Understanding Stress: Types, Effects on Health, and Statistics | Expert Insights
What is Stress?
Stress is a multifaceted physical response surge in the way our body directs hormones, chemicals, and nutrients to aid in our ability to face a situation that causes us to exit our normal routine. When the body revs its engine, ie feels stress, it initiates the autonomic nervous system to push energy into the large muscles and away from the core stomach and brain. Core energy for rejuvenating cells, digesting nutrients, sexual arousal, and generally letting our body heal is the OPPOSITE of the stress push. When we are in the aroused state, our body simply does not have enough resources to both fight off potential infection and ready the muscles to run or fight whilst also doing the good work of rebuilding the body. This binary gear is a critical part of the survival of any living being. However, the stress we now experience lasts longer than our body was designed to endure. Wish to know how stressed you are? Take the stress test below.
Is there such a thing as Good Stress?
Good stress is an interesting idea. By nature, stress is a functional tool that our body uses to push us through difficult times. It works well in the right situations, but in excess it wears us down. Pleasant events in life cause a different experience of stress than crises. The stress of productive life events is called Eustress, a positive form of stress that drives motivation and personal growth. Distress, its negative counterpart, leads to anxiety and harm. We can experience distress even in pleasant times if we feel out of control or not ready for the event.
Too Much Stress Can Make You Sick
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress significantly affects health, contributing to illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, weakened immune systems, and mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety (Cohen et al., 2007; Kessler et al., 2008). Chronic stress can exacerbate existing health conditions like asthma and gastrointestinal issues, as noted by the APA.
Statistics on stress-related illnesses are concerning. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that approximately 31.1% of adults experience anxiety disorders, often exacerbated by stress (NIMH, 2021). The American Institute of Stress highlights stress as a significant factor in around 60% of human illnesses, affecting physical and psychological health (AIS, n.d.).
The impact of stress extends beyond health, affecting productivity and absenteeism in workplaces, costing billions annually (APA, 2021). Keep scrolling to take our stress test.
What are the Common Symptoms of Too Much Stress?
Stress can manifest in various physical symptoms, impacting the body in different ways. Some common physical symptoms of stress include:
- Muscle Tension: Stress can cause muscle tightness and tension, leading to headaches, neck pain, or general body aches. You may experience chronic headaches, back spasms, arthritic flare, or the ache between your shoulder blades you just cannot get to.
- GI/Digestive Upset: Stress can affect the digestive system, leading to symptoms like stomachache, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation. Stress can also cause chronic bowel and GI disorders to flare up.
- Fatigue: Persistent stress can lead to feelings of fatigue and exhaustion, even after adequate rest, due to increased adrenaline and cortisol levels. If you are burning the candle at both ends, you can glitch your adrenal gland causing a longer state of inconsistent energy.
- Sleep Disturbances: Stress often disrupts sleep patterns, causing insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, or frequent waking during the night. Anxiety dreams are also common; these are those being chased, being naked, not being equipped for a job, or just violent dreams that leave us disturbed when we wake and not feeling rested.
- Changes in Appetite: Stress might affect appetite, leading to overeating or loss of appetite, resulting in weight gain or loss. We often crave carbs and sugar when we are feeling particularly in need of a neurochemical boost of dopamine and serotonin.
- Rapid Heartbeat: Stress activates the body’s “fight or flight” response, increasing heart rate and sometimes leading to palpitations. We may also experience the sound of our heartbeat or a more acute awareness of it in our body including red or hot face.
- Shallow Breathing: Stress can cause breathing changes, leading to shortness of breath or rapid, shallow breathing. When we get stressed, we do not breath deeply to replenish the body. We may sigh often which can lead to hyperventilation.
- Skin Issues: Stress may exacerbate skin conditions like acne, eczema, or psoriasis, and it can also contribute to increased skin sensitivity and itchiness.
- Lowered Immune System: Chronic stress can suppress the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses and infections. Have you ever noticed moms catch the cold after everyone in the house is on the mend? Immune systems get shot from chronic stress.
- Mental Fog: Stress often impacts cognition, leading to forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, or experiencing racing thoughts. This generally pans into all aspects of life and we may or may not be aware of this.
It’s important to note that these symptoms can vary in intensity and duration from person to person. Additionally, while stress can cause these physical manifestations, other underlying health conditions could also contribute to similar symptoms.
The Stress Test Punchline
Stress can make us better, more driven and more evolved people. There are three successful ways to keep stress in check:
- Limit Stress: If this article hit a little too close to home, limit what you have on your plate. Only you can choose what and when you chose to move forward with tasks and if you simply cannot do that one more thing right now, don’t. If we take on too much, the universe naturally will do it for us by slowing us down via sickness, migraines, or system break downs. Pick your poison wisely. Take the stress test to know if you are in the limits.
- Monitor how you Talk About it: The way we talk about stress differentiates how we experience it. Autonomic arousal that we see as a challenge and something that we are in control of, is something that grows us. The self-talk of “I can’t” or “I’m out of control” creates distress and dis-ease.
- Use Stress Management Techniques: The presence of stress requires effective coping techniques. This may include: therapy, mindfulness practices, exercise, breathing techniques, relaxation, distractions, meditation, and many more. This is a great practice to begin when life is calm so that you are geared up when the rubber meets the road.
References
– American Institute of Stress (n.d.). Stress Effects.
– American Psychological Association (APA). (n.d.). Stress Effects on the Body.
– American Psychological Association (APA). (2021). Stress in America™ Survey.
– Cohen, S., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Miller, G. E. (2007). Psychological stress and disease. JAMA, 298(14), 1685–1687.
– Kessler, R. C., Chiu, W. T., Demler, O., & Walters, E. E. (2008). Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 617–627.
– National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2021). Any Anxiety Disorder Among Adults.