How stress affects the body?

March 28, 2020

Stress: How Much Is Too Much?

Stress is a term that often only gets a bad rep. When asked what the definition of stress is, most people would respond with statements that involve distress, negative feelings, and emotional strain. While stress can have a significant negative impact on the body, both physically and psychologically, acute stress can also be beneficial. Understanding where the limit is and how much stress is too much, however, is important in adopting a strategy that would ensure you can benefit from this response, without causing harm to your well-being.

Why Do We Get Stress?

Stress is actually a very normal and natural response by the human body. It is a reaction that the body has to a specific situation, which usually involves change or requires a certain adjustment. When you have a meeting in 10 minutes, you might feel stressed - this is usually acute stress, where your body responds with certain physiological and emotional changes that make you more alert and focused during the meeting.

There are two kinds of stress that you can experience. One is called eustress, and the other is distress.

Eustress is the acute stress that you tend to experience when something positive happens. Think of the time when your baby was born, or perhaps when you received a promotion at work.

Distress is when stress becomes a bad thing in your life. This can be in the form of a boss constantly pushing more work on you, a chronic illness that you or a loved one were diagnosed with recently, or perhaps when going through a divorce.

The American Institute of Stress found that the most common reasons why people experience distress in the United States include:

Pressure in the workplace
Finance problems, such as termination at the workplace or sudden expenses
Health-related issues
Relationship problems
Poor nutrition
Media overload
Sleep deprivation

An estimated 61% of those between the ages of 39 and 52 experience chronic stress. Among Millenials, aged between 18 and 38, the figure remains high at 59%.

Negative Side Effects Of Stress

While an acute flight or fight response by the body in the case of acute stress can be beneficial, it is important to note that chronic stress leads to distress, and this can be harmful to the body. Chronic stress leads to both physiological and psychological complications in the human body, and this can have a significant impact on your health.

Failure to lower stress in cases where distress is chronically experienced can result in the following potential complications:

Tension headaches
Insomnia
High blood sugar
An increase in blood pressure, which can result in hypertension
A rapid heart rate
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath
A weak immune system
Heartburn
An increased risk of depression - or worse depression if the condition is already experienced

Many of these effects can lead to further complications. High blood pressure, for example, is known to damage blood vessels. The result could be an increased risk of a heart attack, especially when combined with a faster heart rate.

Insomnia is another important complication that is linked to many negative effects on health. When you suffer from sleep deprivation, you are likely to experience reduced energy levels and poor motivation. Irritability and mood changes also start to become an issue. You may also feel tense, and your ability to focus on tasks is disrupted. Insomnia can also increase your risk of being involved in an accident.

Ways To Lower Stress

Since chronic stress can have several negative effects on health, it is important to realize how simple techniques might be able to help reduce levels of stress. There is a couple of simple things that you can try, which can help to effectively reduce the amount of stress you experience and, in turn, help to limit the effects that this response has on your body.

Exercise is one particularly important strategy. Studies have shown that anxiety is less common in those individuals who exercise frequently. Physical activity may help to limit stress hormones and improve sleep as well.

If you drink a lot of beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee, limiting your intake of these drinks can also be beneficial for reducing chronic stress levels. This is because caffeine is a type of stimulant that is known to increase stress and anxiety.

How CBD Could Be Useful For Lowering Stress

CBD oil, a product that contains extracts from hemp plants known as Cannabidiol, is another strategy that may help to reduce stress and even relieve symptoms associated with anxiety. The Cannabidiol compounds that are part of CBD oil interacts with the endocannabinoid system.

In one study, scientists provided evidence that the use of CBD oil seems to be effective in reducing symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder. Individuals with social anxiety may also benefit from the use of CBD oil products.

A study by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro looked at how Cannabidiol extracts affected mental disorders. The researchers behind the study report that this compound is highly effective at reducing symptoms that are caused by mental disorders like anxiety and depression.

Other studies have also shown that CBD oil, or specifically the Cannabidiol compound, may be an effective therapeutic strategy for helping people better manage the dreadful effects that chronic stress may impose on them.

Conclusion

Acute stress can be beneficial and lead to increased productivity, but when this response of the body becomes chronic, you are facing many risks. Stress has even been linked to heart attacks and strokes, so understanding how chronic stress can be lowered is essential in reducing these risks, while still being able to experience the increase in productivity and performance that comes with those moments of acute stress.