What is stress?Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress. Show
Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation. What happens to the body during stress?The body’s autonomic nervous system controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more. Its built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body face stressful situations. When a person has long-term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms develop. Physical symptoms of stress include:
Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:
Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviors, including:
How is stress diagnosed?Stress is subjective — not measurable with tests. Only the person experiencing it can determine whether it's present and how severe it feels. A healthcare provider may use questionnaires to understand your stress and how it affects your life. If you have chronic stress, your healthcare provider can evaluate symptoms that result from stress. For example, high blood pressure can be diagnosed and treated. What are some strategies for stress relief?You can’t avoid stress, but you can stop it from becoming overwhelming by practicing some daily strategies:
What are some ways to prevent stress?Many daily strategies can help you keep stress at bay:
How long does stress last?Stress can be a short-term issue or a long-term problem, depending on what changes in your life. Regularly using stress management techniques can help you avoid most physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms of stress. When should I talk to a doctor about stress?You should seek medical attention if you feel overwhelmed, if you are using drugs or alcohol to cope, or if you have thoughts about hurting yourself. Your primary care provider can help by offering advice, prescribing medicine or referring you to a therapist. A note from Cleveland Clinic It’s natural and normal to be stressed sometimes. But long-term stress can cause physical symptoms, emotional symptoms and unhealthy behaviors. Try relieving and managing stress using a few simple strategies. But if you feel overwhelmed, talk to your doctor. When the body feels overwhelmed by environmental stressors, it may respond in ways to protect itself from what appears to be threatening. As a defense, the body produces chemical reactions that prepare it to respond in the moment,, like an increase in blood pressure, altered breathing, and muscle tension. The body is built to undergo the reactions to stress, but when stress is chronic, it can place more pressure on the body than usual. The body can react to
chronic stress in multiple ways. For example, sometimes, a person doesn't realize how stressed they are until it begins to expose itself in the form of physiological symptoms. This article discusses some of the physiological symptoms associated with stress. Physiological Symptoms of StressBelow you will find a few physiological symptoms that may accompany ongoing stress. FatigueMany people suffer from fatigue, which can be attributed to stress. Stress-related fatigue can stem from many factors, including too little sleep, burnout, overworking, anxiety, and anxiety. A study found that one in every four participants experienced stress-related fatigue, which is more prevalent in women than men. The researchers also discovered that burnout due to stress-related fatigue is associated with factors like work demands, "little vacations or leisure time," and working overtime. In this study, fatigue was linked to social disadvantage, depression, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as cigarette use and obesity, as well as severe medical conditions. It affects productivity and the ability to complete tasks. Understandably, it is difficult to get much done when you constantly feel drowsy or drained. Reducing stress levels can help with managing fatigue. This can be done by improving sleep hygiene, changing your
nightly routine, consuming a healthy diet, and exercising regularly. For example, a study found that regular physical activity helps with sleep quality and lessens fatigue. Poor SleepSleep plays an essential role in human homeostasis (i.e., stable bodily functioning). Stress can have a significant impact on sleep quality. Insomnia related to stress may pass after a few days but can be debilitating when it is chronic. The good news is that insomnia can be managed with healthy lifestyle practices.
