Being under a lot of pressure seems to be a way of life for a lot of people. The world has become a much busier, much more demanding place, and it can feel as though if we don’t at least try to keep up with it all, we’ll be left far behind both in terms of our careers and our lives in general, and no one wants to miss out. However, trying to do everything all at once and do it perfectly can put us under a lot of stress, and when this stress is never-ending, it can be seriously detrimental to our health. The following reasons explain why being chronically stressed is not a good thing.
Emotional Problems
Being under a little stress is a good thing; it can make us work harder for a short period of time, for example, and it has its roots in the ‘fight or flight’ mode that we can fall into when there is a problem at hand that might be dangerous. However, when this stress is long-term, it becomes less easy to deal with. It’s easy to spot someone who is under a lot of stress because they will have a short temper, becoming angry at the smallest thing which other people would view as inconsequential, and they really will have difficulties keeping their emotions under control.
Even the mildest levels of stress can mean that we don’t have complete control over our emotions anymore. It could be stress encountered in everyday life such as traffic or having financial issues. In other words, problems that can be solved if a moment was taken to think about them; a different route or a consolidation loan, and you can check out this site for details, can make all the difference. It’s just that when you are feeling stressed, it’s difficult to see a solution.
Disease
Everyone is different, and some people are more susceptible to disease than others. It all depends on the health of their immune system, as well as family history in some cases. Chronic stress can cause certain diseases to become more prevalent, possibly because the immune system is already damaged. These diseases include some forms of cancer, lung disease, cirrhosis of the liver, depression, and heart problems. Stress can also be linked to many mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, and suicide. You can see how important it is to be checked out by a professional if you are feeling stressed or worried and can’t seem to solve the issue by yourself. It’s far better to ask for help than to suffer in silence.
Problems With Sex
Sex is a very good way to relieve stress, but if you are feeling very stressed then you might not be in the mood for jumping between the sheets, and that can cause you to feel even worse because you may not want to disappoint your partner. It can lead to resentment and arguments, especially if you don’t want to explain how you are truly feeling.
It isn’t just a mental problem, although that is part of it. Studies have shown that stress directly affects a man’s testosterone levels, making sex less pleasurable and less important in their lives. Stress can even lead to impotence in the most extreme cases.
Pregnant women who are stressed can even affect their unborn children and those children may go on to develop behavioral problems or developmental issues. Stress has a much wider reach than you might think, which is why it is such a problem.
Teeth And Gums
People’s stress manifests in a variety of different ways. Some, for example, will grind their teeth. They won’t necessarily know they are doing it, especially if they are doing it in their teeth, but this issue can cause long-lasting problems in your jaw and teeth, wearing them thin and making them more prone to damage or even loss.
Your dentist will be able to tell immediately if you do grind your teeth; he or she will be able to spot any damage but will also notice that your jaw is clenched or stressed in some way. It is a hard habit to break, and could even continue when the stressful situation is over. However, wearing a mouthguard at night can help to prevent further damage, even if the grinding itself doesn’t stop.
Heart Problems
Stress can do physical damage to your heart, and this can be a serious issue. Your heart becomes damaged because your body is producing more of the stress hormone, cortisol. When this happens, your heart rate increases because your body thinks it is going to have to fight or run away, and in either case, you will need as much oxygen as possible in your blood, meaning your blood vessels are constricted. Your heart has to work harder than usual, and if this continues for the long-term, damage can occur.
Weight
When we are stressed, many of us eat more. It dates back to prehistoric times when hunter-gatherers had to eat as much as possible when there was food to make up for the times when there was none. This ‘stress eating’ still lives on in us today and is why, when we are stressed, we ‘stock up’ on food because our body and brain think that danger is threatening and that food may become scarce.
This is a difficult habit to get out of, but one suggestion is not to eat while watching the nightly news. Watching bad news on TV, or listening on the radio, can cause us to eat more than we normally would. The same is true for any TV show that depicts fear and worry in some form.
Look Older
When you suffer from chronic stress, you will usually find that you are prematurely aging too and there is a physical reason for this. Stress makes the structures at the ends of your chromosomes (known as telomeres) shorter which means that new cells can’t grow very quickly. Lines, therefore, form where the cells can’t reproduce, causing the aging look. It can also contribute to poor eyesight and weakened muscles.