What stress is doing to our bodies?

Stress is a combination of responses in the body. Stress can be short- term (acute) or chronic.

Occasional stress is normal. Once you've handled the situation, the stress goes away and you heal from the episode. But, if stressors accumulate over time, eventually the body becomes inefficient at handling even minimal stress. The brain, heart, lungs, vessels, and muscles become so chronically over or under activated that they become damaged. Research has shown that prolonged stress can produce actual tissue changes and organ dysfunction.

Studies demonstrate that our emotions are not just in our mind, they are in every cell of our bodies. Physical stress can lead to mental & emotional stress. When muscles are taut and tense for long periods of time, this may trigger other reactions of the body and even promote stress-related disorders. For example, both tension-type headache and migraine headache are associated with chronic muscle tension, in the area of the shoulders, neck and head.
Over time, you may stop exercising and turn to pain medication, setting off an unhealthy cycle.

Stress can be insidious; working its way into our lives before we are aware of the consequences. You need not be a victim to chronic stress, it is important to understand the choices, in your ability to respond to feelings.

There are many techniques for managing stress, such as exercising, tissue treatment and using relaxation techniques.

To learn practically about how your lifestyle may be affecting your health, inside and out, book a consultation with your Osteopath today.