For nearly all of us, stress is accepted as part of life. Sometimes, a little stress can actually be good in that it helps get our blood flowing and our brain working in overdrive to get things done. But when stress becomes chronic, it can manifest into a variety of issues and health conditions that are detrimental to the body. Whether it’s interpersonal drama, work related stress, conflict with friends and family, or just traffic on your everyday morning commute, stress when compounded can seriously affect your health and well being. Here are some lesser known side effects stress can have on your life.
Stress Can Make You Sick
Stress can affect your overall health, including your immune system. Chronic stress can weaken your defenses against colds and flus, making you more prone to sickness and increasing the risk that you get sick more often.
Stress Can Mess With Tour Diet & Weight
When you’re under pressure or experiencing a stressful day, you’re much more likely to reach for unhealthy foods and make poor choices when it comes to your diet. When serotonin and dopamine levels are low, it may trigger cravings for comfort foods that are high fat and simple cabs. These types of foods stimulate your brain to release stored serotonin. Temporarily after indulging in these types of foods, your mood improves, you have a burst of energy and you function better. Unfortunately this doesn’t last long and soon you’ll be craving more of this sort of food again or you’ll feel tired and hungry once more.
Stress can also mess with how your gut functions. When you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to experience symptoms of IBS, including upset stomach, bloating and diarrhea.
Stress can also mess with your metabolism – chronic stress is directly correlated with weight gain. Your cortisol levels in your body cause you to hold onto fat rather than burn it – making you more likely to retain fat in your abdomen.
You Won’t Want To Hit the Gym
When you’re stressed, you lose motivation to stick to your normal gym routine – all you want to do is sit down in front of the TV and kick up your feet after a long and exhausting day. If you are able to fight this urge and push yourself to do some exercise, you’ll benefit from the positive endorphins, relieve some stress and reduce your anxiety.
Your Sleep Cycle Gets Messed Up
Ever been so overwhelmed and stressed that you find yourself laying awake at night, mind spinning with negative thoughts? Stress can seriously affect your sleep schedule and night routine.
Lowered Sex Drive
Stress can even diminish your sex life! When your mind is overwhelmed, you won’t have any interest in physically connecting with your partner. Sex has been shown to contribute to performance issues in the bedroom as well.
Major Mood Swings
When you suffer from chronic stress, it can seriously impact your mood in a number of negative ways. You experience restlessness, have difficulty concentrating on tasks, experience sadness, anger, and irritability which can affect the relationships in your life.
Stress Can Induce Headaches
Stress has been linked to tension headaches too. According to the Mayo clinic, stress is the #1 cause of tension headaches (mild to moderate pain and a tight constricted feeling around your head.)
Regular exercise, taking time out for yourself to relax, spending time with friends and family, and eating a clean diet can all help combat life stresses we all experience.
