If you are human, you probably have stress in your life. Whether it comes from your job, your relationships or other daily responsibilities and experiences, stress is often an all-too-normal part of living life. But if your stress is constant, always pressing on your mind and dragging you down, it could be harmful to your health.
Stress affects more than just the mind.
When stress builds up in your life, you may think it’s only affecting your mental state — after all, you feel on edge, frustrated, tense and exhausted when you are stressed. These things are all just in your head right? Wrong! Stress can take a physical toll on the body, as well, especially when you’re not finding any relief. Not only does stress cause several short-term physical consequences — high blood pressure, tense muscles and an elevated heart rate — but prolonged stress can cause many different and serious health consequences, as well, including:
- weight gain
- chronic fatigue
- back pain
- heart problems
- digestive issues
- acne
- a weakened immune system
- headaches
- stroke
If you have a lot of stress in your life, odds are, you may have symptoms you don’t even know are directly linked to your stress levels. But the good news is, once you start relieving your stress, you’ll start to notice some of those daily pains and fatigues disappear!
So what can you do about it?
While the things that cause stress in your life will probably always be there — bills, responsibilities, even traffic — there are ways you can reduce your feelings of daily stress and lessen the long-term impact on your body and health. Stress reducers can be different for everyone. The key is to find something that relaxes you and that you enjoy doing. Here are some common ways people can reduce their stress:
- Engaging in daily exercise
- Taking a relaxing shower or bath
- Reading a book
- Cooking a nice meal
- Setting aside time for daily meditation or yoga
Additionally, simply taking care of your body — getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet and limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake — can have a huge positive impact on reducing your overall feelings of stress.
So it’s time to stop stressing! If stress is taking over your life, it’s time to find a healthy way to alleviate it. For additional ways to take control of your health, talk to the experts at Any Lab Test Now about various lab tests you can take, like a Saliva Hormone Test. Equip yourself with the knowledge you need to live a healthier, happier life.
