders

* insomnia and sleep disorders

* high blood pressure (hypertension)

* eye strain

* poor complexion

* tension and pain (e.g. in the neck, shoulders or back)

* sexual dysfunction

* frequent and persistent headaches or sore throat

* leg cramps.

This list could go on and on, of course. Some sources would say that the negative physical effects of stress are much more severe and may even lead to heart disease or cancer (especially for those type A personality people).

The evidence of how does stress affect health, with regard to more serious diseases, seems mixed although if trying to cope with persistent stress causes someone to reach too easily for the alcohol or drugs or cigarettes or over-eat or avoid exercise or overwork etc., these factors are probably going to make the person more susceptible to disease.

How does stress affect health in terms of our emotional health?. We may experience the following stress effects, for example:

* mood swings (for no apparent reason)

* loss of self esteem and self confidence

* lowering or loss of self motivation

* feelings of impending doom or vulnerability

* loss of sense of humour

* increasing feelings and state of depression.

As our physical, emotional and mental states are all interconnected, there will be an amplifying and causal effect between the above which may become apparent in behaviours such as:

* withdrawal from relationships and unsocability

* loss of life-work balance (e.g. working excessively)

* eating disorders, alcohol or substance abuse

* difficulties managing time, priorities and money

* becoming more accident prone

* sexual problems

* neglect of responsibilities (including self neglect or even self harm)

* unable or unwilling to relax.

How does stress affect health - the parasympathetic nervous system::

The parasympathetic nervous system controls the restoration of relaxation and, in effect, undoes the effects of how does stress affect health listed above.

Using stress management techniques, such as progressive relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, yoga and meditation, will help this process by:

* decreasing blood pressure

* creating feelings of tranquility and calmness

* slowing breathing (and other mental and physical functions that will synchronise with the breath)

* helping the heart and coronary arteries to relax and work more efficiently

* increasing self awareness, and capacity to handle stressful situations positively, and therefore feelings of increased self esteem and self confidence.

How does stress affect health is a topic that, at some level,
concerns us all and impacts on us all.
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