The influence of stress on the human body and ways to reduce its impact

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 depression, chronic fatigue and irritability do not pass without a trace, either for the psychological or for the physiological aspects of health.

Stress and the human body are certainly connected. A successful struggle against this problem is impossible without clarifying the cause-effect relationships. Disregard the existing disorders should not be. This material will describe how stress affects the human body and how to become emotionally more persistent and calm.

Classification of causes

The influence of stress on the human body depends on various factors. Characterize them can be according to several groups of features. By the nature of its occurrence, the factors can be divided into two categories:

1. Psychological, the cause of which is an emotional outburst.
2. Physiological, caused by the causes, depressing the vital activity of the human body (it can be extremely low or high temperatures, hunger, dehydration or various diseases).

The influence of stress on the human body can be provoked by various sources. They are also divided into two types:

1. Environmental factors. External causes of stress development can be determined from the position of ecological safety. These factors include air pollution, changes in atmospheric pressure, magnetic storms, temperature jumps. The second type of external stimuli are negative situations in society, that is, conflicts, loss of loved ones, and so on.
2. Internal factors. In this case, stress in the human body finds that unfavorable root, which provokes an oppressed state. This group of causes of stress include all medical stressors, i.e., diseases of any type - from simple lack of vitamins and infection to serious traumatic injury.

It is also erroneous to believe that such a reaction of the human body is caused only by negative factors. It is quite common occurrence of a stressful state in people from an overabundance of positive emotions or other pathogens.

Stages of stress development

At various stages of development, you can clearly see how stress affects the human body. The process was divided into several phases by the scientist Hans Selye. His method is based on the allocation of three stages of the progress of the disease.

All the stages go sequentially, smoothly flowing into each other. The initial state of the human body is described as shock. After the body begins to adapt to the changed conditions. On how much the person is strong in the emotional plan, the result depends - the obstacle will overcome an organism or the stressful condition will arise.

According to Selye, the development process is divided into three phases:

1. The first stage (shock state). A person is overcome by a feeling of anxiety, he can not find a place. From the physiological point of view, this is due to an active increase in the synthesis of the adrenal cortex. The body is trying to cope with the problem by developing more energy for adaptation.
2. The second stage or "phase of resistance." At this stage, a kind of immunity is developed, the body becomes more tempered. But at the same time, the production of the corresponding hormones decreases. That is why sensations become more calm, and the state - balanced. Symptoms of anxiety are not observed.
3. The third stage is characterized by exhaustion. The body is tired of fighting, and stress squeezes the last juices. The ability to resist falls below the required one. A sense of anxiety comes back. If the stressor exerts its influence for a long time, then the physiological state changes. 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 influence of stress on the human body is expressed on the health of the skin, which is a mirror of the internal processes that are taking place. If the organs and life support systems are in order, then the outer covers are also striking in their purity. In the case of any problems, the first to suffer is the skin, which is a kind of indicator of diseases.

Changes in the epithelial layer are provoked by excessive release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These are chemical compounds called "stress hormones." Their active secretion is expressed in the appearance of acne, blisters, psoriasis or eczema. The reaction of the human body to stress in the form of increased secretion of neuropeptides increases the sensitivity of the skin.

The impact of stress on brain function

The consequences of stress for the human body are expressed in the violations of the most important organ of the central nervous system. In practice, this manifests itself in unbearable headaches and migraines. The worst result of prolonged exposure to stressors is memory impairment and, as a consequence, Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism of formation of such serious problems is due to the stimulation of protein growth, the buildup of tension in the head, neck and shoulders.

To protect yourself from such diseases, you should abandon bad habits, that is, not to cope with emotional stress with the help of alcohol and cigarettes. It is best to pay more attention to sleep and rest. For relaxation, it is worth to study the techniques of yoga, meditation and tai chi.

Effects on the cardiovascular system

Directly in problems with the central organ of the circulatory system is 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.

Changing the heart rate, stressors provoke arrhythmia. In addition, prolonged exposure to negative factors results in insensitivity to a substance such as insulin. In the end, the level of sugar in the blood rises, diabetes develops, the walls of the arteries harden. Reacting to stressful situations, the body starts injecting inflammation 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 digestion of food during stressful situations is given with great difficulty. In many people, the best way to get rid of stress is food. The difficult position of the body does not allow the nutrients to be properly processed.

This problem is explained by the fact that stressors are able to change the amount of secretion secreted by the digestive organs. As a result, the perception of food by the mucous membrane, sensitivity, circulation and absorption are violated. Since the brain and intestines are connected by nerve fibers, a change in the composition of the microflora and a change in the functional properties of the gastrointestinal organ under the influence of negative factors is fully understandable.

But there is feedback. The organs of the gastrointestinal tract themselves can cause stress. What a person consumes, directly affects the general condition of the body. Any anxiety associated with the stomach or intestines immediately provokes the sending of appropriate signals to the brain.

It is the central organ of the central nervous system that gives the body the command to protect in the form of stress or depression. So, if we consider the mechanism of the onset of the oppressed state, these organs form a unified system by their inseparable connection.

Influence on the pancreas

The impact of stress on the human body is manifested by the release of various chemicals into the blood. This process is responsible for the pancreas. During stressful situations, the blood level of insulin rises sharply. This can lead to diabetes. Together with the seizure of problems and abnormalities of the digestive tract, the risk of obesity increases.

Stress affects the reproductive system. Under the influence of stressors, the desire and ability to have children is lost. The instinct of procreation disappears, because stress hormones suppress sexual activity and increase the level of other substances that also depress the reproductive system. For this reason, it is very difficult for some women to experience all the delights of motherhood.

Impact on immunity

Stressful factors also depress the human immune system. The blood becomes less lymphocytes, 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 interval. That is, suppression of immunity over a long period significantly worsens immune defense and hormonal control. At the same time, the risk of inflammation increases. But many eliminate the effects of stress through alcohol and cigarettes, which only serves as a catalyst for the development of problems.

Influence on the musculoskeletal system

The influence of stress on the human body is fraught with inflammatory processes, and in the first place they concern the elements of the musculoskeletal system. This is manifested by pains in the joints, bones and muscles.

In this case, you can protect yourself by using analgesic folk methods. It is recommended to use basil, turmeric and ginger - the substances that are contained in these products, avoid problems with joints, muscles and bones.

Influence on the psychological component

To some extent, stressful situations are even beneficial to a person. With short-term exposure, there is an improvement in the ability to resist, inhibiting the development of inflammatory processes. In addition, stress causes the active formation of glucose in the liver, and fat deposits are burned more efficiently.

However, a constant stay in an unfavorable situation leads only to the suppression of all vital functions. The psychological component is the most affected. The person often suffers from insomnia, most experience a chronic lack of sleep. Due to the fact that patients try to forget themselves with the help of alcohol and cigarettes, there is an addiction. Dependence can also be manifested in the form of gambling. A person's concentration is broken, 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 total apathy.

Very much the consequences of stress depend on the general state of a person and the stability of the individual. Under the same conditions, people with different types of character behave quite differently. It is interesting that stressful situations are most easily tolerated by unbalanced people, because such individuals do not have time to concentrate and fix their attention on the problem that has arisen.

Ways to overcome 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 communication with other people, especially friends and family;
• Expression of negative emotions with the help of creativity (art therapy);
• Communication with animals for medicinal purposes (animal therapy);
• phytotherapy;
• Meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices;
• Consultations with a psychologist.

After understanding yourself and recognizing the cause of stress, it is not difficult to get rid of such a problem. Following these tips, you can significantly reduce the degree of exposure to stressful situations.