6 Silent Signs Stress Is Slowly Killing You

Humanity has and is still developing at an astonishing rate. The flu, which used to be considered a deadly disease a century ago, now can be prevented with simple flu shots or over-the-counter medicine. The COVID-19 has only been around for a year, and pharmaceutical companies all over the world have already started testing successful vaccines against it. And although 1 year might sound like a long time, remember that this virus has been labelled as a “global pandemic”. This only goes to show how fast and efficiently humanity deals with diseases.

However, just like diseases can come from foreign entities, they can also come from within our own bodies. One of the main sources for these diseases is stress, which is described as the feeling of either emotional or physical tension. Stress is the body’s reaction when faced with challenges and can be positive for short burst, as it will help you avoid danger or meet deadlines (MedlinePlus, 2020). On the other hand, feeling stress constantly for a long term can be very dangerous because of how of how easily stress can become a part of your daily life. Therefore, in this article, I will be addressing 6 silent signs stress is slowly killing you.

 Your skin is itchier than usual

Itchy skin can be caused by a variety of things such as allergies, insect bites, or even black mould spores, but have you recently noticed your skin getting itchier without being exposed to any of these things? High levels of stress can cause your skin to experience a break out because of the effects stress has on the immune system.

Being stressed leads to your immune system to release the chemical histamine, causing your immune system to weaken (Jung, 2017). As a result, any external factor such as detergent, lotions, heat, etc. which you were not sensitive to might now cause an allergic reaction. To treat this, apply a cool, damp towel in the affected area and consider taking antihistamines if the cool towel does not work.

You have chronic migraines and headaches

Do you feel like you have developed a trend to have migraines every time you feel stressed? While there are many factors that contribute to migraines, a study conducted in 2014 by the American Academy of Neurology showed that stress is directly linked to headaches and migraines.

This is mainly due to the chronic inflammation that stress causes in the brain, which will affect blood flow and ultimately result in headaches or migraines (Ayuda, 2020). The best treatment for this, apart from practicing routines to reduce stress, is taking an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, or dabbing lavender oil on your temples (Jung, 2017).

You’re developing wrinkles

Have you every looked in the mirror and felt like you have a lot of wrinkles for someone your age? Of course, this might have something to do with genetics and how well you take care of your skin. But it is important to notice the effect that stress can have in your physical appearance.

A study conducted in 2009 by the journal Brain, Behaviour, and Immunity showed that stress can cause a reduction in collagen production, making you more likely to develop wrinkles and fine lines (Ayuda, 2020). So, although it is very hard to tell, try to evaluate how you feel and determine if stress might be making your skin older than it should.

You forget things

Are you someone who’s memory was always good, but now you tend to forget the simplest things? Well, one of the main reasons for this might be stress, and this is backed up by research. A study conducted in 2014 by the Journal of Neuroscience linked high levels of cortisol, which are the hormones released when you experience stress, and short-term memory loss.

Additionally, researchers from the University of Iowa found that chronic stress leads to loss of synapses in the prefrontal cortex where short-term memories are stored (Ayuda, 2020). If you feel like you are steadily forgetting more and more things as days pass, consider stress as one of the reasons why this happens.

Your digestive system is giving you problems

Have you been feeling uncomfortable after a meal, no matter what it is you eat? Stress can cause a strong reaction in your digestive system. Stress causes your body to produce a higher amount of digestive acid, which is responsible for the discomfort and subsequent problems that you might experience (Levine, 2020).

These problems include bloating, cramping, and diarrhea according to Dr. Deborah Rhodes, a Mayo Clinic medicine physician. Additionally, the American Institute of Stress has reported that your digestive system can be affected by the increased heart rate from stress, causing heartburn and acid reflux (Ayuda, 2020). Taking an over-the-counter antiacid or a simple ginger tea can reduce the discomfort.

Your body weight is weirdly fluctuating

Are you someone who is constantly checking their weight? Have you noticed unusual changes? Shanna Levine, a clinical instructor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine states that the way stress affects your body weight is by releasing cortisol. This hormone will inhibit your body’s ability to process blood sugar while changing the way your body metabolises fat, carbohydrates, and protein (Jung, 2017).

As a result of all these changes in your body, as well as the effects that stress has on undereating and overeating, you will start to notice unusual weight fluctuations.  If you are undereating, try snacking on nuts that have high protein content to help you. If you are overeating, try to eat more fibre since this will fill you up.

To conclude this article, although each of the points above has an individual treatment for it, you will eventually have to address the stress that’s causing all these problems. As mentioned above, stress isn’t all bad, as short bursts of stress can actually help you, but it is important for you to try things that are good to deal with long term stress, such as mindfulness, meditation, or even yoga. Learning how to deal with stress through different techniques will help you avoid the emotional and physical burden that comes with it.

References

Ayuda, T., 2020. 18 Silent Signs Your Stress Is Harming Your Health. [online] Best Life. Available at: <https://bestlifeonline.com/stress-and-health/> [Accessed 8 December 2020].

Jung, A., 2017. 8 Silent Signs Stress Is Making You Sick. [online] Business Insider. Available at: <https://www.businessinsider.com/silent-signs-stress-is-making-you-sick-2017-11?r=AU&IR=T> [Accessed 8 December 2020].

Levine, S., 2020. 8 Silent Signs Of Stress You Might Be Ignoring. [online] Shanna Levine Goals Healthcare. Available at: <http://shannalevine.com/8-silent-signs-of-stress-you-might-be-ignoring/> [Accessed 8 December 2020].

MedlinePlus, 2020. Stress And Your Health. [online] MedlinePlus. Available at: <https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm#:~:text=Stress%20is%20a%20feeling%20of,danger%20or%20meet%20a%20deadline.> [Accessed 8 December 2020].