Health Effects of Stress
Stress is a natural and essential part of life. Our stress response is designed to protect and preserve our lives. Our bodies are constantly responding to positive and negative stress. Positive stress motivates and drives us. Negative stress affects our physical and mental health and can rob us from experiencing real happiness. If you want to experience living and intentional life of true happiness you can’t run from stress or avoid it. Stress is as much a part of life as breathing, eating and drinking water. Stress discovers our dark places and brings them to our attention. Each stress that we perceive as an obstacle is actually an opportunity. Denying stress, like denying a wound, can make you rot on spiritual, psychological and physical levels.
Acute Stress vs. Chronic Stress
Acute stress is anything you perceive as an immediate threat. Our response to the immediate threat is referred to as the “fight or flight response.” This is a pattern of physiological responses that prepares you to respond to an emergency. Acute stress can be caused by any sense of danger, noise, crowding, hunger or infection in your body. More blood is pumped into your muscles, sending more oxygen to your muscles, brain, heart and lungs. Your blood flow my increase 300%-400%, preparing your lungs, muscles and brain for added demands. The amount of sugar or glucose increases in your blood, which accelerates your metabolism, so you can take immediate action in an emergency. Your blood thickens as platelets prepare to stop bleeding quickly. As the blood thickens, oxygen increases in red cells and promotes better function of the white cells that prevent infections. The spleen discharges red and white blood cells, allowing the blood to transport more oxygen. Your “flight or fight response” is similar to the most advanced computer system in the world. The two survival hormones are emitted in this state; adrenaline and cortisol.
Chronic stress is very different from acute stress. Chronic stress is ongoing stress that continues over a long period of time that does not diminish or go away. Chronic stress is unabated and continues to dwell in your mind and body, producing stress chemicals. Recent scientific research is revealing that the effects of chronic stress are far reaching. Continual high levels of cortisol destroy bone and muscle. This slows healing and normal cell replacement, disturbs metabolism and mental abilities and wakens the immune system. Persistently high levels of chronic stress may lead to high levels of cortisol that stimulate your appetite resulting in weight gain and difficulty in losing unwanted weight.
Chronic stress produces chronic release of adrenaline and cortisol which damages the immune system and reduces one’s ability to fight infection and inflammation in the body. Long term elevated levels of adrenaline and cortisol affect many organs and systems in the body. As your body continues to experience chronic stress, it starts to break down in many ways leading to a variety of diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity, arthritis, insomnia, infertility, hypertension, migraine headaches, and digestive disorders, while also accelerating the aging process. With emerging technology and science we are beginning to understand how chronic stress affects each individual in various degrees and the catastrophic effects chronic stress has on our bodies.
Chronic Stress Affects Many Diseases and Conditions
Research now shows making stress reduction practices the foundation of your self care prevents, slows or reverses a multitude of diseases and conditions. Below is a discussion of a few of the diseases and conditions affected by stress.
The vast number of individuals with these common diseases and conditions is hard to comprehend. It is difficult to fathom the economic costs and the pressure these spiraling diseases and conditions have on our health care system, individuals, families and corporations.
We can no longer wait for our failed health care system and flawed health education to help us out of this massive dilemma. It is time for each of us to take responsibility for our own self care. There is a vast amount of information today on self care, much of it confusing and incorrect. Simple stress reduction practices provide you with a simple, comprehensive and easy to remember format that you can easily assimilate into your busy life.
· Heart Disease: Heart disease is the number one killer in America, affecting more than 12 million people. Sadly, 250,000 people with heart attacks will die before they get to the hospital. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old, especially after menopause. More women die of heart disease than other cancers combined. Conclusive research maintains stress management, diet, exercise, and group support, not only reduce the risk of heart disease, but can actually reverse heart disease.
· Cancer: Over 1 million people every year are diagnosed with cancer in the United States. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death in both women and men. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Approximately 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 35-54. Colon cancer will be diagnosed in 140,000 people each year. More than 180,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and more than 30,000 men will die of the disease. All of these cancers are positively affected by practicing stress reduction and stress reduction practices help reduce the recurrence of cancers.
· Obesity: Today 16 percent of all children and teens in this country are overweight and 65 percent of all people age 20 and older are overweight or obese. Excess weight and obesity are serious health threats because they are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other serious health problems. The current generation of children may become the first in American history to live shorter lives than their parents. Medical expenditures attributed to both overweight and obesity has reached over $75 billion. Stress reduction provides the foundation for a healthy lifestyle for the individual and the entire family.
· Hypertension: Over 50 million people in the United States have hypertension, or high blood pressure. One in four adults has hypertension, which is defined as systolic blood pressure over 140 and diastolic blood pressure over 90. Research shows that practicing stress management lowers blood pressure.
· Chronic Pain: A new survey done by USA Today/ABC/Stanford University indicates 4 in 10 adults, say they suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain costs an estimated $100 billion a year in medical costs, lost working days, and workers compensation. Stress management has positive results in reducing pain when it is used to augment mainstream medical regimens.
· Insomnia: Many studies show almost 2/3 of adults, 62%, experienced insomnia in the last year. 1/3 of adults say they get fewer than 6.5 hours of sleep each night. 85% of insomniacs never seek medical treatment. Millions of insomniacs have turned to over the counter night time sleep aids creating a $100 million a year business. Stress management practices enhance sleep and are used at insomnia research facilities and clinics.
· Arthritis: One in three adults or nearly 70 million people in the United States have arthritis and other chronic joint pain. Two of the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These can be very painful conditions that are relentless and disabling. Most health care professionals recommend stress reduction practices to help slow or prevent permanent joint damage.
· Diabetes: An estimated 18.2 million individuals are affected by diabetes each year and that number is on the rise. Stress reduction is an essential element in managing diabetes.
· Fatigue: The stress and depression that accompanies fatigue disrupts the immune, neurological and hormone functions. This is why mind-body interventions are essential in fatigue. Stress management practices are the essence of mind-body medicine and therefore are exactly what fatigued patients need.
· Headaches: Approximately 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches and 28 million of these suffer from migraines. Stress reduction practices are an incredible aid to support your medical treatment for headaches.
· Depression: According to a report from the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 18.8 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. Suicide, linked to depression, is the third leading cause of death in 10-24 year olds. Depression and psychological diseases are increasing enormously on college campuses as well as in the general public. Stress reduction practices have shown in studies to aid in depression.
· Anxiety: Over 20 million Americans are afflicted by anxiety disorders from panic attacks, general anxiety and phobias. Stress reduction practices are important in the treatment of anxiety disorders.