What does stress do to your body?
by Journey to Health Program Director, Becky Anderson
Cleveland Clinic gave the most comprehensive explanation of what stress does to our bodies. From Internal medicine physician Richard Lang, MD, MPH, here are the most common problems:
Muscles and Joints
Stress can cause pain, tightness or soreness in your muscles, as well as spasms of pain. It can lead to flare-ups of symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions because stress lowers your threshold for pain.
Heart and Lungs
Believe it or not, stress can affect your heart. A situation like trying to meet a deadline at work, for example, can make your heart rate increase. And too much of the stress hormone cortisol may make heart and lung conditions worse, including heart disease, heart rhythm abnormalities, high blood pressure, stroke and asthma. Alongside lung conditions, stress can also cause shortness of breath and rapid breathing.
Skin and Hair
Even your skin and hair aren’t immune to the effects of stress. If you have a skin condition like eczema, rosacea or psoriasis, stress can make it worse. It also can lead to hives and itchiness, excessive sweating and hair loss.
Gut
Have you ever had a stomachache from being so stressed out? Stress can have a real impact on your digestive system — from simpler symptoms such as pain, gas, diarrhea and constipation to more complex conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux (GERD).
When stressed, you may have a tendency to eat more or less, which can lead to unhealthy diets. If the stress is severe enough, you may even vomit, too.
Shoulders, Head and Jaw
The effects of stress on your body can move through the tension triangle, which includes your shoulders, head and jaw. “Stress can trigger tension headaches, tightness in the neck and jaw, and knots and spasms in your neck and shoulders,” notes Dr. Lang. “It also may contribute to TMJ, a jaw disorder
Immune System
You need a strong immune system to fight disease, but stress weakens your body’s defenses. “It makes you more likely to catch colds or the flu, for example,” warns Dr. Lang. “It also may make autoimmune conditions such as lupus and inflammatory bowel disease worse.” Take care of your immune system by boosting it with healthy eating habits and exercise. Most importantly, training your immune system through stress reduction can be very effective in keeping you healthy.
Reproductive Health
Ever wonder why your period might sometimes skip a month or come a week late? There can be a range of reasons for this, but stress can be a contributing factor. Unsurprisingly, this could put you in a vicious cycle of stress — where you’re worried or unsure when your next period is going to come. Continually missing periods due to stress could also lead to a hormonal imbalance or a condition called secondary amenorrhea.
Sleep
Stress can also be a reason why you’re tossing and turning all night. A constant state of worrying puts your mind (and body) in a state of tension — maybe the stress manifests in the form of overthinking or spending the wee hours of the night awake and playing video games or scrolling through your phone.
Even worse, you may start to get stressed over the fact that you’re not sleeping — and so the cycle continues. Over time, sleepless nights due to stress can really do a number on your health, especially if you’re not getting your 7-9 hours of sleep. It could even lead to sleep disorders like insomnia.
Weight gain
Due to the natural stress hormone cortisol, your stress may also be impacting your weight. Cortisol is partially responsible for managing your metabolism, and when too much of it is released, it causes certain bodily functions to stop and your metabolism to slow down. Luckily, there are ways to get your cortisol levels in check and get them back to working for you and not against you.
Mental Health
Stress can bring on symptoms of depression and reduce your enthusiasm for activities you usually enjoy — from everyday hobbies to spending time with loved ones. If your stress becomes so consistent that you are endlessly worrying, you may even have an anxiety disorder. People also tend to eat poorly and exercise less when they’re stressed, which only makes mental health symptoms stronger. Feeling low because of stress isn’t a personal failure. It happens to most of us, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
To combat stress, seek the advice of your primary care provider. Your doctor can help you with remedies such as stress management, counseling or anxiety-reducing medicine. And by working together as a team with your doctor, you’ll be on your way to a healthier you.
