Stress Can Be Devastating To Body And Mind
How stress affects the body will differ from person to person. Some people may experience only psychological effects from feeling stressed, while others may also experience physical symptoms, such as headaches and heartburn.
Stress can become more difficult to cope with as you age for a number of reasons. First, your body can’t physically handle stress the same way it did when you were younger. Your heart and lungs may not have the capacity they once did, and your body may have a harder time recovering from stressful events. In addition, it may be more challenging to cope with stress mentally. A good night’s sleep can help reduce stress in some instances, but as you age, you may not sleep as soundly, which can lead to higher levels of stress hormones in the brain. Your stress may also be caused by different factors, which could be more complicated than the issues you faced in your younger years. Signs of stress may mimic symptoms of memory loss or dementia or include appetite changes, headaches, anxiety, irritability, or trouble concentrating.
Check out the chart below to see how harmful stress can be to your body.
Stress Relief
- Reducing the intake of alcohol, drugs, and caffeine: These substances will not help prevent stress, and they can make it worse.
- Nutrition: A healthy, balanced diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables can help maintain the immune system at times of stress. A poor diet can lead to ill health and additional stress.
- Priority management: It may help to spend a little time organizing a daily to-do list and focusing on urgent or time-sensitive tasks. People can then focus on what they have completed or accomplished for the day, rather than on the tasks they have yet to complete.
- Time: People should set aside some time to organize their schedules, relax, and pursue their own interests.
- Breathing and relaxation: Meditation, massage, and yoga can help. Breathing and relaxation techniques can slow down the heart rate and promote relaxation. Deep breathing is also a central part of mindfulness meditation.
- Talking: Sharing feelings and concerns with family, friends, and work colleagues may help a person “let off steam” and reduce feelings of isolation. Other people may be able to suggest unexpected, workable solutions to the stressor.
- Acknowledging the signs: A person can be so anxious about the problem causing the stress that they do not notice the effects on their body. It is important to be mindful of any changes.
- Exercise: Exercise is a great stress reliever, this is something I do myself when feeling a little stress. A few extra laps in the pool or beating up on the heavy bag usually does the trick.
