It is a normal thing for us to feel stressed out whenever we are trying to push ourselves to achieve hard tasks. Stress is the natural reaction that our body emits, perhaps as a way to letting us know that it is about time we slow down and take a break. Sadly most of us do not know when to stop and so we experience some of the negative effects of stress. It is therefore a necessity that we learn the natural stress relief activities that can help us control it.
There will always be many instances in our lives wherein we would feel a lot of stress. Examples of these would be when we experience some problems in relation to our work or our family. Of course if you are working then there will be deadlines that you need to meet which just adds to the stress.
When we are stressed often it is our body that takes much of the beating. Often the result is that certain body functions would be negatively affected. But that is in general. To be more specific, here are some of these negative effects of stress:
Heart problems - The bad thing with stress is that it can really affect the health of our heart. It can aggravate a high blood pressure because when you are feeling stressed you worry too much about a lot of things.
Gastrointestinal Disorders - Irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, and inflammatory bowel diseases include the gastrointestinal orders caused by prolonged stress. On a minor level, stomach discomforts, lowered metabolism, nausea, constipation or diarrhea afflict people under stress.
Digestive System Problems - Stress can also affect the digestive system leading to upset stomachs, indigestion, and higher acidity levels.
Immune System Infections - Stress impairs the immune system, making the body susceptible to colds and flu.
Skin Problems - Have you seen a friend who has been dealing with much stress? Look closely at his or her skin and you will certainly find some skin problems starting to appear.
Periodontal Conditions - There are some teeth and gum problems that are indirectly caused by too much stress. How? It is because when some people are stressed they drink a lot of alcohol or smoke cigarettes which in turn can affect the condition of the mouth.
Obesity or Any Weight Gain - Most of us fight off stress by eating the foods that we love to eat. We also do that when we are feeling depressed. But the problem lies when what we eat are the so called comfort foods which are very high in calories and often are lacking in the essential nutrients which are body needs to function well. And add to that the fact that we do not just eat a single serving. Sometimes we go for more than three servings which can really contribute to our weight gain.
Sleeping Disorders - When we are busy thinking of other things, often of our problems, not only are we feeling stressed out but we are also losing valuable sleep. And this is not healthy. While it is not possible to sleep for 8 straight hours, at least do not forget to take a nap or any break from your work.
Stress robs people of the ability to enjoy life because of its consequences which limit the quantity and quality of time that we spend with our loved ones. The negative effects of stress, although inevitable, are manageable by following some stress management activities which can alleviate stress.
