Effects of stress on the body

Stress, Affecting Our Lives Negatively

We are all exposed to stress every now and then. However, some people lead lives which require constant presence of stress and frustrations. This can be very dangerous for their health, since stress, in the long run, affects one's mind and body in a very negative, even life-threatening, way.

Two Types of Stress

Stress can affect us in two basic ways. Firstly, we might be exposed to short-term stress. As the name itself suggests, this stress is a product of an immediate threat and our reaction to it. Therefore, deadlines, danger of divorce or some other negative encounters, all belong to this group. This kind of stress is likely to affect our sleeping patterns. Thus, short-term stress exposure is known to trigger insomnia, oversleeping, exhaustion and aches in some parts of our body, mostly the neck, shoulders and back. Sometimes, there are cases where stress of this type is known to trigger headaches or even migraines.

If the cause is more serious, or the stress effect is more prominent, you might even develop a rash or lose your hair. Blood flow problems are common in these situations, making your hands and feet cold due to the redirection of the blood into your heart. Heartburn, acid reflux, breathing problems and asthma attacks are all additional effects of severe short-termstress.

As for the long-term stress exposure, this variant is far more dangerous for your body. While being under stress for too long, your body may undergo changes and you may start suffering from depression or anxiety. Additionally, your heart may become weaker and more prone to diseases. Also, you may develop angina, moving onto your lungs, interfering with your breathing health. Thus, heart attacks, hypertension and stroke become quitepossible.

Unfortunately, stress deterioration of your body does not stop here. Rather, your immune system may drop severely, making you vulnerable to infections, digestive problems and peptic ulcers. If you happen to suffer from a condition already, stress is bound to make it much worse.

Diabetes, appetite disorders, obesity, weight loss, erectile dysfunction and lack of sex drive all add on to the list of possible problems which go hand-in-hand with long-termstress.

The Treatment

Logically, short-term stress can be cured more easily. There are many techniques for handling this type of stress. You may search the Internet in order to find them, or seek medical assistance. On the other hand, long-term stress needs to be treated medically, with medications taking care of the symptoms and stress management therapy dealing with the cause of the problems.

Finally, you must be aware of the health problems which can be caused by stress and stay persistent when it comes to leading a healthy, happy life which will guard you from both short and long-term stress.