Written By :

November 5, 2022

Introduction

Have you ever asked yourself why? Why all of these uncontrollable thoughts? Why all of this unbearable physical pain? And most importantly, why feel you’re aging so fast? Are you losing your energy, your joy, and even your faith? 

Stress is not going away. Maybe you are experiencing chronic stress.

Everyone experiences stress differently and that’s completely normal. It is always better to ask for help rather than ignore the problem and hope it would go away on its own. The pace and demands of modern life are often demanding and challenging. These life rhythms require intense and excessive physical and psychological effort in order to be maintained.

According to a study, conditions impacted by stress account for 75% of doctor visits, and stress is linked to a wide range of serious medical conditions. 

This article will tell you everything you need to know about chronic stress.

Identifying Chronic Stress

Chronic stress may be difficult to identify. People frequently become so used to it because it is so persistent and pervasive that it starts to feel normal.

The following are some questions you should ask yourself to recognize chronic stress:

Causes of Chronic Stress

Chronic stress can be brought on by a wide range of general difficulties, such as world events, economic fluctuations, and political unrest. However, something specific to each person’s life frequently plays a significant role in how they deal with chronic stress.

Chronic stress may result from various factors:

The body experiences pressure from chronic stress throughout time. This may result in a number of symptoms and raise your risk of getting some illnesses.

Symptoms of Chronic Stress

Impact of Chronic Stress

Since chronic stress lasts for such a long time, it can negatively affect your health and wellbeing if left untreated. This kind of stress can lead to serious health problems.

The body experiences pressure from chronic stress throughout time. This may result in a number of symptoms and raise your risk of getting some illnesses.

Cardiac diseases

Your heart muscle might get harmed because of stress. Because stress hormones increases your heartbeat and narrow your blood vessels, they harm your heart. As a result, your blood pressure rises and your heart has to work harder.

Stroke

It is well known that stress can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Yes, chronic stress can also result in a stroke. Irene Katzan, MD, a neurologist, states that there is “growing evidence addressing stress as a risk factor for stroke – specifically stress related to your employment.” Several studies have found a connection between work stress and an adult’s risk of stroke.

Form of Omega-3

There are 3 forms of marine oil: triglyceride (TG), ethyl ester (EE), and free fatty acids (FFA). The free fatty acids form is very prone to oxidation, making it rancid. Hence, the TG and EE forms are often used in fish oil supplements. Both the TG & EE forms have similar biological outcomes and can be chosen for supplementation.

Depression and anxiety

Chronic stress induces long-lasting immunological alterations in the brain and peripheral tissues, preparing the host to react disproportionately to subsequent subthreshold shocks. B Chronic stress is frequently accompanied by mood disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety.

Alzheimer Disease

According to researchers, one of the elements contributing to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease may be persistent chronic stress. They claim that ongoing stress can have an impact on the brain’s immunological system, which could result in dementia symptoms. According to experts, stress can be reduced by exercising and creating healthy sleeping habits.

Muscle pain and fatigue can make eczema or psoriasis flare up

One of the most frequent causes of eczema, stress, can be particularly challenging to control because you might not even be aware of it or be unable to control the source of the stress. This is particularly true if anxiety stems from obligations to your family, your job, or other routine circumstances that feel uncontrollable.

However, knowing the source of your stress and how it affects your eczema might help you learn how to control it and prevent outbreaks.

More likely to catch colds or flu

Your immune system suffers as a result of the high demands stress places on your body, making you more susceptible to illnesses and colds. To reduce stress, the American Psychological Association (APA) suggests finding social outlets and calming exercises to relieve stress.

Diabetes

Stress and diabetes seem to be related in a number of significant ways. According to more recent study, type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop in those who experience chronic stress.

Weight gain or loss (upset stomach)

Neurotransmitters and hormones are released in the body when you are under stress. This may have a negative effect on gut motility, or the way that your stomach and intestines contract and pass waste through the body.

Additionally, stress can disturb the delicate bacterial balance in our stomach, leading to GI pain. People who are under a lot of chronic stress may also overeat or consume unhealthy diets that affects the gut bacteria. In addition to smoking and drinking alcohol or caffeine more than usual, people can experience these symptoms:​

Brain

  • Difficulty understanding
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Mood

Cardiovascular

  • Higher cholesterol
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased risk of heart attack and stroke

Joints and muscles

  • Increased inflammation
  • Tension
  • Aches and pain
  • Muscle tightness

Immune system

  • Decreased immune function
  • Lowered immune defenses
  • Increased risk of becoming ill
  • Increase in recovery time

Skin

  • Hair loss
  • Dull/brittle hair
  • Brittle nails
  • Dry skin
  • Acne

Gut

  • Nutrient malabsorption
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Indigestion
  • Bloating
  • Pain and discomfort

Productive system

  • Decreased hormone production
  • Decrease in libido
  • Increase in PMS symptoms

The Link Between Chronic Stress and Accelerated Aging

People who are exposed to chronic stress age quickly.

