Stress is not just mentally taxing. About 77% of people experience physical symptoms when stressed, and nearly a third of Americans experience extreme stress on a regular basis.
That means knowing how to take care of yourself when that kind of intense, no mercy pressure is sitting on your shoulders is a key to living healthy and happy. Stress is very common, after all, and it’s not just something you have to get through.
Where’s Your Head At?
Stress can target the head in a number of ways, both physically and mentally. From causing simple aches and pains to leading down a path of depression, stress can be a precursor to some very troubling illnesses.
The connection between stress and depression has been long established. One can lead to the other and vice versa, and a double bout of both can make your life a lot harder than it needs to be. Being aware of this connection, and knowing how this relationship forms, is a great way to steer clear of it.
You know you’re stressed, you know it could cause you to become depressed, and thus you can start exercising or talking to loved ones more in a proactive manner to avoid this chain of events.
Going with Your Gut
Your gut is one of the worst affected areas by stress. With a direct connection between your brain and your digestive system, it’s no wonder you can feel bloated and irritated when the stress is mounting up. It’s why we often listen to our gut – it doesn’t lie to us, and it often has the most obvious and intense reactions when we have to make a pressurised decision.
And just treating the gut related symptoms on their own isn’t beneficial in the long run. You need to target the stress itself, but a bit more healthy eating or taking digestive relaxers can help you to focus on what you need to.
Dealing with a Chronic Case
Chronic stress is both an illness in itself, and can be the cause of other illnesses, such as heart disease. Living with a prolonged and all encompassing case of stress can impact your life in so many areas, and even when you’re aware of this, it can still feel overwhelming to do something about it.
But like Hanid Audish with Encompass Clinical Research has demonstrated, chronic illness can be worked around and lived with, and that includes chronic stress. From the more serious treatments such as CBT counselling, to simply trying to cut out stress triggers in your life, there’s a lot you can do to make your day easier.
Even just choosing to learn how to meditate can help to keep your heart rate low in the long term, and clear your head when it’s at its most full.
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