Is Stress Affecting My Health?
How can you tell when your stress level is starting to affect your health?
Question:
Tanya Edwards, M.D.
A family physician, Dr. Tanya Edwards is passionate about using nutrition for the prevention and treatment of chronic illness. She... Read more
When your body is under constant stress, it reacts as though it’s under physical attack, which causes your hormonal levels to go haywire. Too much cortisol and adrenaline, for instance, can lead to lowered immunity and elevations in blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Adrenaline also makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Other signs that stress may be affecting your health: change in appetite/food cravings, a feeling of nervousness or impending doom, irritability, sadness, palpitations, elevated blood sugar and/or cholesterol and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea.
Take steps to limit the stress, including doing some form of regular physical exercise. Breathing exercises, meditation, massage, yoga and Reiki are also extremely helpful. If these things don’t help, and you’re feeling like the stress is becoming unbearable, definitely talk to your doctor.
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