Stress is a natural reaction of the human body to irritating factors. But this is not just a pathological condition, but a real disease, because a prolonged depressed state, chronic fatigue and irritability do not go unnoticed either for the psychological or physiological aspects of health.
Stress and the human body are certainly interconnected. Successful fight against this problem is impossible without clarifying the cause-and-effect relationships. Existing disorders should not be left to chance. This material will describe how stress affects the human body and how to become more emotionally resilient and calm.
Classification of causes
The effect of stress on the human body depends on various factors. They can be characterized according to several groups of characteristics. Based on the nature of their occurrence, factors can be divided into two categories:
- Psychological, caused by an emotional outburst.
- Physiological, caused by reasons that inhibit the vital activity of the human body (this can be extremely low or high temperatures, hunger, dehydration or various types of diseases).
The effect of stress on the human body can be caused by various sources. They are also divided into two types:
- Environmental factors. External reasons the development of stress can be determined from the position of environmental safety. These factors include air pollution, changes in atmospheric pressure, magnetic storms, and temperature fluctuations. The second type of external stimuli are negative situations in society, i.e. conflicts, loss of loved ones, etc.
- Internal factors. In this case, stress in the human body finds that unfavorable root that provokes. This group of causes of stress development includes all medical stressors, that is, diseases of any type - from a simple lack of vitamins and infection to serious traumatic injury.
It is also a mistake to believe that only negative factors cause such a reaction in the human body. It is quite common for people to experience stress from an excess of positive emotions or other pathogens.
Phases of stress development
At various stages of development, you can clearly see how stress affects the human body. Divided into several phases this process scientist His method is based on identifying three stages of disease progression.
All stages proceed sequentially, smoothly flowing into each other. The initial state of the human body is described as shock. Afterwards, the body begins to adapt to the changed conditions. The outcome depends on how strong a person is emotionally: whether the body will overcome an obstacle or whether a stressful state will arise.
According to Selye, the development process is divided into three phases:
- First stage (shock state). A person is overcome by a feeling of anxiety; he cannot find a place for himself. From a physiological point of view, this is explained by an active increase in the synthesis of adrenal hormones in the cortex. The body tries to cope with the problem by producing more energy to adapt.
- The second stage or “resistance phase”. At this stage, a kind of immunity is developed, the body becomes more hardened. But at the same time, the production of the corresponding hormones decreases. This is why the sensations become calmer and the state becomes balanced. There are no symptoms of anxiety.
- The third stage is characterized by exhaustion. The body gets tired of fighting, and stress squeezes out the last juices. The ability to resist is reduced below the required level. The feeling of anxiety returns. If the stressor exerts its influence for a long time, then changes in the physiological state occur. They are expressed in irreversible deformations of the adrenal cortex and other internal organs.
The effects of stress on the skin
First of all, the effect of stress on the human body is expressed on the health of the skin, which is a mirror of ongoing internal processes. If everything is in order with the organs, then the outer coverings are striking in their cleanliness. In the event of any problems, the first to suffer will be the skin, which is a kind of indicator of diseases.
Changes in the epithelial layer are provoked by excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines. These are chemical compounds called “stress hormones.” Their active release is expressed in the appearance of acne, blisters, psoriasis or eczema. The human body's response to stress in the form of increased secretion of neuropeptides increases the sensitivity of the skin.
The effect of stress on brain function
The consequences of stress for the human body are also expressed in disruptions in the functioning of the most important organ of the central nervous system. In practice, this manifests itself in unbearable headaches and migraines. The worst result of long-term exposure to stressors is memory impairment and, as a result, Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism of formation of such serious problems caused by stimulation of protein growth, increasing tension in the head, neck and shoulders.
To protect yourself from such diseases, you should avoid bad habits, that is, not coping with emotional stress with alcohol and cigarettes. It is best to pay more attention to sleep and proper rest. To relax, you should try mastering the techniques of yoga, meditation and tai chi.
Effects on the cardiovascular system
Directly in problems with the central organ of the circulatory system lies the influence of extreme factors on the human body. Stress causes a sharp jump in blood pressure. This is especially dangerous for people who are predisposed to heart disease.
