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<\/p>\nAfter the past two years\u2019 events, you probably aren\u2019t surprised if you feel a little more stressed than usual. Have you spent any time in mindfulness recognizing how the added pressure impacts your physiology?<\/p>\n
Understanding how your body responds to pressure can help you minimize the long-term adverse effects. Here\u2019s how too much stress impacts your physical self and what you can do to manage it.<\/p>\n
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Your consciousness and your body work as one. As such, psychological stress can manifest in painful physical symptoms like grinding your teeth (bruxism). Research published by the National Institutes of Health shows an association between high neuroticism scores on personality questionnaires and bruxism. Problems arise when the continued muscle tension causes headaches that make it impossible for you to think. You could also break a tooth, requiring a costly fix \u2013 and creating more stress.<\/p>\n
How to manage it<\/strong><\/p>\n If you get frequent headaches or wake up with one, consider bruxism a possible cause. Book an appointment with your dentist, who can fit you with a specialty mouthguard to prevent damage from unconscious grinding. During the day, avoid behaviors like chewing gum and consciously relax your jawline \u2013 set an alert on your phone to remind you.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve probably heard of the term \u201cnervous tic<\/em>.\u201d Many people manifest unusual behaviors to self-soothe. One of the most frequent is twirling or playing with your hair. If your stress levels grow too severe, you could develop trichotillomania, where you pull it out, sometimes in clumps.<\/p>\n How to manage it<\/strong><\/p>\n Spend some time in mindfulness \u2013 set a goal of observing your nervous tics. Remember, your objective isn\u2019t to judge. Instead, merely become aware of the unconscious things you do, such as nibbling your fingernails. Then, pursue replacing the behavior with a healthier way to fidget that doesn\u2019t damage your appearance, such as playing with a rubber band you keep on your wrist.<\/p>\n Stress can do a number on your waistline, thanks to the hormone cortisol. This substance takes over after the initial adrenaline surge and tells your body to prepare for a prolonged onslaught. It\u2019s particularly troublesome in modern times because humans can\u2019t run away from micromanaging bosses the way they once did hungry lions. This hormone\u2019s excess prompts cravings for sugary, fatty foods \u2013 where your primitive body would have found sufficient calories to fuel its needs. However, it doesn\u2019t take much physical energy to deal with psychological stress, and all that excess tends to pile on around your waistline. Doctors consider belly fat particularly troublesome because it can accumulate around your heart and other vital organs.<\/p>\n How to manage it<\/strong><\/p>\n Exercise may be the best way to combat stress and excess calorie consumption at once. You can\u2019t snack during a spin class, but you will blast your quads. Moderate workouts that last less than an hour lower your cortisol levels, helping you control your appetite well after class ends. Plus, your brain releases feel-good endorphins when you move it, further improving your outlook.<\/p>\n Your brain is your body\u2019s master control center, telling all your other organs what to do. Recent research out of Australia suggests that chronic stress can cause neurological changes that keep your blood pressure elevated. Hypertension significantly increases your risk of heart attack and stroke. Chronic stress can also prompt behaviors that increase your cardiovascular disease risk. If you reach for a drink after a tough day, please don\u2019t rationalize that doing so will benefit your heart health. While red wine does have some antioxidants, alcohol also spikes your blood pressure. While it returns to normal when you quit drinking, prolonged excess can lead to hypertension.<\/p>\n How to manage it<\/strong><\/p>\n Managing chronic stress might require a conscience-body approach. Why not investigate some of the various forms of yoga to find a style that suits your preferences and needs? If you enjoy athletic moves, ashtanga could suit your lifestyle, or yin could delight you if you prefer a low-key, melt-into-your-mat experience.<\/p>\n If you battle chronic stress, you might get sick more often. One 2004 study revealed that prolonged stress depresses all aspects of immune function. Living with prolonged stress is akin to various neighbors all calling the fire department to rescue treed kitties at the same time. When a genuine emergency, like an invading \u201cfive-alarm<\/em>\u201d germ cell, appears, there are fewer resources available to battle it. Stress prompts your body to release cytokines, proteins that increase inflammation \u2013 which is one reason folks with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis often have worse flares when under pressure.<\/p>\n How to manage it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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