The human body is an amazing thing, and it can withstand a large amount of trauma. It can even heal from that trauma, and in many cases, the person can carry on with their life as though nothing has happened. However, sometimes the body – and the mind – can have more trouble, as is the case with stress.
Although, as with other trauma, the human body can take a certain amount of stress and even make good use of it since stress can help to keep us alert to danger or make us more energized and productive, this is only a short-term positive, and when stress does not abate, your health can be negatively affected. Read on to find out how this happens so you can put stress-reduction techniques in place as soon as possible.
Problems With Your Digestive System
When you are under a lot of stress, your liver produces more glucose to give you more energy to help you cope. This means your blood sugar levels will rise, and if you are chronically stressed, this could even lead to type II diabetes.
This is not the only issue. You might find that you have an unsettled stomach when you are feeling stressed. This is due to excess hormones being produced. The body is trying to protect you, but because the stress is not reducing, too many hormones are produced. This can lead to high levels of stomach acid, which results in heartburn and can cause an ulcer. On top of this, you might experience constipation or diarrhea.
Problems With Reproduction
When you are under persistent stress, you may also find you have problems with your reproductive system. For men, this might mean suffering from erectile dysfunction or low testosterone levels. For women, this could mean problems conceiving. It can lead to a loss of libido no matter what sex you are.
If you are worried that stress is limiting your chances of conceiving or causing problems with your hormone levels, it’s best to get checked out. You can start by taking a testosterone test to see if there is an issue, and then you can move forward with getting help. Destressing as much as you can in your life is a good way to start, even if it’s a difficult thing to do.
Problems With Your Immune System
Your immune system exists to help you combat germs, bacteria, and illnesses that might try to attack your body. When you are stressed, your immune system has to work harder to prevent these issues from occurring. However, this cannot go on indefinitely, and eventually the immune system will stop working. At this point, you’ll start to get sick. If you feel as though you are picking up every cold, flu, and general sickness bug around, this could be because your immune system has been damaged through stress.
To make things worse, if you do get sick when you are stressed, it can take a lot longer to heal and recover due to your compromised immune system. This can lead to more stress, less sleep, and general unhappiness, which makes things take even longer.
