Given that stress is widespread these days, having effective stress management skills is crucial for everyone, especially those that are leading very busy and toxic lives.
At moderate levels, stress actually offers a number of perks. For instance, it’s something that can prompt you to get things done or give you the guts to conquer your fears.
However, it’s an entirely different story if you have high levels of stress all the time. According to experts, chronic stress can have all sorts of negative effects on your body.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC says that up to 90 percent of all health problems known to man can be linked to stress.
Wondering if you are really stressed out? Continue reading. If you are experiencing one or more of the following things, it’s a good idea for you to start relaxing more:
You are Always Sick
Each time you are stressed, your body produces a hormone called cortisol, and that’s not a bad thing since cortisol is something that cushions your body against the blow of stress.
But if your cortisol levels are constantly high due to unrelenting stress, your immune system weakens. It’s for this reason exactly why you may always end up sick if you are stressed all the time.
You Feel Achy
Stress can cause your muscles to contract and tighten for as long as it’s taking control over your life. As a result, you may experience all sorts of body aches and pains.
It’s not unlikely most especially for your neck and shoulders to hurt. Many people who are extremely stressed out usually complain of back pain, too.
You Have a Headache All the Time
And because the muscles in your neck and shoulders are affected by stress, having a headache is a commonplace. But it’s not just any other headache — it can be the kind that doesn’t seem to want to go away.
Experts call headaches related to stress tension headaches, and quite frankly they’re the worst forms of headaches around. Also, they can leave you feeling even more stressed!
You Cannot Sleep
Having a good night’s sleep can help reduce your stress. Unfortunately, being stressed is something that can make it harder for you to sleep, so a vicious cycle is created.
Failure to enjoy 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night can cause all sorts of complications such as anxiety and depression, both of which can make your already stress-filled everyday life even more stressful.
You are Losing Your Hair
Horrified that there are more hair strands on your pillow or in the shower drain than usual? You can blame it on stress — yup, stress can mess up not only your mind, but also your appearance.
According to doctors, hair loss that’s related to stress is called alopecia areata, and it is the body’s very own immune system that can be blamed for such nightmare.
You Have No Sex Life
In men, stress is one of the leading causes of lack of libido and erectile dysfunction, a condition in which a man has a hard time getting or maintaining an erection.
Some men try to solve this by drinking alcohol in order to lower their inhibitions, but this can only make matters worse since alcohol is a depressant that can make it even harder for an erection to strike.