By changing the heart rate, stressors provoke arrhythmia. In addition, long-term exposure negative factors leads to resistance to a substance such as insulin. Eventually, blood sugar levels rise, diabetes develops, and artery walls harden. In response to stressful situations, the body begins to inject inflammatory markers into the blood. This leads to an increased risk of complications of existing diseases, as well as a heart attack or stroke.
Effect on the gastrointestinal tract
The process of digesting food during stressful situations is very difficult. At the same time, many people the best way Food is the way to get rid of stress. The body's predicament prevents nutrients from being processed properly.
This problem is explained by the fact that stressors can change the amount of secretion secreted by the digestive organs. As a result, the perception of food by the mucous membrane, sensitivity, blood circulation and absorption are impaired. Since the brain and intestines are connected by nerve fibers, changes in the composition of the microflora and changes in the functional properties of the gastrointestinal tract under the influence of negative factors are quite understandable.
But there is also feedback. Organs gastrointestinal tract themselves can cause stress. What a person eats directly affects the general condition of the body. Any worries associated with the stomach or intestines immediately provoke the sending of corresponding signals to the brain.
It is the main organ of the central nervous system that gives the body the command to defend itself in the form of stress or depression. So, if we consider the mechanism of the occurrence of a depressed state, these organs form a single system with their inextricable connection.
Effect on the pancreas
The impact of stress on the human body is manifested by the release of various chemicals into the blood. The pancreas is responsible for this process. During stressful situations, insulin levels in the blood rise sharply. Due to this, diabetes can develop. In combination with eating problems and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the risk of obesity increases.
Stress also affects people. Under the influence of stressors, a person loses the desire and opportunity to have children. The instinct to procreate disappears because stress hormones suppress sexual function and increase the level of other substances that also suppress the reproductive system. For this reason, it is very difficult for some women to experience all the delights of motherhood.
Impact on immunity
Stress factors also suppress the human immune system. There are fewer lymphocytes in the blood, which leads to a decrease in the ability to resist foreign microorganisms. Physiologically, this is due to the production of corticosteroids in the body.
As in previous cases, the consequences of exposure to a person depend on the time period. That is, immune suppression over a long period significantly impairs immune defense and hormonal control. At the same time, the risk increases inflammatory processes. But many eliminate the effects of stress with the help of alcohol and cigarettes, which only serves as a catalyst for the development of problems.
Effect on the musculoskeletal system
The influence of stress on the human body is fraught with inflammatory processes, and first of all they affect the elements of the musculoskeletal system. This manifests itself as pain in the joints, bones and muscles.
In this case, you can protect yourself with the help of analgesics. traditional methods. It is recommended to consume basil, turmeric and ginger - the substances contained in these products help avoid problems with joints, muscles and bones.
Impact on the psychological component
To some extent, stressful situations are even beneficial for humans. With short-term exposure, an improvement in resistance abilities is observed, and the development of inflammatory processes is inhibited. In addition, under stress, active formation of glucose occurs in the liver, and fat deposits are burned more efficiently.
However, constant exposure to an unfavorable environment only leads to suppression of all vital functions. It is the psychological component that suffers the most. A person is often tormented by insomnia, most experience it. Due to the fact that patients try to forget themselves with the help of alcohol and cigarettes, addiction occurs. Addiction can also manifest itself in the form of gambling addiction. A person's concentration is impaired and memory suffers. Tense situations, which become the norm with prolonged stress, cause sudden changes in mood, which manifest themselves in fluctuations between hysteria, aggression and complete apathy.
The effects of stress greatly depend on general condition human and personality stability. Under the same conditions, people with different character types behave completely differently. It is interesting that stressful situations are most easily tolerated by unbalanced people, because such individuals do not have time to concentrate and focus their attention on the problem that has arisen.
Ways to cope with stress
The main ways to reduce stress on the human body are as follows:
- normalization of respiratory function with the help of special exercises;
- feasible physical activity(any sport, morning exercises, jogging);
- positive interactions with others, especially friends and family;
- expressing negative emotions through creativity (art therapy);
- communication with animals medicinal purposes(animal-assisted therapy);
- phytotherapy;
- meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices;
- consultations with a psychologist.
