General Info -- The Effects of Stress on our Body
Stress is a result of the human spirit addressing unwanted situations for which it feels unprepared. It engages the whole human spirit, body-mind-soul. Over the next few weeks we will be exploring stress and discover many ways that we can deal with it.
Stress has both short-term and long term effects upon the body.
In the short-term, stress prepares the body to respond to a perceived threat. It will prepare the body to fight or flee. It constricts the peripheral blood supply, forcing the blood to the muscles and inner organs where it is available for energy and quick re-oxygenation. This may make our hands and feet feel cold while our face may flush. Stress causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol that makes more energy available for the muscles and causes heightened awareness of the senses. Our blood pressure rises and our liver pushes extra glucose into the blood. It also slows down the digestive system which may lead to a sour stomach if we are still processing a meal. Stress may stimulates the immune system to help stave off infection and inflammation from injuries. All of these are helpful to address the source of the stress, in the short-term.
But, in the long-term, these can become very harmful to the body. If the stress continues after the event concludes, the body continues to maintain its fight of flight status. The stress levels remain high if we continue to worry about the event or dread future events. By allowing the fear that was generated by the event to continue to bubble in our spirit, the physical effects continue. Our body keeps pumping the hormones and continue to enjoy the “adrenalin high.”
Chronic stress can be a major contributor to headaches, insomnia, overeating, drug abuse, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and Type II Diabetes. Cortisol can, over time, suppress the immune system and cause existing ulcers to flare-up, inhibit immunity to virus infections, and slow our capacity to heal after an illness or injury. It has been suggested that chronic stress can suppress our resistance to allergens and increase our allergic reactions. Stress, while helpful in the short-term, has devastating effects on the human body over the long term.
While we have limited control over when and how we experience stress in the short-term, we have a great deal of control over how we deal with the long-term effects. Good self-care recognizes when we are stressed and offers us ways avoid stress as a “way of life.”
Stress has both short-term and long term effects upon the body.
In the short-term, stress prepares the body to respond to a perceived threat. It will prepare the body to fight or flee. It constricts the peripheral blood supply, forcing the blood to the muscles and inner organs where it is available for energy and quick re-oxygenation. This may make our hands and feet feel cold while our face may flush. Stress causes the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol that makes more energy available for the muscles and causes heightened awareness of the senses. Our blood pressure rises and our liver pushes extra glucose into the blood. It also slows down the digestive system which may lead to a sour stomach if we are still processing a meal. Stress may stimulates the immune system to help stave off infection and inflammation from injuries. All of these are helpful to address the source of the stress, in the short-term.
But, in the long-term, these can become very harmful to the body. If the stress continues after the event concludes, the body continues to maintain its fight of flight status. The stress levels remain high if we continue to worry about the event or dread future events. By allowing the fear that was generated by the event to continue to bubble in our spirit, the physical effects continue. Our body keeps pumping the hormones and continue to enjoy the “adrenalin high.”
Chronic stress can be a major contributor to headaches, insomnia, overeating, drug abuse, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and Type II Diabetes. Cortisol can, over time, suppress the immune system and cause existing ulcers to flare-up, inhibit immunity to virus infections, and slow our capacity to heal after an illness or injury. It has been suggested that chronic stress can suppress our resistance to allergens and increase our allergic reactions. Stress, while helpful in the short-term, has devastating effects on the human body over the long term.
While we have limited control over when and how we experience stress in the short-term, we have a great deal of control over how we deal with the long-term effects. Good self-care recognizes when we are stressed and offers us ways avoid stress as a “way of life.”
Tips for Reducing Body Stress
There are three primary ways that we can deal with the effects of stress on our body; exercise, rest, and eating well.
Exercise
Stress prepares the body to physically react. In modern life, we seldom have the opportunity to burn the extra energy that stress provides. It continues to bubble beneath the surface. When this extra energy makes it impossible for us to relax, we need to get up and use our large muscles. Walk it off. Take a run if you are accustomed to running. Go for a swim or an extra session at the gym. Exercise allows the body use up the extra energy generated by the stress response.
Rest
But, exercise can also enhance the stress response. When we exercise beyond the point of being tired, the stress response may kick back in. This is the well-known “Runner’s High” of the marathoner. Therefore, when we feel our legs becoming heavy or our body becoming fatigued, it is time for a cool down. We need to transition into a period of rest. This allows the cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, and endocrine systems to return to normal levels. The effects of the stress will begin to wane.
Eating Well
The last tip for managing the effects of physical stress is to eat well. Eating well means balancing a diet with high-fiber complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, along with low-fat sources of protein. Many dieticians recommend that those suffering chronic stress should avoid high-fat foods, caffeine, and refined sugars. These foods enhance the physical effects of chronic stress and cause more damage to the body. Eating well will reduce the urge to binge eating on fatty, sweetened, and caffeinated foods when we are stressed.
When you find yourself unable to sleep because of worry or stressing over minor issues throughout the day, you can do three things. Take a walk then take a few minutes to relax while you eat an apple or other piece of fruit. By dissipating the energy in the short-term you will more likely be able to reduce the chronic stress that can literally steal your life from you.
Exercise
Stress prepares the body to physically react. In modern life, we seldom have the opportunity to burn the extra energy that stress provides. It continues to bubble beneath the surface. When this extra energy makes it impossible for us to relax, we need to get up and use our large muscles. Walk it off. Take a run if you are accustomed to running. Go for a swim or an extra session at the gym. Exercise allows the body use up the extra energy generated by the stress response.
Rest
But, exercise can also enhance the stress response. When we exercise beyond the point of being tired, the stress response may kick back in. This is the well-known “Runner’s High” of the marathoner. Therefore, when we feel our legs becoming heavy or our body becoming fatigued, it is time for a cool down. We need to transition into a period of rest. This allows the cardiovascular, digestive, nervous, and endocrine systems to return to normal levels. The effects of the stress will begin to wane.
Eating Well
The last tip for managing the effects of physical stress is to eat well. Eating well means balancing a diet with high-fiber complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, along with low-fat sources of protein. Many dieticians recommend that those suffering chronic stress should avoid high-fat foods, caffeine, and refined sugars. These foods enhance the physical effects of chronic stress and cause more damage to the body. Eating well will reduce the urge to binge eating on fatty, sweetened, and caffeinated foods when we are stressed.
When you find yourself unable to sleep because of worry or stressing over minor issues throughout the day, you can do three things. Take a walk then take a few minutes to relax while you eat an apple or other piece of fruit. By dissipating the energy in the short-term you will more likely be able to reduce the chronic stress that can literally steal your life from you.
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