Stress is a part of life. It is everywhere, we all experience it, and not all stress is bad. However, stress can affect your emotional, physical, and behavioral faculties if left unchecked. The first stress management step is knowing how to spot the signs. The tricky part, though, is that stress symptoms can be hard to recognize, not to mention you could be too stressed to notice it until it has taken a toll on you. A visit to Poway Gain Wellness Center can help you know if you are stressed and take the right measures to ensure it is checked to productive levels.
Stress is your body’s chemical reaction to challenging situations to protect you. Whether real or perceived, your body will go into a fight-or-flight state when facing stressors. The reaction is typically characterized by a rise in heart rate and breathing while your muscles tighten and your blood pressure increases, readying the body for self-protection. This is how you respond to certain challenges, such as hitting the brakes when driving to avoid a car that suddenly pops up.
At the right levels, stress is not bad but good as it helps you stay safe or even accomplish things, such as motivating you to beat deadlines. However, it can hit high levels and turn your life inside out when left unchecked. Among the top complications arising from long-term unchecked stress includes:
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The rising blood pressure during a stress reaction impacts your cardiovascular system. If it is long-term and frequent, it can affect your heart and blood vessels. This exposes you to a high risk of cardiovascular disease, including:
Such concerns impact your overall health, emphasizing the need to manage stress effectively.
When left unchecked for an extended period, stress escalates to anxiety and depression and can cause mental health problems, including personality disorders. When stressed, you experience a sense of being overwhelmed, restlessness, sadness, and anger, among other impacts on your mood. When these feelings are unmanaged, they linger, affecting you even when you are not facing a stressful situation. This leads to mental health problems, meaning you can hardly cope with the least stressors. Stress management alleviates such load, allowing you to think clearly and keep your mental health in good shape.
Stress in women can lead to irregular menstrual periods. In men, it can cause premature ejaculation and impotence. For both genders, stress can result in sexual dysfunction due to a loss of the desire to engage in the intimate act. Stress causes such problems since it impacts your hormonal pathways. With sexual health problems, the stress levels can further increase since you feel more disturbed, especially as you strive to maintain intimacy with your partner.
How often do you eat your feelings? Eating disorders and obesity, or excessive weight could stem from stress. Moreover, you could experience gastrointestinal problems such as irritable colon or GERD, further challenging your weight management efforts.
Did you know that stress could be why you spot an aged and tired look? It can cause hair loss and skin issues like eczema or acne. Stress management can’t be overlooked as you strive to improve the quality of your life. Visit Gain Wellness Center today to learn how you can deal with stress.
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