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Stress Management

What is stress?

Stress is when you feel worried or your mind is busy because of something difficult happening or something you must do. Everyone has felt stressed before. Stress goes away when the thing making you stressed is over or is not a problem anymore. Long-term stress is when stressful things keep happening for a long time. This kind of stress can affect how your body feels and how you feel inside. Stressful things can increase your blood pressure but it reduces when the stressful thing is done. When you are stressed, your body, mind, and feelings might react in different ways. Here are the symptoms people experience when stressed:

Symptoms of Chronic (Long-Term) Stress

Physical Cognitive or Mental Emotional

Headaches

Inability to focus

Experiencing low self-esteem

Aches, pains, and tense muscles

Racing thoughts

Unmotivated or feeling overwhelmed

Nervousness and shaking

Constant worrying

Mood swings

Upset stomach

Forgetfulness and disorganization

Tearful

Insomnia

Heightened or lowered alertness

Irritability

Clenched jaw and grinding of teeth

Poor problem-solving ability

Fear

Increased heart rate

Depression

How does Stress Affect the Body?

Stress does not only change how you feel, but it can also affect your body. Here are some body parts stress can affect and what it does:

Body Systems Stress Effects

Endocrine

Impaired communication between glucocorticoids (stress hormones) and the immune system has been linked to chronic fatigue, diabetes, immune disorders, and obesity.

Musculoskeletal

Can tense up muscles and cause tension headaches, shoulder, and back pain.

Respiratory

May result in shortness of breath or rapid breathing. Can lead to an asthma attack and a panic attack.

Cardiovascular

An increase in heart rate contracts the heart muscles which elevates blood pressure and contributes to inflammation of the circulatory system.

Gastrointestinal

Digestive activities such as absorption of nutrients are suppressed during stress and can contribute to inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

Nervous

Short-term: adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) cause the body to focus energy resources on flight or fight responses. Long-term: overexposure to cortisol can cause thyroid problems and can also increase abdominal fat.

Reproductive

Men: may negatively affect production and maturation of sperm; can cause a decrease in testosterone. Women: may experience irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty conceiving, and complications during pregnancy.

Immune

Effects of stress hormones on the immune process may weaken the immune system and increase vulnerability to frequent infections and poor wound healing.

What Strategies Can Be Used to Manage Stress?

  • Understand what is making you feel stressed.
  • Try imagining calm places, praying, yoga, deep breathing, getting a massage, meditation, and focusing on a calming word to help relax.
  • Stay close with your friends and family. They can help when you feel stressed.
  • Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others can help you feel less stressed.
  • Take care of yourself:
        • Practice mindfulness
        • Take time to unwind at the end of the day.
        • Decide and rank what is important to you, then act on it.
  • Partake in healthy behaviors:
        • Get enough good quality sleep (at least 8 hours of sleep each night)
        • Exercise regularly
        • Eat healthy foods
  • Practice expressing gratitude to others.
  • Seek professional support to help with daily tasks, big problems, or decisions.

Stress Management Quiz

Long-term stress can affect both your mental well-being and your physical health.
Stress is only a temporary feeling that goes away once the stressful situation is resolved.
Strategies to manage stress include participating in mindfulness activities, exercising regularly, and journaling.

References

Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Miller GE. Psychological stress and disease. JAMA. 2007; 298:1685– 1687. [PubMed: 17925521]

Harvard Health Publishing. (2020). Understanding the stress response. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2013, December 30). Traumatic Incidence Stress. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/traumaticincident/default.html#stress

Source: Adapted from Yaribeygi, H., Panahi, Y., Sahraei, H., Johnston, T. P., & Sahebkar, A. (2017). The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI journal, 16, 1057–1072. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2017-480

American Psychological Association. (2018, November 1). Stress effects on the body. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body