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Is Stress Messing with Your Health?

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UnknownMoney worries, scheduling conflicts, long commutes: as if you needed one more thing to get stressed about, your stress itself could be making you sick.

When you feel stress, your body responds by raising your blood pressure and pulse. You breathe faster. Your bloodstream is flooded with hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This physical chain reaction can lead to a host of health problems like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, and weight gain.

Some people turn to alcohol, tobacco or drugs to take the edge off their stress. But unfortunately, instead of relieving the stress and returning the body to a relaxed state, these substances tend to keep the body in a stressed state and cause more problems—talk about a catch-22. Consider the following*:

  • •Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
  • •Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
  • Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declares stress a hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.
  • The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.

Before you get too stressed out about being stressed out, there’s some good news: Following some simple stress management techniques like can lower both your stress and your health risks. Regular exercise, meditation, keeping a journal, or connecting with a friend can all help you achieve a more relaxed state. If you’re short on time, (and who isn’t?) here are some seven great ways to de-stress in a minute or less.  

If your stress becomes too much to handle on your own, consider recruiting some professional help. A mental health counselor can teach you healthier ways of dealing with the inevitable stress that life will throw your way. If cost is an issue, no worries: Sprig offers mental health appointments in Portland and Seattle starting at just $40. And with no insurance required, you won’t have to hassle with a bunch of claim forms—which is one less thing to stress about.

*Source: WebMD



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