Don’t Let the Effects of Stress Damage Your Health

This is a reminder that the effects of stress can be damaging to your health.  Sustained and repeated stress can impact our bodies in many different ways.  The extent to which stress affects your health and the various ways in which stress can affect your health differ depending on your individual genetic makeup, the environment in which you live, the amount of stress your have and your coping skills.

Don't Wait for a Life-Altering Event!

The effects of stress are cumulative.  Keeping your body on a constant stress alert with no time to recover is like running a constant marathon without time for your body to rest.  You know that your body can not sustain continuous physical activity like that.  Yet, you may be putting your body under a similar strain, living with constant stress.

Your body gives you warning signs of stress .  These messages are reminding you to lower the stress before your body breaks down with heart disease, gastro-intestinal problems, hypertension or other debilitating problems.

If you are reading this article, you are probably experiencing stress.  Take time now to determine what kind of time management, life priority, home responsibilities, or career changes you can make to lower the stress levels in your life.  Stress does affect your health. But, it doesn't have to cause a devastating illness for you to finally make a change.

Take Time for a Self-Assessment!

What is keeping you awake at night?  What are you worrying about?  Take time out to see what is going on in your life.  Try your hand at journal writing for a week or two and see if certain patterns emerge.  We’ve written advice on how to keep a journal if you need some assistance getting started.  Follow the suggestions and learn what your stress culprits are.

Before making any life changes, complete the Wheel of Life exercise  and review how you are spending your time.  Do your time commitments match your priorities and life goals?  If not, this is the time to make changes before the effects of stress can leave permanent damage.

Explore Possible Solutions.

Take a good long look at the big picture we call life.  What kinds of changes can you make now that can help shift the rising tide of stressors in your life?  What can you do differently?  Even small changes in your daily routines can make significant differences.  Sometimes people look for major changes that seem to difficult too accomplish when small changes over time can have the same positive impact on your health.

Giving yourself a few extra minutes in the mornings so you are not rushed getting to work on time may make the whole day seem to go smoother.  Not taking on that extra responsibility with the PTA may give you the breathing space you need during a hectic school season.  Joining a ZUMBA class with some friends may help you relieve some of the stress that has been building up and help you get needed exercise at the same time.

 
The important thing is to make a conscious effort to change at least one thing that is causing stress build-up. Your self assessment and applying some ways to lower your stress levels can help you lead a more productive, healthy and rewarding life.

Types of Stress Affect Your Health Differently

Understanding the Physical Effects of Stress

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