How Stress Impacts The Body

We live in an active society, everyday we are bombarded with emails, texts, phone calls, loud noises, fast and careless driving cars and people with short tempers, this list could go on and on...

When we feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in our bodies that allows us to act in a way to prevent injury.  This reaction is known as "fight or flight", the stress response, it us a result of our sympathetic nervous system firing up to defend us.

In response our heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises. Other immediate responses to stress placed on your brain or physical body can make us feel frustrated, nervous, anxious, fearful, worrisome and uneasy. 

Stress that is left unattended can contribute to many long term health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Other things to be on the look out for as a result of stress are:

• Low energy.
• Headaches.
• Upset stomach, including diarrhoea, constipation and nausea.
• Aches, pains, and tense muscles.
• Chest pain and rapid heartbeat.
• Insomnia.
• Frequent colds and infections.
• Loss of sexual desire and/or ability
  

Stress symptoms can affect our bodies, thoughts and feelings, as well as our behavior.

Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can give us a better understanding on how to manage them.  Awareness of your stress is the first step we take to begin to heal our stress.

We'll address stress management in upcoming blogs and my "under-construction" stress relief program coming soon!