Effects of stress on the body

The effects of stress on the body can be subtle, but over the long run they are deadly. The short-term effects of stress on the human body are well known. When we are under stress, we have increased heart rate, thoughts that race, tense muscles, and adrenaline rushes. With extreme stress, we can get agitated and have a hard time sitting still. Stress is basically the human bodies fight or flight mechanism kicking in. The effects of stress on the mind are similarly well-known. We can get paranoid, frightened, aggressive, or hyperactive. It varies considerably from person to person, but it is quite easy to tell when you or someone you know is under an immediate stress. Then again, the long-term effects are much more subtle.

The long-term effects of stress on the body can be even more alarming. Although it has taken science a long time to acknowledge this fact, stress shortens our lives. The effects of stress on the body are tremendous. Increased risk of heart disease, nervous breakdowns, stomach ulcers, tension headaches, and an increased susceptibility to infection are just a few of the things that stress can do to us.. There's not a single effect of stress on the body that is not detrimental. Although in the short run, stress can be a good thing – giving us the ability to react to the situation quickly and resolve it as immediately as possible – in the long run, it is always a bad thing. Yet many of us live with stress day in and day out for years at a time.

There are medications that can help us deal with stress, but none of these really provide a solution. The only way to cope with the effects of stress on the body is to get some help. Help can come in the form of therapy, meditation, counseling, or massages. Basically, anything that relaxes you and that you do regularly, is an effective antidote to stress. The effects of stress on the body, however, may ultimately require you to change your lifestyle. You may have to work less, spend more time doing things that you enjoy, and generally learn to relax. This is not such a bad thing! In the process of fighting the effects of stress on the mind and body, you will also learn to enjoy your life. What else is life for, after all?

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