Having understood yourself and recognized the cause of stress, getting rid of such a problem will not be difficult. By following these tips you can significantly reduce your exposure to stressful situations.
It is unlikely that in our time there is a person who has never been in a state of stress in his life. Almost everyone, regardless of age category, gender or social status may find himself in a stressful situation. If back in the 20th century stress was called the “epidemic of the century,” then in the 21st it has become an almost chronic problem.
Causes of stress
Stress is the human body’s response to the influence of extreme factors that disrupt the usual rhythm of life. Moreover, unlike depression or anxiety, it is always a consequence of the influence of certain causes. Despite the fact that the living conditions of mankind have improved significantly over the past few centuries, the list of factors that lead to a stressful situation is growing every year.
In general, according to the nature of origin, the causes of this condition are divided into physiological and psychological. The first includes everything that influences physical condition body: poor nutrition, lack of sleep, overwork, weather changes (for example, changes in air temperature and atmospheric pressure) and other similar factors. Moreover, when exposed to these reasons, some people are instantly exposed to overstrain, while others persistently overcome them.
Such differences are explained by the second group of factors - psychological. They are provoked by a strong emotional outburst. The reason for this is most often psychological problems, such as: lack of self-confidence, difficult communication with society, etc. It should be noted that this applies not only to critical or dangerous situations, but also to excessive positive emotions.
Stress can also be caused by external or internal sources. External environmental factors include all life situations that a person is not able to control, for example, the ecological state of the environment and meteorological conditions in general, as well as problems of interaction with society: conflicts, family difficulties or divorce, workload and others. Internal causes of stress include health problems, disappointments and other factors that, without outside “help,” affect a person’s condition.
Of course, you can structure the list of stress levers in different ways, but, in any case, they lead to one thing: a deterioration in a person’s physical and psychological health.
The results of a person being in a stressful situation
Many experts agree that a person’s short-term exposure to stress has a beneficial effect on the body, since it activates fat burning, glucose formation, and also strengthens the body’s overall resistance to various problems. However, a chronic state of stress has a negative impact on both physical and psychological health.
The most common signs of chronic overexertion, from a physical health perspective, are:
- frequent headaches;
- constant lack of sleep;
- problems with the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract;
- increased blood pressure and tachycardia;
- the emergence of bad habits, including addictions (alcohol, drugs, etc.);
- weakening of the immune system.
Moreover, the impact of stress on health may not be noticeable at first, but sooner or later it leads to negative consequences.
The negative impact of a stressful situation on the human body begins with, resulting in suffering immune system. At the next stage of nervous overstrain, the release of adrenaline into the blood increases, which leads to hypertension, increased sweating and disruption of the functioning of some organs.
Constantly being under stress affects the condition of the skin, physical tone, ability to concentrate and remember information, which subsequently leads to decreased ability to work. Very often, a person’s prolonged stay in stress results in the abuse of alcohol, illegal drugs, frequent smoking and other negative habits that temporarily dull the real perception of the situation. The last, irreversible stage of stress is the death of cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Psychologically, a stressful state is mainly reflected in a person’s interaction with society. It can manifest itself in communication with family members and loved ones, professional activities or intimate life. Most often, the psychological consequences of overexertion are increased conflict, attacks of anger, or, conversely, apathy. As a result, constant pressure on a person leads to neuroses, mental illness or even suicidal tendencies.
Thus, if a person is constantly in a stressful situation, he cannot adequately respond to the actions taking place around him, and, as a result, loses his legal capacity.
Attention! A sedentary lifestyle further exacerbates negative impact stress on the body.
Phases of stress
Solving any problem, in addition to identifying the causes of its occurrence, requires understanding. Acceptance depends on it the right choice treatment. Stress is no exception. The most popular description of the stages of progression of this disease today was made in 1936 by the scientist Hans Selye. In total, he identified three stages, which gradually flow into each other.
- First stage. The body is in a state of shock. The feeling of anxiety intensifies. During this period, the body tries to overcome irritating factors by producing more energy.
- Second stage. It is considered a “resistance phase”: the body begins to create a kind of immunity, which increased the stress state and depressed the person, is reduced. The person becomes calmer and more balanced, anxiety disappears.
