Courtesy of Texas A&M Health Science Center
What was your New Year’s resolution? If it was to join a gym or try to eat more fruits or vegetables, then kudos to you, but you may be neglecting one of the most beneficial things you can do to improve your health: You should be trying to limit (or at least manage) your stress.
An expert from the Texas A&M College of Nursing explains why your stress can be derailing your health.
What is Stress? Stress is a physical response to a perceived threat. The stress response causes the body to release hormones that have physiological effects, such as elevated heart rate, increased energy, increased focus, and increased blood flow to your muscles — giving you increased power.
Your (Modern) Body Under Stress However beneficial these effects may be in the short term, constant responses to stress can cause problems long-term. “Chronic stress can cause physiological problems,” says Nicola Contreras, MSN, a registered nurse and clinical assistant professor with the Texas A&M College of Nursing. “Lasting stress can lead to headaches, muscle soreness, and other chronic complications.”
When a person is stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol, and elevated cortisol can be the start of a variety of issues. It can cause cognitive problems and increase weight gain, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
If you begin feeling ill after a particularly long and stressful few days, that likely isn’t a coincidence. Elevated cortisol can tank your immune system, or it may manifest as symptoms that make you contact your health care provider.
“Sometimes people will go to their provider with gastrointestinal problems, like constipation or diarrhea, that are brought on by stress,” Contreras says. “In other cases, stress could weaken the immune system and make you more susceptible to illnesses, like the cold or flu.”
Stress, the Public Health Crisis Data from the American Psychological Association showed that more than 60 percent of Americans have significant stress from money, work, or politics. After a 2010 survey of more than 3,000 American adults, the APA even called it a “public health crisis.”
“People with chronic stress will have irregular eating and sleeping patterns,” Contreras says.
Data from the APA shows many American adults are indulging in unhealthy behaviors to cope with stress. Almost a third of adults say they skipped a meal because of stress in the past month. Two-fifths reported overeating or eating unhealthy foods because of stress, and more than 40 percent reported they stayed awake at night due to stress.
Contreras also notes having high amounts of stress can lead to anxiety, depression, or drug and alcohol abuse. “People respond to stress differently, whether that is being more irritable or experiencing other changes in personality, or possibly drinking or taking drugs to try and handle the stress better,” she says.
How to Deal with Stress Just as stressors are unique to individuals, there is no tried-and-true way to relieve stress once and for all. However, health experts will point to exercise as a good starting point.
“It can be as simple as walking or swimming or dancing, but exercise has been shown to improve health and raise endorphins to fight stress,” Contreras says.
Deep breathing and meditation can also help relieve stress. American Institute of Stress says to actively relax to effectively combat stress — not just watch television in your sweatpants.
If you believe stress has interfered with your daily routine, you shouldn’t hesitate to get help. “Talk to your provider about stress and stress management,” Contreras says. “They could tell you about what changes need to be made to help improve your health and limit long-term damage from stress.”
