We all undergo stressful situations in life; after all, that is the slogan for life. You are born distressed, and perhaps you die in the state of stress as well. It may seem like an emotional state most of us are used to, but that does not make it alright.
Whereas some forms of stress are good, as they genuinely help the body when it is in any danger, it is when there is the lack of dangers, and prolonged state of stress that it becomes problematic.
Essentially, when your body is in a state of stress, hormones like cortisol and epinephrine are released that signal the body to go into fight or flight mode. Your heart starts racing, your breathing pattern changes, alongside other changes in the body.
Now, when the body undergoes this experience continuously, without there being an actual source of danger, it starts to have implications on the physical and mental health, meriting then a visit to Maroof International Hospital.
Impact of long-term stress
As long as the situation causing stress continues, so will your state of being in stress. There are various reasons for you to be perpetually feeling stress including relationships, children, work, health etc., and it isn’t always possible for one to get out of these situations.
During this ordeal, not only do your nerves become raw from taking all the stress, but your physical health also suffers. Health impacts of long-term stress include:
Heart health
Since the stress hormones lead to a surge in the heart rate, therefore, you can be assured that the heart is gravely affected by chronic stress.
Alongside increasing the risk of hypertension, which in itself invites problems that affect kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart, brain amongst others, chronic stress also increases the risk of heart attack. If a significant part of the heart is affected, the heart attack may even prove to be fatal.
Moreover, the cardiovascular issues brought on by stress can also lead to greater risk of blood clot formation that can cause stroke, a condition in which brain cells are deprived of oxygen on account of compromised blood supply. Stroke can be debilitating and even fatal as well.
Gut health
Your gut is hailed as your second brain. Anything that causes problems with your gut health then naturally has implications for the rest of your body as well. Since good gut health is key to a healthy body, hence the impact of stress on gut health is even more concerning.
Alongside interrupting the ecosystem of the gut by having an influence on the gut bacteria, stress also increases the risk of gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome –IBS — and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD as it is commonly known as.
Moreover, stress also increases the risk for gastric ulcers, which are painful to live with. Similarly, stress may also lead to digestive problems like bloating.
Mental health
Since stress is a mental health issue, suffice to say, it leaves its footprints on it as well. Prolonged stress can lead to increased tendency towards anxiety, that then brings its plethora of problems.
Furthermore, stress also increases the risk of depression as well. Chronic stress also causes issues with cognitive functioning, including problems with memory. Moreover, the emotional health also suffers consequently.
However, that is not all there is to stress; alongside causing changes in the brain’s structure, stress can also cause one to stop having faith in themselves and have self-esteem issues.
Other issues
Stress is also related to respiratory health issues, as it directly impacts breathing. It may then have a severe impact on people suffering from respiratory disorders like asthma, COPD etc.
Moreover, stress can also lead to muscular pain, as it causes the muscles to become tense. It may also then trigger migraines, a painful headache that might require help from a General Physician in Karachi.
