The Negative Power of Stress…

The negative effects of stress have been publicized for years. Yet, despite what we know, we still run around in our stressful lives.

Many of us take on too much, work too late, do not get enough sleep, or eat on the fly – certainly not a way to enjoy life. In addition, not only do we miss out on the joy and wonder of life when we’re stressed, but we know it can make us sick.

We can get frequent colds, and down the road even suffer serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Yet, we keep on living with stress. Is that really very smart?

According to www.helpguide.org there are many negative affects of stress including both physiological and psychological. When we are faced with difficult challenges in life and work, our bodies react with a “fight and flight” reaction. That is, all of the processes that help us escape danger, such as increased adrenaline production, increased heart rate and breathing and tensed muscles all come into play.

The problem is that when we are exposed to stress day after day, we are constantly in this state, and even when we are trying to relax, this response does not shut off so easily. As a result, we ultimately suffer from it.

Some of the physical ailments that may be traced back to our exposure to constant stress include headaches, gastrointestinal problems, muscle tension, loss of sex drive, and frequent colds or similar illnesses.

While leading a stressful life is physically challenging, constant stress leads to many emotional and mental symptoms: irritability, heightened emotions, hypersensitivity, and anxiety and depression. It is no wonder then that so many people today are on antidepressants and medication for anxiety.

Stress also affects our ability to concentrate. Have you ever been in a situation where you have forgotten someone’s birthday or other occasion, or a meeting you had to attend? I’m sure you can trace that “memory loss” to a time when you were under stress.

It’s truly important to understand that far-reaching nature of stress in our lives. If you visit www.helpguide.org, you will be amazed just how much of your body and mind stress can affect. It should give you pause when you are in the midst of your hurried lifestyle to think if there’s any way you can begin reducing your stress.

Even if it’s is just getting to bed on time, the refreshment may bring a whole new perspective to your everyday life.

In the next article, I’ll write outline some ideas you can apply to reduce stress… Stay tuned

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Photo by lindseyy- flickr.com.