You didn’t sleep well last night. Now you’re running late for a meeting and the baby spit-up all over your work outfit. You’re feeling stressed! 

Stress is something that affects everyone. A little bit of stress is normal and even good. But long-term, chronic stress is bad for your health.  

Are you wondering how stress affects your health? Keep reading for nine detrimental ways stress affects your health. 

What Is Stress?

Stress is the body’s response to perceived threats. When we humans were hunters and gatherers, we had to respond to threats quickly. If we came across a lion while gathering food, we had to think fast!

When the body senses a risk, it turns on the “fight or flight” response. This triggers the hypothalamus in your brain to flood your body with stress hormones. These hormones are cortisol and adrenaline. 

The hormones prepare your body to run or fight. This response causes your heart to race while your breathing speeds up. Your muscles are ready to fight!

In today’s world, stress doesn’t come from lions and tigers. Modern-day stressors are different but they still cause our bodies to react with the same stress hormones. 

Over time, if we don’t learn coping mechanisms for stress, these hormones wreak havoc on our bodies. 

So before that happens, know how stress can affect your health. Find nine ways below.

1. Headaches, Shoulder Pain, and Body Aches

You’ve probably heard of or have had a tension headache. That’s a headache brought on by muscle tension that is a result of stress. 

Muscle tension is a physical form of stress because your muscles tense in preparation to fight. Ongoing tense muscles can cause headaches, shoulder pain, and body aches. 

The aches may cause you to reach for pain relievers. The pain may also cause you to stop exercising, but that’s not a good idea, since exercise is a known stress reliever.  

2. Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Do you have constant stress from a difficult job or an angry spouse? Stress causes an increase in your heart rate.

The heart works to get oxygen to your muscles in case of a fight. This also constricts the blood vessels,

which increases your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for both heart attacks and strokes. 

3. Increased Breathing Difficulties

Your respiratory system also responds to stress by speeding up your breathing. This is to get oxygen into your bloodstream. If you have pre-existing problems such as asthma, stress can make breathing harder. 

4. High Blood Sugar

You know eating too much sugar isn’t good for you because it raises your blood sugar levels and that puts you at risk for type-2 diabetes. Chronic stress has a similar effect. 

When you’re under stress, the liver releases extra sugar into your bloodstream. That extra sugar boosts your energy so you can run or fight the enemy. A steady stream of stress raises your risk for type-2 diabetes.

5. Stomachaches and Acid Reflux

The rapid breathing, increased hormones, and quick heartbeat from stress also increase your stomach acid. That acid could cause acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and heartburn. 

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are also sometimes signs of chronic stress. This is because stress affects the way food moves through your gastrointestinal system. 

But everyone experiences stress differently. So chronic stress symptoms vary from person to person. 

6. Reproductive and Sexual Problems

Under chronic stress, testosterone levels drop. This can cause a decrease in desire and sperm production, and even cause erectile dysfunction. 

A man’s reproductive organs are more at risk for infection when he’s under chronic stress. There’s even a condition called stress prostatitis. 

For women, stress can cause irregular, heavy, or painful menstrual cycles. It can also affect a woman’s ability to conceive. Chronic stress often makes the symptoms of menopause much worse. 

7. Emotional Disorders

Many people don’t handle stress well. In an effort to cope, many people turn to drugs, alcohol, or overeating. Some people stop eating. 

Depression, anxiety, and irritability are all symptoms of chronic, unmanaged stress. 

8. Insomnia

Insomnia, or the inability to fall asleep or maintain sleep at night, is often a sign of chronic stress. Chronic stress messes with your hormonal balance, which is important for sleep. Many people have a hard time shutting down their thoughts when they’re under stress.

How does sleep affect your health? A good night’s sleep helps your body recharge its systems. 

9. Immune System Suppression 

Short-term stress stimulates the immune system and helps heal wounds. It can even help you avoid infection. 

Chronic stress has the opposite effect since over time, the stress hormones compromise your body’s immune system. People who get sick a lot with the common cold or flu are often suffering from chronic stress. 

A suppressed immune system also increases the time it takes your body to recover from illnesses or even an injury. 

Managing Chronic Stress

Do you want to get better health? Managing chronic stress is one way to achieve your goal. 

It takes time and persistence, but you can learn to control chronic stress. Many of the things you know are good for you can also help manage chronic stress. 

Good Nutrition

Eat a nutritious diet. Avoid excessive amounts of sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains such as brown rice and quinoa. 

A diet high in fiber helps food move through your digestive system better. This, in turn, decreases the risk of constipation, diarrhea, and stomachaches.  

Exercise

Make exercise an everyday habit. You don’t have to do hardcore exercises. Even a regular brisk walk benefits your body.

You can even break your exercise into several 10-minute periods throughout the day.

Meditation or Breathing Exercises

Meditation and deep-breathing exercises are known stress reducers. If you don’t know how to start, there are free meditation apps on the internet. 

Now You Know How Stress Affects Your Health

Now that you know how stress affects your health, it’s time to do something about it! Managing chronic stress helps both your physical and mental health. 

Don’t wait until your body breaks down to manage your stress!

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