Top 10 Terrible Things Stress Does to Your Body

When you’re stressed, it’s a lot harder to think clearly or to answer simple questions. And the more stress about not thinking clearly, the more muddled your mind becomes. Your processing abilities can become seriously hindered by stress. Those with diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder have a more active amygdala, the part of the brain that processes fear. But any kind of stress is bad for your processing abilities and information retention. Stress is also dangerous for forming memories, both long and short-term. As a result, you can start to develop a very inaccurate view of your life and experiences.

Inflammation is a condition that, when triggered at the wrong time, can cause some serious health issues. It's a case of the cells in your body thinking they're helping you, when they’re actually doing the opposite. Fortunately, inflammation is easy to avoid by following a few simple tips. To lower risk of inflammation, you should exercise regularly and eat a well-balanced diet that is light on fast food, red meat, and white carbs. You also need to keep your stress levels in check. Otherwise, you could be dealing with Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other devastating conditions as a result of chronic inflammation.

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If you take pride in your appearance, stress can be especially devastating. When someone is stressed, they’re often described as “pulling their hair out,” and research links stress to premature hair loss. And what you heard as a kid about stress causing gray hairs? That's not an old wive's tale. When you're stressed, your hair can turn gray through an influx of the chemical known as norepinephrine. Acne can be triggered by stress through an increase in cortisol. Stress can also exacerbate certain skin ailments, such as eczema. Wondering why you have an unexplained rash? The answer may very well be stress.

When you’re stressed, do you experience tension in the uppermost parts of your body - clenching your jaw, tightening your shoulders, and feeling a headache forming? Stress shoots up to these areas, and it can feel hard to relax during confrontational moments. And even when the encounter is over, you can feel residual effects through chronic pain in these areas, which can lead to even more stress. To stop the cycle, learn progressive muscle relaxation to help keep your body in a consistent state of calm. And even if you’re not feeling particularly stressed, it’s good to take a few moments every day to shrug your shoulders and loosen up.

Stress attacks your muscles, causing them to become tense and brittle. Eventually, you might start to feel constantly stiff and sore all over. Your muscles need to relax, but stress can make them chronically taut, leading to further stress and other health problems. So stretch regularly to reduce overall muscle tension and practice deep breathing exercises. Stay active so you’re not just sitting down for hours at a time, and enjoy simple pleasures like hot baths to give your muscles the relief they’ve been requesting for so long. Keep up a physical routine, but consult with your doctor before taking on any potentially demanding exercise regimen.

It’s hard to “get in the mood” when you’re under constant stress. While some people might experience a heightened lovemaking drive during stressful times, others are unable to summon any kind of bodily excitement. Since so much of your attention has been consumed by stress, it's difficult to be in the moment. Stress can cause male performance dysfunction, and drastically reduce male sperm quantity and egg release rates, which is especially troubling for couples who are trying to conceive. Discuss any difficulties with stress-related intimacy with your partner and a trusted professional, such as your doctor. With some patience and effort, you can make those moments together feel special once again.

You know how taxing stress can be on your stomach, making you feel butterflies and like you're about to throw up. But where does this come from? It turns out that your brain and your gut work in conjunction with one another, and that the stomach area is considered to be a “second brain” of sorts. Therefore, a stressed mind can lead to a stressed stomach. This can cause cramps and inflammation, and trigger conditions such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. You may also want to adjust your diet to focus more on foods rich in nutrients such as fiber.

Two common symptoms of intense stress are shortness of breath and a racing heart. Anyone who's ever experienced a panic attack knows how difficult it can be to breathe comfortably under intense stress. Meanwhile, your heart can begin to beat at an alarming frequency, and your blood pressure can rise dramatically. Learn how to breathe through your diaphragm to keep oxygen flowing through you at a healthy rate. You should also monitor your diet and refrain from smoking in order to keep your respiratory and cardiovascular systems in tip-top shape.

Stress and happiness have a difficult time coexisting. If you’re going through a stressful time, you might try to use shortcuts to cope with your issues, such as overeating. But if you’re not actually attacking the root of the issue, the cycle is bound to continue. You may also find you no longer take pleasure in things you once greatly enjoyed. Conditions like depression and anxiety can be worsened through stress. Over time, these mental effects can wreak havoc on your physical health. Remember that mental health help is available in many forms, such as therapy.

Stress is literally bad for you, as it can make it difficult for your body to fight against illness and infection. When you’re stressed, your immune system kicks in. But your immune system can only handle so much at a time, and chronic stress can compromise it significantly. Then, once you come down with an illness, your immune system won’t have the strength it needs to fight back. As a result, it can take longer to recover from something as basic as a cold or mild injury. A long and happy life is one with as little stress as possible. While it’s impossible to completely avoid stress, it is possible to lessen its effects on you.