Stress is a normal part of life, but when it becomes chronic, it can affect more than just your mood.
“Stress is a natural part of our lives, and in small amounts, it can actually be beneficial,” said Shepherd L. Drayton III, MD, with Blythewood Family Medicine. “Our mental and physical health are connected, so when stress becomes persistent or overwhelming, it can take a toll on our mind and body.” Here’s how.
Stress can affect your heart
When you're stressed, your body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can increase your heart rate, blood pressure and alertness, which can useful responses when you're dealing with a short-term challenge.
But when the stress response stays activated for long periods, it can contribute to health problems, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Chronic stress may be especially concerning when combined with other heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Severe emotional or physical stress can also trigger cardiac events in some people.
One example is stress-induced cardiomyopathy, sometimes called “broken heart syndrome,” in which an intense physical or emotional stressor temporarily affects the heart muscle.
“Experiencing stress doesn’t automatically mean you're going to have a heart attack,” Dr. Drayton said. “But managing stress is an important part of maintaining good heart health.”
Stress and sleep can create a cycle
Stress and sleep have a close relationship. When you're stressed, it may be harder to fall asleep or stay asleep. And when you don't get enough quality sleep, you're often less equipped to handle the next day's challenges.
Over time, inadequate sleep can affect mood, memory, concentration and your ability to manage stress. Poor sleep habits can also increase the risk of developing chronic health conditions.
“Sleep is one of the most underrated parts of our health,” Dr. Drayton said. “That downtime allows our bodies to recover, our brains to process and store information, and many of our essential bodily functions to regulate.”
Most adults should aim for about six to eight hours of quality sleep each night.
Your stomach can feel the effects of stress
Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach before a presentation or noticed an upset stomach when you're nervous? That's the connection between the brain and digestive system at work.
The brain and gastrointestinal tract communicate through what's known as the gut-brain axis. Stress can affect how quickly food moves through the digestive system, how sensitive the intestines are and how we experience digestive discomfort.
As a result, stress may contribute to symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
Stress can also worsen symptoms in people with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
However, persistent digestive symptoms shouldn't automatically be blamed on stress. Discuss ongoing abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, or other concerning symptoms with your primary care doctor to determine whether an underlying medical condition could be responsible.
Stress can cause muscle tension and pain
Stress doesn't just stay in your head. It can literally make you tense your muscles.
Many people unconsciously tighten their muscles when they're stressed, particularly around the neck, shoulders and back. If that tension continues, it can contribute to stiffness, discomfort, pain and headaches.
Stress can also influence how the nervous system processes pain. When the body is continually on high alert, existing pain may feel more intense or difficult to tolerate.
Regular physical activity, stretching, relaxation techniques and adequate sleep can all help reduce stress-related muscle tension.
When stress starts affecting your health
Dr. Drayton recommends talking with your doctor if stress affects your daily routines, relationships, sleep, or overall sense of well-being. Signs that it may be time to seek support can include:
- Frequent headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in appetite or sleep
- Excessive worrying
- Irritability
- Unexplained physical symptoms
- Difficulty relaxing
- Feeling constantly on edge
It's also important to pay attention to how you're coping. Excessive alcohol use, overeating or undereating, social withdrawal or excessive sleeping can be signs that you're struggling to manage your stress.
“You don't have to wait until you're completely overwhelmed to ask for help,” Dr. Drayton said. “There are many effective ways to manage stress, including lifestyle modifications, counseling and medication if necessary.”
Small changes can make a difference
Stress isn't something we can always eliminate. Work, family responsibilities, relationships and unexpected challenges are all part of life.
What we can control, however, is how we respond to stress and how we care for ourselves along the way.
Dr. Drayton encourages patients to start with small, realistic changes, such as getting regular physical activity, prioritizing sleep, spending time with loved ones or practicing mindfulness.
“Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health,” Dr. Drayton said. “You don't have to wait until stress begins affecting your health to start taking care of yourself. Paying attention to how you're feeling emotionally, before stress begins affecting your health, can be an important part of prevention.”
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