Stress Can Affect Our Health

My observation

Sometimes, I come across friends who have multiple health issues. Some could have issues related to their heart and lungs. Others have sleep-related or gastrointestinal issues.

The common thing that most people would do is to see their doctor. Sometimes, they need further investigations at the hospital.

Usually, they will receive treatment after a prognosis. It could be a surgery or a follow-up with regular medication.

Nothing is wrong with this process, but a thought comes to me while talking to a friend. Could some of these issues be eliminated if we can be watchful about the stress in our lives?

Most people work on reducing stress only when a chronic condition has happened in their life. Reducing their stress before a medical condition occurs would be far better.

Easier said than done

Yes, you are right. It is easy to talk about stress in hindsight. Most people need the discipline to sleep enough, exercise, or be watchful about stress.

We need to look around us, and we can all witness the imperfection in our lives. Many people in mid-life work very hard to earn more or to keep their jobs, which has become more demanding as their pay increases.

Stress is invisible

The difficulty of managing stress is that it is invisible. We all think we can do more, do faster and please more people.

Just like a piece of rubber band, it will snap at some point when you pull it apart at both ends. Or, like a balloon, it will burst when inflated beyond a specific size.

Nobody would know that limit except ourselves. We can feel it when we are stressed. We continue to adapt, and stress will mount to a point where it may be harmful.

Recognise some signals about stress

Here, I highlight some common symptoms of stress.

Physical signs could be muscle tension in your neck or shoulders. You are troubled with frequent headaches. There is constant fatigue or sleep problems. It could also be an upset stomach, or you may notice changes in your appetite. Your heart rate may be racing, or you may have shortness of breath.

Emotional signs could be anxiety and irritability, like being frustrated easily, short-tempered or angry. You may experience mood swings or feeling overwhelmed by specific tasks or responsibilities. There is also a possibility of depression accompanied by sadness or hopelessness. You may have difficulty concentrating on particular tasks or a memory problem recalling details.

Behavioural signs could be changes in sleep patterns or eating habits. There could be social withdrawal or a tendency to turn to alcohol, drugs or any other substances to cope. There may also be deliberate procrastination in specific responsibilities.

Cognitive signs could be racing thoughts filled with anxiousness or negative imaginations. One may have difficulty making decisions in life.

In summary

We must encourage ourselves and the people around us to manage stress carefully. Chronic stress will affect our physical and mental health.

Once you recognise stress, you must take steps to manage it, like doing the things that can help you to relax. Finding support from friends or professionals, setting boundaries and making lifestyle changes are all essential to reduce stress.

We also must pay attention to the value of hobbies like music, dance, cycling, drawing, photography, writing, singing or taking a long walk in the park. There could be many more such valuable hobbies.

We may not be able to remove all the stress in life, but doing things that can help us cope is a reasonable measure to prevent stress from building up.

The important thing is to observe our lives and understand how stress can affect us more than we can realise.

Thanks for reading. Do add your comments if you like my article.