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How to Prevent Stress from Harming Your Health

October 05, 2022
Stress is the body’s reaction to a challenging or demanding situation—either physically, mentally, or emotionally. There are two types of stress: Acute stress = short-term stress—like from sitting in traffic or having an argument with a friend Chronic stress = prolonged stress—like from managing chronic health issues or ongoing money problems What Happens During the Stress Response? When faced with a stressor, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol—stress hormones— causing effects such as: Increased heart rate Elevated blood pressure Slowed digestion Increased sugar in the blood Changes in immune function Everyone goes through stressful periods at some point or another, and the stress response is meant to help us protect ourselves against threats. But when you don’t manage that stress properly, or your stress becomes chronic, it can lead to health problems. How Stress Affects the Body Even in the short term, stress can take a toll on your body and contribute to: [note: thinking of this as an illustrated outline of a body with lines pointing to areas affected] Headaches Memory issues Sleep problems Skin issues, like acne Digestive issues, like diarrhea or constipation Weight gain or loss Muscle tension and pain Stress and Your Health Over time, unmanaged chronic stress can affect your health and increase the risk of: [note: thinking of this as a section with icons to illustrate each one] Anxiety Chronic fatigue Depression Diabetes Heart attack Heart disease High blood pressure Obesity Stroke In fact, stress may be a risk factor in up to 90% of diseases. In particular, research has suggested that some severe stress may significantly increase the risk of developing one or more autoimmune conditions, such as: Psoriatic arthritis Psoriasis Celiac disease Hashimoto’s thyroiditis A Snowball Effect Chronic stress doesn’t just contribute to new health issues—it can also worsen existing health conditions. Meanwhile, managing a chronic condition can also contribute to increased stress levels, as can caring for a loved one with health issues. 52% of Americans report that their personal health concerns are a significant source of stress. 51% of Americans report that family health problems are a significant source of stress. Stress can also cause people to choose coping mechanisms that can worsen overall health, such as: Being sedentary Binge drinking Smoking Overeating or making unhealthy food choices Sleeping too much Withdrawing from their social life 49% of Americans say that their behavior has been negatively affected by stress. 42% of Americans say that they’ve relied on unhealthy habits to get through stress over the past two years. * Sources: American Psychological Association, Stress in America 2020, 2021, and 2022 survey reports Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress Only 58% of Americans feel they do enough to manage their stress—and this number is on the decline. 79% of Americans feel they could use more emotional support. Try these healthy strategies to help manage stress: Keep a Stress Log Identifying your personal stress triggers can help you know what to avoid. (Twill Care has an easy-to-use Stress Tracker!) Write in a Gratitude Journal Taking time to write down what you’re grateful for can help you focus on the positive. Practice Mindfulness Meditation Research suggests that mindfulness may help decrease stress and burnout. Prioritize Sleep Stress can affect sleep, and decreased sleep can make stress seem worse than it is. Establish healthy sleep habits (and do your best to stick with them even when you’re stressed). Stay Active Exercising regularly may help boost your mood, release feel-good chemicals in the body, and reduce the negative effects of stress. Eat Healthy Foods Research suggests that eating plenty of veggies and omega-3s may help regulate your body’s cortisol levels. Abstain from Alcohol While it may help take the edge off at first, turning to alcohol to combat stress may actually lead to a heightened emotional state. Quit Smoking Smoking may seem to help with stress in the short term, but nicotine cravings and addiction may actually worsen stress levels. Stay Social Seeking support from loved ones may help you cope better with life’s stressors. Schedule “Me Time” Don’t forget to practice self-care. Carve out a little time each day to do something you love, whether that’s reading a book or cuddling a pet. Talk with a Therapist With help from a mental health professional, you can learn tools and strategies for coping with stress and develop a personalized stress management plan that’s best suited for your needs. Sources The American Institute of Stress. American Psychological Association. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (February 2021) Stress & Smoking. Choi D.-W. et al. (2018) Association Between Sleep Duration and Perceived Stress: Salaried Worker in Circumstances of High Workload. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Cleveland Clinic. Green A. A. & Kinchen, E. V. (2021) The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Stress and Burnout in Nurses. Journal of Holistic Nursing. Harvard Health Publishing. (August 2012) Watch out for unhealthy responses to stress. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Stress and Health. Kamiya, K. et al. (2019) Risk Factors for the Development of Psoriasis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Liu Y.-Z. et al. (2017) Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Mayo Clinic. Mental Health America. Stress: Coping with Everyday Problems. NIH National Institute of Mental Health. I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet. NIH National Library of Medicine. (May 2020) Stress and your health. Schultchen D. et al. (2019) Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating. British Journal of Health Psychology. Song H. et al. (2018) Association of Stress-Related Disorders with Subsequent Autoimmune Disease. Journal of the American Medical Association.