- Third stage. Under the influence of stress, the human body is depleted. The psycho-emotional state worsens, resistance to stress factors decreases. The feeling of anxiety begins to increase. In case of prolonged exposure to stress, physiological changes occur.
The duration of the stages is individual for each person. Moreover, they are individual to any specific situation and can last from a few minutes to weeks.
Overcoming a stressful situation
Of course, understanding how stress negatively affects health, it is important to begin treatment in a timely and correct manner. First of all, a person must realize his painful condition and learn to keep it under control. This will make it possible to avoid some consequences.
There are many effective techniques that help restore a normal psycho-emotional state. Basic recommendations:
- “let off steam”: shout, hit a punching bag, etc.;
- which helps return the body to partial harmony;
- engage in physical exercise: it helps to get rid of unnecessary stress products that accumulate in tissues, and will also help take your mind off problems;
- spend more time with loved ones, because they are the best support and support in any life situations; the main thing is not to keep anything to yourself;
- find a new hobby: music, dancing, singing and other types of leisure have a positive effect on your state of mind and reduce the impact of stress on the body;
- join various types psychological therapy: animal therapy (communication with animals), herbal medicine, yoga and other spiritual practices.
Important! Massages, SPA treatments and other similar activities that help relax the body also help well with stress.
In conclusion
Being in a constant state of stress not only reduces your love for life, but also leads to serious illness and even death. Therefore, it is important to work on your psychological health, learn not to bring your body to a state of stress, or, at a minimum, correctly overcome this period.
Stress is the strongest tension in different systems of the body, which does not go away without leaving a trace. The negative impact of stress on human health is very great and has the worst consequences. It is a stressful situation that becomes the cause of many diseases that appear later - both physical and mental.
Factors causing stress
To minimize the impact of stress on the body, you need to wage the most active fight against it. First you need to understand what was the irritating factor. If you get rid of the cause, you can eliminate the consequences.
The influence of stress on human physiological health
The impact of stress on human health is enormous. This manifests itself in diseases of various systems and organs, as well as in a general deterioration in human well-being. Most often, stress affects a person’s physiological health in the following ways.
1. Concentration and memory deteriorate. The impact of stress on performance is enormous: only in rare cases does a person throw himself into work. More often than not, a person simply cannot physically or psychologically do the work efficiently and on time. He is characterized by rapid fatigue.
2. Severe headaches.
3. How does stress affect the heart? Diseases cardiovascular system manifest themselves most clearly during such periods. There is an increase in heart rate, myocardial infarction may occur, and hypertension becomes worse.
4. Chronic lack of sleep.
5. Alcoholism.
6. The gastrointestinal tract also suffers: peptic ulcers and gastritis worsen or develop.
7. Immunity decreases and, as a result, frequent viral diseases.
8. In stressful situations, hormones are produced in huge quantities and negatively affect the functioning of the nervous system and internal organs. For muscles, an increased concentration of glucocorticoids is dangerous due to muscle tissue dystrophy. It is an excess of hormones during stress that leads to such serious diseases as thinning skin and osteoporosis.
9. Some experts believe that it is stress that provokes the growth of cancer cells.
10. Unfortunately, some consequences of stress are so severe that they are irreversible: a rare, but still consequence is degeneration of cells in both the spinal cord and brain.
Stress and health. Diseases from stress
Stress disorganizes a person’s activity, his behavior, and leads to a variety of psycho-emotional disorders (anxiety, depression, neuroses, emotional instability, low mood, or, conversely, overexcitation, anger, memory impairment, insomnia, increased fatigue, etc.).
Stress, especially if it is frequent and prolonged, has negative impact not only on the psychological state, but also on the physical health of a person. They are the main risk factors for the manifestation and exacerbation of many diseases. The most common diseases are the cardiovascular system (myocardial infarction, angina, hypertension), gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers), and decreased immunity.
Hormones that are produced under stress, necessary in physiological quantities for the normal functioning of the body, in large quantities cause many undesirable reactions leading to diseases and even death. Their negative effect is aggravated by the fact that modern man, unlike primitive people, rarely uses muscle energy when stressed. Therefore, biologically active substances circulate in the blood in elevated concentrations for a long time, preventing either the nervous system or internal organs from calming down.
