Stress is an emotional reaction that not only affects our mental health - LMI Holistic Therapies

Stress is an emotional reaction that not only affects our mental health, it also impacts on our bodies too.

It can suppress your immune system so make you more vulnerable to infections and catching viruses, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, increase the risk of heart conditions and higher your blood pressure also can have an impact on speeding up the aging process.

Long term stress can have a detrimental effect on the way you think, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety depression and other mental health problems.

Long term stress can cause physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms to develop such as:

• Aches and pains
• Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing
• Exhaustion or trouble sleeping
• Headache’s dizziness or shaking
• High blood pressure
• Muscle tension or jaw clenching
• Stomach or digestive problems
  
  

Stress increases the amount of a hormone in your body called cortisol which can lead to overeating and cause your body to store fat.

Stress affects all the systems in your body the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, nervous and reproductive.

Long term psychological stress can increase levels of oxidative stress which can even contribute to the graying of your hair.

There are two types of stress positive and negative.

Positive stress is necessary for some people because it helps them perform to the best of their abilities such as sports people or actors it helps then stay focused.

The negative stress however is not good for us this brings worry panic for our mental health and as a result our body remains in a constant tense state this leads us unable to relax.

There are many factors that can cause us to have stress they can be work related, financial, relationships, exams or just fear of the unknown. However, it’s how we react and manage to our stress is the key to help us respond in a healthier way that will eventually help us take control and lower our stress levels.