Stress. Everyone experiences it from time to time: when a job is too demanding, when you’re preparing for a big life change, or simply when you’re stuck in traffic. As you feel that mental pressure building, your adrenal glands start releasing stress hormones, namely cortisol. Those trigger a fight-or-flight response, a nervous system reaction originally evolved to protect you from a real and present physical danger. It can help in the short term when you’re in the midst of a stressful event, but if it’s triggered in day-to-day life, that can have real health consequences on your physical health.
Physical symptoms of stress
Your body’s stress response triggers common symptoms, like:
- Racing or pounding heart rate
- Fast breathing
- Chest pain
- Perspiration
- Gastrointestinal or digestive system issues like acid reflux, heartburn, ulcers, upset stomach or nausea
- High blood sugar
- Temporary shortness of breath
- Difficulty focusing
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Decreased sex drive
- Mood changes, such as feelings of overwhelm or depression
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How stress affects the body over time
But when your stress is prolonged, chronic stress can result in dangerous health problems. Here are five surprising effects stress may have on the body.
1. Hair loss
Have you ever said to someone that you’re so stressed that you’re pulling your hair out? For some, that’s a real condition. Called trichotillomania, it can occur when a person’s stress levels are so elevated that the only way to find relief comes in the form of pulling out his or her own hair from the scalp, face, or body. Others can experience an involuntary form of hair loss called alopecia areata, where the immune system wages war against the hair follicles, sometimes due to severe stress.
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2. Magnesium deficiency
Perhaps one of the lesser-known effects of stress on the body has to do with being deficient in magnesium, as stress hormones deplete your body’s stores over time. Unfortunately, magnesium is an incredibly crucial mineral for our bodies, and a deficiency can lead to muscle cramping, constipation, insomnia, and even mental disorders. Aside from reducing stress in your day-to-day life, plenty of foods offer magnesium-rich benefits and over-the-counter supplements can also help to replenish your levels.
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3. Seizure-like episodes
Physicians at Johns Hopkins have found a startling discovery related to life’s stressors: More than one third of patients who have been admitted with seizure or epileptic types of episodes were actually responding to extreme levels of stress and did not respond to the typical medication administered. These symptoms have been termed psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), also known as pseudoseizures, and tend to affect those whose life circumstances create an immense amount of stress.
4. Decreased attraction
When you’re stressed the last thing on your mind is likely trying to attract someone. But that’s probably good because a study at Binghamton University found that female rats could sense the emotional state of male rats and were far less attracted to the ones who exhibited high levels of stress. While this study hasn’t been tried on humans, it’s probably best to focus on yourself during high times of stress.
Stress can cause other issues with your reproductive system. High stress levels are frequently associated with low libido. It can even lead to erectile dysfunction in men. For women, stress can lead to fertility problems like irregular menstrual cycles or difficulty conceiving.
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5. Memory loss
When you experience stress, it’s common for you to feel like you can’t remember things, but usually you chalk it up to how much is going on in your life—which is typically the reason for the stress to begin with. However, researchers at UC Irvine have found that stress hormones can actually affect the synapses in our brains that are responsible for learning and recalling information. Amazingly enough, when stressors were removed, test subjects were able to better utilize their dendritic spines, the places where the synapses live.
6. Increased heart attack risk
Anxiety triggers a spike in blood pressure. It’s usually temporary, but when you’re constantly feeling worried or stressed, that means you have high blood pressure, or hypertension, over a long period of time. Hypertension applies more force to your blood vessels and is a primary risk factor for heart disease or other cardiovascular problems.
How to manage stress
If you find that your life is riddled with stress and you’re concerned about some of the ways we’ve discovered it can affect you, there are steps you can take to manage stressful situations and improve your well-being.
- Watch for warning signs that stress is looming. Sometimes your body is experiencing stress before you even cognitively recognize it. Certain habits or symptoms might make themselves apparent days before the lightbulb turns on above our heads and you realize what’s going on.
- Identify your triggers. Once you realize how you specifically manifest stress, take an inventory of what aspects of your life cause these reactions. It might be an encounter with a particular coworker, difficult behavior from one of your children, or financial concerns. With a specific list of triggers, you can then zero in on an approach that works for that situation.
- Use breathing techniques. Deep breathing can be an effective strategy for in-the-moment stress when you’re at work, home, or the grocery store. Or try one of many types of meditation to further relieve your worrisome thoughts and feelings.
- Adopt healthy habits. That means make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night and eating a balanced diet.
- Seek professional help. If you find yourself unable to find relaxation through these techniques, it may be time to visit a healthcare professional. He or she can offer additional stress management strategies and or medication. If you have never visited a mental health professional, your primary care doctor is a good place to start.
If your mood changes are so severe that you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, reach out to your healthcare provider or a suicide prevention hotline right away. The American Psychological Association also has many resources for dealing with stress.
