What Problems Can Stress Cause
What is Stress
The concept of stress has become a concept discussed in everyday life with the personal development movement, which has become very popular in recent years. According to research, the adoption of modern lifestyles, the acceleration of daily operations, and financial concerns are among the reasons for the increase in people's stress levels. Stress is the body's reaction when it feels threatened or in response to any change that requires a reaction. Stress is an important impulse for all living beings. In nature, it appears as the 'fight or flight' reaction. For example, when a wild boar encounters a lion, stress hormones begin to be secreted in its body, and the 'fight or flight' mechanism is activated in the brain. This allows the wild boar to focus all its attention on the lion and save its life by escaping from the lion. In our daily lives, we generally do not encounter life-threatening situations as in nature, but the fight-or-flight reflex works the same way in humans, and stress hormones begin to be secreted. For example, as the deadline for an employee to submit their work approaches, the person begins to get stressed. This allows the person to focus more on the task at hand.
What Problems Does Stress Cause
Although stress is beneficial up to a certain level and helps to cope with changes, excessive stress can lead to undesirable problems in the body. Stress is an important factor in the emergence and progression of various physical and mental health problems. Stress also affects the course of existing illnesses. For this reason, it is recommended that people with discomfort and pregnant women stay away from stress. Adrenaline and cortisol are the most important stress hormones, and their effects are the most observable. The excessive secretion of these hormones disrupts the balance in the body. We can summarize the problems caused by stress as follows; Sleep problems: Think about the day you have an important exam. Most of the time, you can't sleep the night before the exam. This is one of the effects of excessively secreted stress hormones. The fight-or-flight mechanism kicks in here and is programmed to keep the body awake and alert for a potential situation. Physiological problems; increased blood pressure, decreased immune system, fertility disorders, heart problems, reproductive issues, and stomach problems are the most common physiological problems directly related to stress. Psychological problems; Since stress also disrupts the balance of secreted hormones, it causes a decrease in serotonin levels. Depression, anxiety disorders, and various phobias are also psychological disorders that can be triggered by stress. How to Cope with Stress? Stress is an inevitable part of life. It is not possible to eliminate it completely, but various ways to cope with stress can be developed. For example, by finding new hobbies, you can relax yourself by diverting your mind and focus to a different place, escaping from the problems and speed of daily life, even if it's just a little. In addition, exercising both reduces the stress level in your body and contributes to the production of serotonin and dopamine, and strengthens your body's resistance and immune system. Spending time with family members and friends, quitting alcohol, practicing meditation and yoga also help to remove stress from your life and cope with stress.
