5 Surprising Effects of Stress and How to Avoid Them
Some stress is temporary and connected to a specific deadline or business meeting. However, stress can also creep up on us, showing itself in more subtle ways.
Keep reading to learn the signs of stress and what you can do today to feel better.
At the beginning of time, stress would only occur in response to a momentary physical threat such as being chased by a sabre-toothed tiger. We would then return to our cave, a place of safety, where we could recover and recharge.
But the modern world, with its amazing technology that demands our attention day and night, has put us in a state of nearly constant stress from work deadlines, managing personal relationships and tracking the success of others on social media. At the same time, attempting to keep up with this fast paced lifestyle is restricting our opportunities for recovery.
Here are some of the most common ways that this stress can show up in our lives…
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1. Putting on weight
That’s right - Let’s get this one straight out on the table.
As I mentioned above, there are many stressors in the modern world that cause our body to go into the same “fight or flight” state that we did when being faced with a physical threat. When this happens, the body goes through a number of changes, designed to help us either run away or physically defend ourselves.
One of these changes is the shutting down of any bodily processes that aren’t vital to our survival in that exact moment, such as digestion.
If we’re not digesting food properly, then it is stored in our bodies as excess fat. This is why it is best to eat while feeling as relaxed as possible.
2. Lacking in energy
A side effect of failing to digest food properly (as mentioned above) is that we don’t effectively absorb all the nutrients from the food we eat, therefore our body is running on less and less energy.
When our energy levels are low, this can have a direct impact on our mood and quality of life. We don’t have the energy to do all the things we enjoy and this can actually add to our levels of stress, causing a never-ending loop!
This is one of the many reasons why it’s so important to give ourselves time to recharge and recover after a stage of high stress.
3. Having trouble sleeping
Struggling to get to sleep and experiencing disturbed sleep are both common symptoms of bodily stress. How are we supposed to relax enough to fall asleep if we have all the worries of the day swirling around in our head?
Something I always suggest to clients who have difficulties with sleep is to build a sustainable bedtime routine. This can do wonders when it comes to winding down enough to get some good quality sleep and can therefore help us to feel more energised for the following day.
4. Struggling to manage relationships
Stress can cause anxiety and make us irritable with friends and family. Have you ever unexpectedly snapped at someone you love? Chances are, you were experiencing high stress from something completely unrelated, but the negative feelings crept their way into other areas of your life.
This shows that taking the time for calming activities can significantly benefit not just ourselves but the people around us. Self-care is far from selfish. It makes us happier and a better person for the people we care about.
5. Often being unwell
Long-term stress that goes ignored can build up in our bodies and can be a contributing factor to all kinds of illnesses, including chronic disease. The next time you feel a cold coming on, a migraine, or are just generally feeling under the weather, try to step back and ask, “Have I given myself enough time to rest recently?”
Any kind of illness can often be a sign from our body that we need to take some time out for ourselves. Switch off, unplug and relax in whatever way feels right.
Better yet, to potentially prevent the onset of illness, try to incorporate times of rest into your schedule. This is just as, if not more important than eating well and getting regular exercise.
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The good news…
Luckily small and simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to our stress levels and working with a Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach can greatly improve you chance of forming habits that are the most natural and sustainable for your unique self.
Why not book a taster session with me today to walk away with your 5-point action plan for health and happiness and see what coaching could do for you?
If you’d like some more ideas of how to better handle stress and look after yourself with more care, patience and positivity, download the completely FREE Stress Less Toolkit below.
Feeling stress from work? Check out this related post:
7 PRODUCTIVITY AND TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS TO AVOID FEELING OVERWHELMED
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Next steps…
These are only some of the possibilities when it comes to dealing with stress. Find out which activities would be right for you by working with a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.