What Is Stress? Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When you feel stressed by something going on around you, your body react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give you more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if your stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if your stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.

How To Reduce Stress

• Get enough rest and sleep. Your body needs time to recover from stressful events.
• Don’t rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors to reduce stress.
• Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you love.
• Seek treatment with a psychologist or other mental health professional trained in stress management or biofeedback techniques to learn more healthy ways of dealing with the stress in your life.

• Keep a positive attitude.
• Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
• Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
• Learn and practice relaxation techniques; try meditation, yoga, or tai-chi.
• Exercise regularly. Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Learn to manage your time more effectively.
• Set limits appropriately and say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
• Make time for hobbies and interests.

Signs Of Stress

• Tiredness, exhaustion
• Trembling/shaking
• Weight gain or loss
• Upset stomach, diarrhea
• Sexual difficulties
• Dizziness or a general feeling of “being out of it”
• General aches and pains
• Grinding teeth, clenched jaw
• Headaches
• Indigestion or acid reflux symptoms
• Increase in or loss of appetite
• Muscle tension in neck, face or shoulders
• Problems sleeping
• Racing heart
• Cold and sweaty palms

What Are The Dangers Of Stress

1. Stress Cause Problems With Your Hormones

Stress increases the amount of something called sex hormone binding globulin, the school bus that ferries testosterone and estrogen around your body, meaning fewer of these hormones are available to your cells. Chronic stress also increases the production of cortisol, leading to something called “cortisol steal,” where fewer sex hormones are produced.

2. Stress Create Problems For Bones and Muscles.

There is evidence that higher stress levels are associated with lower bone mineral density, and many studies show that people under chronic stress experience more physical pain.

3.. The Gut And Stress Are Intimately Intertwined

You may have heard that 95% of your serotonin is in your gut, and you may remember a time when you were nervous or sad, and your belly was in knots.

4. Stress Changes Gene Expression.

The chemicals your body produces when you are under stress turn on or off of genes that change everything from how much fat you store, to how well your immune system works, to how fast you age, to whether or not you will develop cancer.

5. Stress Can Cause Brain Problems

High levels of stress hormones damage critical parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus, the area responsible for memory. One reason people experience “adrenal burnout” after long term chronic stress, is because the brain, in order to save itself, turns off the adrenals.

6. Stress Cause Inflammation And Problems With Immune System

From slowing wound healing, to diminishing the protective effects of vaccines, to increasing your susceptibility to infections, stress is the ultimate immune-modulator. Stress can also reactivate latent infections — people who get cold sores know this from experience.

7. Stress Reduces  Ability To Metabolize And Detoxify

Studies have shown that the activity of hundreds of genes responsible for enzymes that break down fats and detoxify prescription drugs, are negatively impacted by stress. Stress can also increase your toxin burden by increasing your desire for high fat, high sugar foods.

8. Stress Create Problems With Sex Hormones.

Stress increases the amount of something called sex hormone binding globulin, the school bus that ferries testosterone and estrogen around your body, meaning fewer of these hormones are available to your cells. Chronic stress also increases the production of cortisol, leading to something called “cortisol steal,” where fewer sex hormones are produced.

Medications For Stress

Anti-anxiety and sedative medications: These help reduce anxiety and feeling overly stimulated. Some of these meds also help people sleep.

These particular meds are unique because they take only one or two hours to take effect. Also be aware some of them can be addictive and long-term use should generally be avoided. As always, work closely with your doctor.

They generally fall into a class of drug called “beta-blockers” or “benzodiazepines.” The beta-blockers are best for people with event-related anxiety. For example: extreme stage fright. They block the physical symptoms (rapid heart rate, sweating, tightness in the chest) without affective mental function.

Inderal is one of the more common beta-blockers. Side effects include weakness and cold hands and feet.

Benzodiazepines act as sedatives on the nervous system. Some of the more common ones are Ativan, Benadryl, Buspar, Centrax, Klonopin, Noctec, Restoril, Serax, Valium, and Xanax. Again, not everyone experiences side effects but they include: over-sedation, fatigue, and problems with memory or other cognitive abilities.