Chronic stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease through biological (metabolic, hormonal, and inflammatory) as well as behavioral pathways (lifestyle).

Increased insulin resistance and accelerated aging have both been linked to chronic stress.

Self-control and emotional regulation have been linked to longer lifespans and healthy aging.

Premature aging is significantly accelerated by ongoing chronic stress. Telomeres, the structures at the ends of chromosomes, are shortened by stress, preventing new cells from proliferating as quickly. This results in wrinkles, weakened muscles, decreased eyesight, and other unavoidable aging symptoms.

Treatment of Chronic Stress

Psychotherapy

Different types of therapy may be more effective than others depending on the root cause of your persistent stress.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most useful in treating and managing chronic stress. CBT is used to teach patients how to recognize the harmful thought patterns that fuel ongoing stress.

CBT aims to assist people in changing their stress-related behaviors, thoughts, and feelings in order to replace them with more realistic and constructive ones.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a method of stress management that teaches you to accept and process uncomfortable feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them.

Lifestyle Changes

Set Limits
Limiting non-essential commitments is crucial for reducing chronic stress.
Make a list of all the tasks and obligations that are stressing you out. Decide which tasks you feel you must complete, and reduce your time spent on anything not necessary.

Enhance your sleep quality
Chronically stressed individuals frequently experience poor sleep quality.
According to APA’s 2009 Stress in America survey, 47% of all adults report that stress keeps them up at night. You should take action to improve the quality of your sleep. Experts advise setting a regular bedtime, aiming for at least 7-8 hours of sleep, and, if at all feasible, removing distractions from your bedroom, such as television and computers.

Coping Techniques
Applying stress management techniques can lower your risk of developing illnesses like heart disease, stroke, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and depression. You will feel better, the better you deal with the stress.

Practice breathing and relaxation techniques
Try yoga, relaxing music, guided imagery or tai chi.

Laugh
Get together with friends, see a comedy show, or watch a humorous movie. One of the best stress relievers is laughter.

Supplements

Every person experiences stress in life, with pressures linked to work, money, health, and relationships typically being the most common.

Chronic stress lead to anger or irritability, fatigue, headaches, nervousness and upset stomach.

One of the greatest methods to better prepare your body to handle stress is to exercise frequently, get enough sleep, and eat a healthy diet, but certain vitamins and supplements can also assist.

Here are the top 7 vitamins and supplements that could aid with stress management.

Rhodiola Rosea
It is a safe, organic herb that activates the body’s stress response mechanism and boosts stress resistance.

Melatonin A study indicates that taking melatonin supplements may be beneficial because stress and insomnia are related. Some research suggests that melatonin enhances overall sleep time while shortening the time it took people to fall asleep.

Magnesium
Magnesium is mostly found in fish, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. According to research, magnesium may play a role in stress management, especially for those whose diets are deficient in magnesium.

Vitamin D
Researchers have discovered that vitamin D is involved in a number of processes, including lowering inflammation and improving immunological function, in addition to its primary role in aiding your body to absorb more calcium. Getting enough vitamin D through daily sun exposure also enhances sleep quality.

B-complex Vitamins
B vitamins can be found in cereals, meats, legumes, eggs, dairy products, leafy greens, and other foods. Interestingly, some studies suggest that B vitamins may reduce blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which may improve signs of stress like mood and energy levels.

L-theanine
It has the capacity to encourage relaxation and lessen tension without having side effects. According to a high quality study involving 30 persons, taking 200mg of L-theanine daily resulted in considerably better depressive symptoms, sleep quality, cognitive function, and stress levels.

Ashwagandha Ashwagandha is believed to improve the body’s resistance to physical and emotional stress, much like rhodiola.

Practice Self-Care

Making time for your self-care each day could help you feel less stressed.
- Walking outside in nature
- Taking a bath
- Reading a nice book
- Engaging in relaxing activity
- Practicing yoga
- Stretching Working out
- Cooking a healthy meal.

Conclusion

Stress serves as a healthy human function that keeps you safe from harm. Daily life is full with acute pressures, and for some people, some unplanned life occurrences are more stressful than others. 

People can experience some level of stress from things like work issues, traffic jams, being late, public speaking, family issues, immigration, travel and simply doing errands.


Chronic stress affects both physical and mental health and differs from acute stress in that it is recurrent and prolonged. When someone consistently feels pressured, strained, or overwhelmed, their acute stress transforms into chronic stress.


The thing that you should know here is that it is okay not to be okay. The most important thing is to accept what you’re passing through and start working on yourself and not ignoring the issue and wait for it to go away on its own.

Written By :

November 5, 2022

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