Don’t say yes to stress.
According to a recent study, the top stressors in Americans’ daily lives are finances (52%), current events (37%), health (37%), and relationships (29%).
When our body interprets something as a threat, it goes into fight-or-flight mode by releasing cortisol and adrenaline, decreasing insulin production, and constricting blood vessels.
In emergency or short-term situations, the body reacts to the threat and then recovers from the cortisol spike. But when we exist in this mode for a prolonged period of weeks, months, or years without respite, these spikes become the norm, the body does not recover, and the long-term effects are hell on our overall health.
Conditions associated with cortisol spikes and sustained stress include high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis and weight gain.
Jennifer King, deputy director of the Center on Trauma and Adversity at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, told Time this week that when we ignore the signs of stress, our bodies start sending us signals to stop. in a more extreme way.
“A cascade of changes occurs in the body when the stress response is activated in a sustained manner,” she said. “When the dose is too large and there is no clear beginning and end, it causes wear and tear on the body.”
Here are four ways to tell if our body is asking for a break: emotional changes, relationship tensions, illness and digestive issues.
Emotional changes
Stress and anxiety can easily affect mood, cognition, and enjoyment. Dr. Gerda Maissel tells Time that people suffering from stress can experience “circular” thoughts, a loop that inhibits memory recall. “You feel like you can’t remember things or can’t find the name of something,” Maissel said.
Anxiety can discourage people from engaging in activities they previously enjoyed. Additionally, our inability to manage stress may express itself as an inability to care for ourselves. “People who desperately need a break sometimes also lose the ability to do basic self-care, like exercising and eating well,” Maissel said.
Maissel also notes that the sense of overwhelm that people with chronic stress feel can lead to angry outbursts and the inability to make simple decisions.
Relationship tension
Perhaps in direct proportion to the emotional changes listed above, relationships are hit hard by anxiety, and those closest to us often notice the warning signs before we do.
Symptoms of stress include irritability, tantrums and self-isolation. Experts advise people to resist getting defensive if a friend, partner, or family member addresses your change in mood.
Disease
As previous research has shown, stress affects the entire body, including the immune system. A weakened immune system leads to more frequent illnesses.
According to the American Psychological Association, stress can decrease the number of natural killer cells in the body, which are needed to fight viruses. Stress also increases cortisol levels, hindering the body’s anti-inflammatory response and making it vulnerable to infections.
If you’re constantly sick, your body may be calling for a break.
Skin, stomach and sleep problems
Stress can trigger a host of digestive issues ranging from indigestion and discomfort to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (also known as IBS).
Anxiety is also linked to appetite and people who suffer from it may overeat or undereat, leading to weight gain or loss.
Stress is also known to complicate your complexion, exacerbating conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema. Additionally, it can trigger allergic reactions, often leading to uncomfortable skin problems like hives.
Stress also affects sleep: If you have trouble falling or staying asleep or feel exhausted when you wake up, this could be a signal from your body to prioritize rest and relaxation.
The negative effects of silencing stress signals
Ashley Fields, an Indianapolis therapist specializing in women’s issues and perinatal mental health, told Time that a daily 30-second check-in can help discern our mental state, immediate needs and appropriate responses.
Fields says, “We don’t always realize how much tension we feel in our bodies until we make an effort to intentionally notice what we’re feeling and where. It is an indicator of your health and will collect information that can help you make meaningful changes to your lifestyle.
If your body’s resounding message is please.stop.now., Fields says vacations aren’t the only solution and that a few minutes of intentional downtime a day can help combat the negative consequences of stress .
What does intentional downtime look like? A breath of fresh air and a change of scenery has been shown to work wonders for reducing stress.
Kandi Wiens, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in the study of stress, recently told the Post: “Spending time in nature stimulates the feel-good hormones dopamine and endorphins. »
Wiens also recommends crying, sighing, looking at a photo of someone you love, exercising, and physical touch as remedies to beat stress. Separate research suggests that for some, sex is the best defense against stress.