While stress may be affecting us mentally and emotionally, it also manifests through physical indications. No one likes to experience such physical symptoms; it is just an uncomfortable feeling. But when we are experiencing stress, sometimes it cannot be helped that the heavy feeling is displayed through some physical conditions of the body. Our body responds to the condition of the mind. If the mind is weak, it follows that the bodily functions are also weak and do not function properly.
We get many kinds of symptoms and effects on the body due to stress. One of the most affected parts of our body is the muscles. When we are stressed out, the muscles become tensed. Some people experience muscle spasms or nervous tics. We may also experience pain in the different areas of the body such as the lower back, shoulders, neck, chest, and stomach or abdominal pain. The pain can also be a reaction of the muscle tensions.
Apart from our muscles, physical stress also affects our breathing patterns. There are people who develop breathing difficulties such as shortness of breath or rapid breathing. We breathe faster than normal especially when we are tensed. The same thing happens to the heart rate. The heart also beats faster than normal when we are in a nervous state. Some of us would say that the heart is “pounding”. A disturbed sleeping pattern is also an effect of physical stress.
The danger with unattended physical stress is that it may lead to a more serious illness or health complication. Extreme amount of stress may be possible causes of heart attack, cancer, paralysis, nervous breakdown, and other forms of unwanted illnesses. So, how do we minimize these physical stress experiences from our body? There are simple ways to beat this kind of stress.
Rev Your Life
Have you been curling up in bed most of the time? Or barely gets out of the house and explore your surroundings? Gather yourself up and inject some fun in your dull life. Take a walk on the park with your pet or simply play with your pet at home.
Tag along with friends to the theater for the latest flick. Visit the spa and treat yourself to a wonderful massage. Indulge in a long, refreshing bath. You may want to evaluate some of your life’s rituals and see if you have taken them for granted.
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
One of the best ways to fight physical stress is to live a healthy lifestyle. Our personal habits and way of living can sometimes be the common stressors that are slowly beating us down. It could be the food that we eat, our sleeping patterns, the way we care for our body, and being into vices. Take a personal assessment of your habits if they are good for the health or not. If they are, maintain them but if they are not, it is time to eliminate and get rid of them.
The first step to live a healthy life is to exercise regularly. Physical exercise is very effective in strengthening your body’s resistance. Doing a regular exercise relaxes the muscles and puts the body in an active condition.
If the body is properly nourished, it is more prepared to fight stress when it comes. Happy foods like apple and banana would keep you in a blissful state. Of course, getting enough sleep keeps the mind and body alert throughout the day.
Lack of sleep easily tires the body and causes stress. Part of living a healthy lifestyle is cutting down on alcohol, cigarette, and drugs. Resorting to alcohol and drug may relieve stress, but it is only temporary and the worse thing is, these vices never contribute any good to the body.
Visit Your Physician if Symptoms Persist
If the stress level gets out of hand and is leading to a worse physical condition, it is best to consult your doctor for a check-up. Sometimes, we may misinterpret the physical signs of stress for a certain illness. But in some cases, it could be intense stress that is causing the health condition to deteriorate.
Our doctors know best so let us trust them when things go this worse. If your doctor finds out that the cause of your condition is increased stress level, he may prescribe treatment or direct you to a therapy treatment.
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