The Physiological Effects of Stress

Stress is a normal part of life.  It can be either acute or chronic and can be caused by anything that poses a challenge in life.  This can include jobs, relationships, long term illness, or events.  If left unmanaged it can lead to physical, psychological, and even emotional problems.

Some health care professionals believe that some (acute) stress can be a good thing, but chronic stress is not.  Therefore, our objective should be learning to manage long term stress.  Reducing stress can be achieved via meditation and relaxation techniques, as well as exercise, and the use of dietary supplements.  Read on about how chronic stress affects us physically and mentally.  You may be surprised at the consequences.

Acute and Chronic Stress

Most of the time, your body recovers quickly from acute stress. But, stress can cause problems if it becomes chronic by keeping your body in a constant state of stimulation

Acute (short-term) stress – The body’s normal instantaneous response to a situation that may be either challenging or hazardous. One’s stress level depends on how intense the stress is, how long it lasts, and how one copes with the situation at hand.

Chronic (long-term) stress – This can be a result of stressful situations or events that last for an extended period of time.  In this case, stress can wear down our bodies and cause us to become physically and/or emotionally ill.

Common symptoms and results of stress can include:

• A fast heartbeat
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleep disturbances
• A headache
• A stiff neck and/or tight shoulders
• Back pain
• Fast breathing
• Sweating, and sweaty palms
• An upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea

Physical Effects of Stress Over Time

In healthy people, the nervous system helps maintain a balance between a stress response and relaxation.  However, for some people, this system remains on guard, which makes them unable to relax.  If this situation becomes chronic, a whole variety of stress-related symptoms and illnesses can follow.

Chronic stress can lead to:

• Accelerated aging
• Decreased immunity
• Heart disease
• Digestive issues
• Hormone imbalances
• Skin issues

Immune system: Constant stress can make you susceptible to colds and flu more often. If you have a chronic illness, stress can make your symptoms worse.
Stress Affects Immunity…As Shown by Nearly 300 Studies

Heart: Stress has been linked to high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), blood clots, and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). There may also be a link between stress and coronary artery disease, heart attack, and heart failure.  
Stress and Heart Disease
Staying Healthy in Times of Stress

Muscles: Constant tension from stress can lead to neck, shoulder, and low back pain. Stress may make rheumatoid arthritis worse.
Stress system response and rheumatoid arthritis: a multilevel approach

Stomach and Digestion: Stress can contribute to stomach problems, such as gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or ulcerative colitis, and stress can make your symptoms worse.
The Stress Connection

Reproductive organs: Stress is linked to low fertility, erection problems, problems during pregnancy, hormone imbalances, and painful menstrual periods.
Stress Puts Double Whammy on Reproductive System, Fertility

Lungs: Stress can make symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease worse.
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/stress-asthma

Skin:  Stress can lead to skin problems such as acne, brittle nails, and hair loss. It can also aggravate and trigger flare-ups of skin conditions, such as eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
Feeling Stressed? How Your Skin, Hair And Nails Can Show It 

Source:  WebMD

Stress can Affect Your Emotions and Thoughts

Any kind of stress can cause your emotions to do more of what they do naturally.  For example, it can aggravate or lead to emotional issues, such as anger, aggression, depression, anxiety, and excessive worrying, just to name a few.  These issues can develop into more serious and complicated symptoms/conditions if the stress is not managed and becomes chronic.

Stress can affect the way you think, feel, and act.  For example you may:          

• Feel cranky and unable to deal with even small problems
• Feel frustrated, lose your temper more often, and yell at others for no reason
• Feel jumpy or tired all the time
• Find it hard to focus on tasks
• Worry too much about small things
• Feel that you are missing out on things because you can't act quickly
• Imagine that bad things are happening or about to happen

Products to Help Combat the Negative Effects of Stress

Stress can disturb your peace of mind and take a toll on your physical health.  While it seems to be unavoidable these days there are supplements that can help support you physically and mentally by helping you to remain calm when you are under stress.

Calm Thoughts
Supports Calm Focus
This formula addresses the multiple, interdependent body systems that are involved with stress. It influences neuromodulation, energy generation, the adrenals and the musculoskeletal system. Calm Thoughts combines soothing botanicals such as St. John's wort, bacopa and Relora® herbal blend, with supporting nutrients including GABA, L-theanine, magnesium, tyrosine, and folic acid, to provide a balanced formula for relaxed well-being without sacrificing the clarity and focus you need to function effectively.

5-HTP
Supports Normal Sleep Cycles
Clinical studies have shown that 5-HTP (L-5-Hydroxytryptophan) increases the amount and availability of serotonin, which helps support your healthy moods, eating habits, and sleep cycles that are generally affected when under stress.  5HTP can also help by assisting in the natural conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan, to serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter responsible for good moods.  

SAMe
Supports a Positive Mood
A natural compound formed in our bodies from the amino acid methionine, has stirred excitement due to its wide-ranging health effects. Studies have shown that SAMe helps support a positive outlook due to its affect on the synthesis and production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters.  People in the U.S. have been using SAM-e to help treat depression or to preserve emotional well-being.

Vitamin B-50 Complex
Supports Energy Production
Research has found that a B complex vitamin can help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and stress that many people suffer from.  People who are chronically stressed often have low levels of B vitamins, which can lead to depression, irritability, and improper nerve function.  The family of B vitamins is comprised of nutrients that help support the immune system, the nervous system, and healthy skin and hair that are generally affected by stressful conditions. 

Melatonin
Supports Normal Sleep Patterns
Melatonin is a neurohormone that is naturally produced in humans by the pineal gland.  In addition to its hormonal and sleep regulating actions, melatonin has been shown to have strong antioxidant effects and may also help strengthen the immune system.  Additionally, individuals with mild episodic depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD) often have lower than normal melatonin levels.  Hormonal imbalance, insomnia, depression, free radical damage, and a lowered immune system can all result from chronic stress.     

Suggested Further Reading

1. Stress Affects Immunity…As Shown by Nearly 300 Studies
2. Stress and Heart Disease
3. Staying Healthy in Times of Stress
4. Stress system response and rheumatoid arthritis: a multilevel approach
5. The Stress Connection
6. Stress Puts Double Whammy on Reproductive System, Fertility
7. http://www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/stress-asthma
8. Feeling Stressed? How Your Skin, Hair And Nails Can Show It