Mindfulness stress-reducing techniques can benefit those who experience difficulty sleeping due to stress. Researchers discovered that an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program improved sleep quality for cancer patients. HeadachesMost people can say they get headaches occasionally, but when headaches are chronic, that could be concerning. Chronic headaches are something to check out and speak to a doctor about to ensure they aren't a sign of an underlying condition. Commonly, headaches are a cause of stress. Stress can predispose to the onset of a headache disorder, and increase the likelihood of developing chronic headaches or exacerbating headache symptoms. The most common headaches are
tension headaches and migraines, both of which are associated with stress. Tension headaches may feel like a
tightness in the head muscles, whereas migraines can present with a variety of symptoms, including throbbing pain in one area. About one billion people suffer from migraines. Heart PalpitationsWhen experiencing heart palpitations, it feels as if your heart is pounding or beating fast, somewhat like a fluttering sensation in your chest. These may be occurring because of stress. According to researchers Berntson and Cacioppo, the association between stress and heart rate may be related to the fact that "stressors are often associated with an increase in sympathetic cardiac control, a decrease in parasympathetic control, or both." These changes in cardiac control can result in altered heart rates and the experience of heart palpitations. Keeping a log of what you are doing when palpitations occur might be beneficial in identifying any potential stressors that might be contributing. Abdominal PainResearchers believe stress's link to the gastrointestinal system is its biological interference with appetite and the digestive system's functioning. This can result in gastrointestinal (GI) issues, like gas or constipation, that causes abdominal pain and cramps. Stress can interfere with the stomach's inflammatory responses, increasing GI inflammation and altering the movement of the GI tract, triggering conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It can also affect how the body manages acid, which is why stress can trigger acid production. Most research on stress and abdominal pain explores this connection in children. Researchers found shared experiences of abdominal pain in children and adolescents in stressful environments, especially with IBS. Stress is a predisposition to IBS and exacerbates symptoms. Since stress is a pertinent factor in IBS symptoms, researchers believe that reducing stress can also help manage IBS symptoms. Muscle PainEveryone experiences muscle pain, especially after a workout, when overcoming an injury, or combating viral infection. However, muscle pain can also be attributed to stress. Stress can lead to chronic muscle tension, contributing to pain. Stress can exacerbate
physiological symptoms in chronic conditions of the muscles, like fibromyalgia, which is a condition that causes muscle tenderness, joint stiffness, muscle aches, and fatigue. Weakened Immune SystemWhen experiencing chronic stress, you may find yourself getting sick frequently. Stress can have a significant impact on the immune system's functioning. Within the past few decades, researchers have taken an interest in stress's effects on the immune system. Those with a greater degree of stress develop a weaker immune system, making them more likely to experience illnesses. Besides the negative impact stress has on the immune system, it can also cause individuals to develop unhealthy relationships with food, sleep, physical activity, and substances like cigarettes and alcohol. These habits can further impair the immune system by decreasing its ability to defend the body from threats and increasing the chances of developing health conditions. Literature involving the relationship
between stress and cancer discovered that the depression of the immune system that chronic stress causes can contribute to the development and progression of some types of cancers. Medical Conditions Associated With StressChronic stress has shown to be associated with a variety of medical conditions, such as those below:
How to Reduce the Effects of StressMany initiatives can be taken to reduce stress and manage the effect that it has on your life. Review the information provided below to gain insight into a few ways in which you can have a better handle on stress and avoid the physiological symptoms it may bring. Lifestyle FactorsBelow is a list of actions you can take to help alleviate your stress:
Self-CareMaking time for yourself can help to decrease some of the stress you may be dealing with:
Social Support Surrounding yourself with loved ones and friends can help bring positive energy to your life. Loved ones can also offer a listening ear when you need it:
A Word From Verywell If symptoms like those mentioned above come and go, try not to jump to conclusions. Sometimes the body reacts in various ways to let you know that you might need a little bit of a break. So, it is vital to manage stress and, when you begin to experience physiological symptoms, incorporate some of the practices mentioned in this article. However, if
any of these symptoms continue to persist, don't ignore them and reach out to a healthcare professional. Which of the following is a difference between a psychological and physiological symptom of stress?E. Which of the following explains the difference between a psychological and a physiological symptom of stress? A. Psychological symptoms of stress manifest in changing attitudes; whereas physiological symptoms of stress manifest in changing health.
Which of the following is a difference between a psychological and a physiological symptom of stress quizlet?Which of the following is a difference between a psychological and a physiological symptom of stress? Psychological symptoms of stress manifest in changing attitudes, whereas physiological symptoms of stress manifest in changing health.
Which one of the following would be a psychological symptom of stress?Stress can lead to emotional and mental symptoms like: Anxiety or irritability. Depression. Panic attacks.
Which of the following is a behavioral symptom of stress quizlet?what are the behavioral symptoms of stress? behavior-related stress symptoms include reductions in productivity, absence, and turnover, as well as changes in the eating habits, increased smoking or consumption of alcohol, rapid speech, fidgeting and sleeping disorders.
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