How Bad is your Stress and What Does it Mean for Your Body? by Jerry Hickey, Ph.
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Now that the kids are back in school, most families start their day off at a hectic pace and much earlier than they would like. The moment that alarm goes off, parents struggle with waking their kids, preparing breakfast, packing lunches, dropping the kids off or getting them on the school bus, and then of course the parents head off to work. Yes, the “chaos” is back, or should I say your stress level is on the rise again! You may need some safe and effective help managing your stress levels in order to cope with your daily routine.
The Impact of Stress on Your Body
According to Harvard Medical School, stress can severely impact natural abilities of the body. Research suggests that, when chronic, it can raise the level of chemicals that increase appetite, which may cause weight gain. Several studies have also concluded that you may be more likely to get a cold when you are under stress, as it can impact particular immune system cells. Harvard also details that it may damage your blood vessels, impacting your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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Coping with stress and anxiety
Exercise has many-many benefits; helping to burn belly fat, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and improve glucose sensitivity. Exercise is also an excellent antidote for stress and anxiety; aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety by up to 50% according to research. Exercise may also improve sleep disorders. This is important because adequate rest improves the ability to respond to stress properly. The correct amount of sleep each night for most healthy adults averages 7 to 8 hours.
Decrease the amount of caffeine you consume; 2 cups of coffee doubles the amount of epinephrine (a stress hormone) your adrenal glands release. Epinephrine is a “fight or flight” hormone, and it plays a central role in the short-term reaction to stress. It is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency, or if you are stressed out.
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When secreted into the bloodstream, epinephrine rapidly prepares the body for action in emergency situations. The hormone boosts the supply of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles, while suppressing other non-emergency bodily processes, such as digestion of food. Epinephrine increases your heart rate, dilates your pupils, and constricts the small blood vessels in the skin and gastrointestinal tract while dilating those in muscle improving the supply of blood and energy to muscle. Epinephrine elevates your blood sugar level. Like some other stress hormones, epinephrine has a suppressive effect on your immune system, increasing your risk of upper respiratory tract infection (usually a flu or cold infection).
Stressed out? What supplements to you take to help manage it? Leave a comment below to join in the conversation!
