Surprising Ways Stress Can Change Your Body

May 28

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Previously I wrote about what happens in your body when you are stressed. If you haven’t read it yet, click here.

At FCW I am all about the education. When you learn exactly how your body responds to stress, it can be a HUGE “a-ha” moment.

It helps you understand what you can do to calm your body, so you can instantly feel more balanced + more in control – and why that’s so important!

It’s tempting to think we can power through stress, but over time it takes a real toll.

Infrequent mild stressors = good

Chronic stress = no good

How stress can change your body

So, here are just some of the ways stress changes your body:

You can gain weight in the form of BODY FAT. Having chronically high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can 1.) make you hungry and 2.) increase fat storage. That can contribute to weight gain and the buildup of fatty tissues. Especially that “spare tire” or “muffin top” around the middle.

It can make it HARD TO SLEEP. Besides the fact that being stressed can keep you awake at night, when your cortisol levels are out of whack, it can make your body want to stay up at night and sleep during the day (which causes an even bigger hormonal disruption, affecting your hunger hormones). I actually test for this with my clients.

You can feel aches, pains, and headaches. When you’re stressed, your muscles tighten up. Over time, this can cause things like migraines and low-back pain – and even set the stage for more injury!

It can hurt your heart. Repeatedly high stress hormone levels, elevated heart rate and blood pressure can increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack or stroke.

Your immune system takes a big hit. Over time, communication between your body’s stress response centers and your immune system becomes disrupted. This has been linked to the development of chronic fatigue, depression, immune disorders, diabetes, and obesity.

It’s bad for your gut. It disrupts the workings of your digestive system – not just from the extra hormones floating around your body, but also by impacting your appetite. This can lead to acid reflux, bloating, nausea, pain, and even diarrhea or constipation.

Even your sex life can take a dive. Stress can dampen libido, disrupt menstrual cycles, and affect your fertility. Addressing stress and adrenal health should be the FIRST step of any fertility program.

That’s a lot of stuff and it’s basically only a very high-level overview.

Your body is wired to handle short-term stress to get out of a jam.

But it’s not set up to handle being “go-go-go” 24/7!

Tips for destressing

Here are some simple things you can do to destress yourself:

● Exercise regularly! Study after study shows how exercise can increase your body’s “feel-good” hormones and help reduce the stress-causing hormones. Start small, even a few minutes a day can really add up. Progress, not perfection.

● Create a daily positivity practice, read or watch inspirational books and videos. This helps create a positive, resilient mindset. Don’t wake up and immediately reach for your phone and all the work + world stress that comes with it.

● Engage in hobbies or pastimes that make you feel good. This can include anything from cooking and crafting to making music or rebuilding cars. Again, start small. I love photography, hair, crocheting, napping and decorating.

● Volunteer or help someone. Your body will release feel good hormones (oxytocin and endorphins) so you aren’t just helping others – you also are helping yourself! But be careful here, don’t overdo. It’s the fun gift of your time that makes the difference, not an obligation you feel strong armed into. Think and extra tip, a pay it forward, an unexpected compliment to a stranger, flowers for a loved one…

It’s pretty incredible how a small six-letter word can do so much damage to your body over time.

Hopefully this short list helpful and easy to implement. Education and reframing your perspective can go a long way toward healing. You now have a few achievable ideas to help you take control. Choose to do something fun today!