3 Uncommon Effects of Stress
Posted: December 28, 2020 | By: Youngevity
You hear about stress all the time! One mention of the word brings you back to the last time there was tension at home or at work. You do your best to let it go by taking a deep breath or thinking of something else. Or you go for a walk around the block. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to do that every day?
Even as you think of ways to shrug off today’s stress, you wonder about the long-term tolls of stress. This blog was written just for you, as there are long-term effects of stress. People may not even be aware of some, and be surprised by others. Let’s discuss some right now! Afterward, we’ll wrap up with how to protect yourself from the side effects of stress.
Is My Back Ache Really Caused by Stress?
You did yard work on the weekend and felt pretty good afterward. You ended up with only a couple of blisters and little shoulder twinge. On Monday you went to work, came home at night, and your back was on fire. A shower didn’t help and neither does that expensive mattress. What gives?
Your backache and the twinges of pain that occasionally shoot down one leg or the other are the result of inflammation. Yet you’re sitting most of the day, moving and stretching during breaks. Take a moment to think about:
- How your commute to work causes stress, such as:
- Delays
- Noise
- People who act or drive without regard for others
- That your workplace may be responsible for:
- Fluctuating temperatures
- Inadequate air exchange
- Toxins overhead and around you
- Interpersonal stressors
- Long hours, including being available off-hours at home
Sure, your backache may be due to yard work. More likely it’s because of the inflammation caused by chronic stress, like the types listed here that creep up over time. We’ll come back to what to do about these in just a bit.
What Sagging Skin and Dark Circles Have in Common
It’s your largest organ and helps you put your best face forward. Believe it or not, changes in your skin are related as much to stress as they are to aging. Maybe moreso. What does that mean for you? And, how can you best protect your skin from blemishes, loss of tone, and puffy dark circles? The answer is to limit stress, especially the long-term kind that builds up over the years. This happens because of the brain-skin connection. The short explanation is that continual stress:
- Causes an imbalance in stress hormones, including cortisol.
- Triggers a cascade of nerve and hormone reactions that result in skin inflammation.
- Means that there’s the potential for increased skin irritations and reduction in your skin’s ability to be protective.
- May cause dry, flaky skin, one sign of ongoing stress.
Aging, Hormones, and Stress
Lately you’ve started to wonder and worry about the next phases of life and how to be as healthy and energetic as possible. You’re concerned about hormonal changes and know these apply to women and men. One way to address your worries is to manage those annoying stressors that never seem to go away. Doing so helps to reduce the issues so many women have with hormonal shifts, from PMS to menopause. This means:
- Eating a healthy, whole food diet
- Enjoying regular physical activity
- Laughing and taking time to relax
- Recognizing when you’re burning the candle at both ends
The Harms of Oxidative Stress and the Environment
Oxidative stress has an odd ring to it when thinking about the human body. It sounds so mechanical and is, as it gets to the very core of our biology and how we function.
- It can cause inflammation, causing that back ache, a recent outbreak of dermatitis, or unrelenting hot flashes.
- Chronic inflammation may lead to long-term health concerns from cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to cognitive decline.
Mild oxidative stress, like that created by exercise, is okay as it boosts antioxidants that neutralize harmful free radicals, the unstable atoms that harm your cells. So, you’ve got that covered because of exercise and a healthy diet.
But, What About Environmental Toxins?
The ones you can sometimes see or smell, and those you can’t. These are quiet culprits that cause oxidative stress are hard to contain or control. Protect yourself from these with, Youngevity’s Purmeric or Ultimate D-Stress.
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