03/06/2024
Unmasking the Silent Enemy: Managing Chronic and Exam Stress
Stress is the body’s natural response to a demand or threat. In the right circumstances, it can help you stay focused, energetic, and alert. It can keep you on your toes at work, drive you to study for an exam, or give you extra strength to defend yourself.
However, when daily pressures become overwhelming, they can lead to unhealthy levels of stress that harm your health, mood, productivity, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Chronic stress can affect your emotions, thoughts, behavior, and even bodily functions and frequent stress can take a toll on your body, disrupting nearly every system, including Insomnia It's a common issue affecting roughly one in three people in the UK.
When stressed, your body releases hormones that can suppress appetite. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) affects the digestive system and can lead to a loss of appetite. Cortisol increases stomach acid secretion, which can cause constipation and indigestion.
Migraines, often felt as a throbbing pain on one side of the head, affect around one in five women and one in fifteen men. Stress is a significant trigger for migraines. Research shows that reducing stress can lower the likelihood of having a migraine the next day.
Short-term stress can cause temporary increases in blood pressure due to adrenaline. Chronic stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle changes, such as poor diet and excessive alcohol consumption, resulting in long-term high blood pressure. High blood pressure can harm major organs and arteries over time. To manage blood pressure, eat a healthy diet, reduce alcohol intake, and exercise regularly.
Are Your Cortisol Levels Affecting Your Health and Wellbeing?
Unsure if your cortisol levels are impacting your wellbeing? A simple at-home tests measure your cortisol levels, helping you understand if stress is negatively affecting your health.