Stress can be the reality of everyday life for many. Photo / 123rf
People know alcohol and smoking can affect their health, but most are not as familiar with the consequences of chronic stress.
For many of us, stress is the reality of everyday life. It’s also a hidden offender when it comes to negatively affecting our long-term health if it’s not managed appropriately. We talk openly about how lifestyle behaviours such as alcohol or smoking can affect our health, but chronic stress causes its own set of problems.
When you’re stressed, an evolutionary response occurs in your body. Protective features are switched on by your sympathetic nervous system (your “fight or flight” response) and your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenalin. Some stress is normal, but when it’s prolonged it’s problematic for your health.
At the time of the stressor, you may feel overwhelmed and irritable or have chest tightness. If stress persists over a long period, you may silently develop high blood pressure, putting you at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, having a heart attack or stroke.
Some stress is unavoidable, so it’s important to find ways to manage stress and regularly close the stress cycle. Actively calm yourself down with deep breathing, do something enjoyable (such as exercise and mindful hobbies) or simply step away and take five minutes with a cup of tea. All these things stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system (our “rest and digest” response), which dials down our stress response and reduces the risk of long-term problems developing.
Here are seven physical signs of stress you should listen to.
A twitching eye is often an unintentional and visual manifestation of chronic stress — a result of stress hormones causing spasm to the muscles around the eye and eyelid. Twitches can be exacerbated by not getting enough sleep, which is another common feature when stressed.
What can you do?
Though frustrating, the involuntary eye twitching does tend to be harmless and improves as the stress is managed.
Tinnitus is an auditory disorder where sufferers hear a sound in their ear that cannot be heard externally. It’s commonly described as a relentless ringing sound, but to others, it might sound like buzzing or roaring. Tinnitus can be caused by some forms of hearing loss, damage to the internal ear and some medical conditions. It can also be triggered by stress.
What can you do?
Evidence shows improving sleep quality and reducing stress levels are effective in the management of tinnitus.
Our gut and brain are closely linked via what’s known as the “gut-brain axis”. Stress and anxiety can often present with changes in digestion and bowel habits. You might be familiar with the sensation of “butterflies” or your stomach being “in knots” when you feel worried. This is not uncommon because the gastrointestinal tract has sensitive receptors to the stress response hormones. People will have varying experiences of this — for some, stress can cause stomach pains, bloating and changes in bowel habits, and for others, acid reflux or constipation.
What can you do?
Usually, the symptoms will subside with stress, but if you notice changes to your digestion or bowel habits that persist longer than two weeks, it’s important to get checked out by your doctor to exclude other causes.
Cold sores are caused by a type of herpes simplex virus, which many people are carriers of. Once infected, it’s controlled by the immune system and lies dormant in the body until it’s reactivated by triggers. Common triggers include having a weakened immune system, colds or illnesses, trauma to the area of skin that’s infected, sunlight, cold and stress. Periods of stress can suppress the immune system, making it easier for the dormant herpes virus to rear its head and present as a blistering cold sore.
What can you do?
Unfortunately, once the virus has reactivated you can’t do much other than wait it out. Applying antiviral cream at the onset of the tingling sensation can reduce the duration by about a day. The best way to prevent a recurrence is by finding ways to actively manage stress in your daily life.
Our hair naturally goes through periods of growth, resting and shedding, and it’s normal to lose about 100 hairs a day. If you are suffering from stress you may notice an increase in hair shedding, with more hair coming out in your hairbrush or in the shower — as well as hair appearing thinner. This is known as telogen effluvium and often appears a couple of months after the start of a stressful period. This may be seen in emotional stress, but also following physical stressors such as childbirth.
What can you do?
The good news is that unlike other forms of hair shedding, telogen effluvium, or stress-related hair loss, is temporary. The hair should grow back a couple of months after the stressful period has resolved.
Mouth ulcers, also known as aphthous ulcers, are painful sores that occur in the mouth and on the tongue. Mouth ulcers are often one of the first signs of a suppressed immune system and being run down. It’s probably due to increased salivary cortisol, as well as mouth biting and twitching, which are common habits during the stress response.
What can you do?
Mouth ulcers, whilst uncomfortable, are usually harmless. As well as keeping our mouths healthy with regular hygiene and dental checks, your techniques for managing stress day to day will help prevent ulcers occurring. If you notice recurrent mouth ulcers or sores, or they don’t subside within one or two weeks, get checked by your doctor.
Stress can cause the development of a stress rash, or hives, which look like small, itchy red bumps with areas of white patches (known as weals) and swelling. It commonly affects the skin on the face, arms and trunk, and can appear similar to how an allergy may present. Stress can also cause a flare-up of symptoms for people with skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. The increased skin sensitivity is due to a release of histamine and other inflammatory chemicals in response to the stress hormones and a perceived “threat” to the body.
What can you do?
Keeping the skin cool and hydrated will help protect the skin barrier and relieve symptoms. In the case of relentless itch, an over-the-counter antihistamine should help.