In muscles, glucocorticoids in high concentrations cause the breakdown of nucleic acids and proteins, which, with prolonged action, leads to muscle dystrophy.
In the skin, these hormones inhibit the growth and division of fibroblasts, which leads to thinning of the skin, its easy damage, and poor wound healing. In bone tissue - to suppress calcium absorption. The end result of the prolonged action of these hormones is a decrease in bone mass, an extremely common disease is osteoporosis.
The list of negative consequences of increasing the concentration of stress hormones above physiological levels can be continued for a long time. This includes degeneration of brain and spinal cord cells, growth retardation, decreased insulin secretion (“steroid” diabetes), etc. A number of very authoritative scientists even believe that stress is the main factor in the occurrence of cancer and other oncological diseases.
Such reactions are caused not only by strong, acute, but also by small, but long-term stressful influences. Therefore, chronic stress, in particular, prolonged psychological stress, depression can also lead to the above diseases. Even a new direction in medicine has emerged, called psychosomatic medicine, which considers all kinds of stress as the main or concomitant pathogenetic factor in many (if not all) diseases.
“All illnesses come from nerves!” - this expression is often heard. Is this reality or exaggeration? And what diseases are caused by nerves? The impact of stress on the human body and health is very great. Due to problems in the family or at work, a stomach ulcer may open, the heart may begin to hurt, and blood pressure may increase. blood pressure, a rash appears on the skin. All these diseases can be treated separately by a gastroenterologist, a cardiologist, or a dermatologist. But when I remember the problem, everything repeats itself again. Why is this happening?
The fact is that the human brain is designed like a perfect computer, and it receives information through the eyes, ears, skin, etc. The brain reacts very sensitively to any word, but a rude word causes a whole storm in the body. On psychological stress central nervous system as a defense, it releases biologically active substances, for example, histamine, which causes stomach ulcers. If a person is constantly nervous, then the nervous system wears out and gives incorrect signals to other systems and organs.
Let's consider how stress affects metabolic processes and overweight. The cause of stress can be any situation that causes strong negative emotions. Stress can be short-term or long-term (chronic). During short-term stress, the central nervous system sends signals, as a result, protective mechanisms are activated that help the body cope with a critical situation. The heart rate increases, blood flow to the muscles increases and blood flow decreases to the digestive tract. At the same time, adrenaline is produced, which stimulates the flow of glucose into the blood, and a large amount of energy. The muscles tense strongly for active actions: for defense, attack or flight.
After a stressful situation, the body's energy reserves are depleted, the blood glucose level decreases, a feeling of hunger appears, and the body recovers. This mechanism is triggered by short-term stress, and if a person copes with it, then it has no further impact on health.
And if the stress is less intense, but persists more long time(chronic stress), what effect does it have on the human body? When does it occur dangerous situation, requiring DC voltage, the central nervous system also triggers a defense mechanism. The adrenal glands produce large quantities of the hormone cortisol (stress hormone), which increases the level of glucose in the blood, which in turn produces a large amount of energy. But a person, as a rule, does not take active actions under chronic stress and does not spend a lot of energy. As a result, excess glucose with increased cortisol content is synthesized into fat molecules. During chronic stress, carbohydrates are consumed faster, and a person feels hungry more often. The need for food gradually increases, and body weight begins to increase every day. Therefore, during times of stress, the body can accumulate fat and excess weight appears. If chronic stress is not eliminated, then the syndrome develops in the future chronic fatigue, depression, insomnia, headaches.
How to reduce stress? What needs to be done to promptly eliminate, prevent or reduce the impact of stress on health? Scientists have found that regular physical exercise help the brain rewire itself to respond more easily to stress. During or after intense physical exercise, a person exercising may experience a feeling of euphoria, which helps prevent stress. High physical activity and physical work reduce the negative effects of stress on cardiovascular health. vascular system. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle and engage in intense mental work experience intellectual signs of stress: increased heart rate (up to 150 beats/min), increased blood pressure.
How to recover from stress?
1.Regular exercise, including strength training on simulators, restore the body's functional systems after stress.
2.Healthy, restful sleep allows the brain to rest and recover. Many hormones are produced during sleep.
4.Joint holiday with loved ones and friends – trips to nature, to the cinema, etc.
