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Have you ever given any thought as to what happens in your body when you are constantly stressed? When stress hits, your body will begin to physically feel it. Your adrenaline will kick in, causing stress hormones to be released. This will wake your body up signaling that it needs to be in an emergency plan mode. You may even feel your heart rate rise and your senses sharpen. The good news is you’re not alone. Everyone goes through some form of stress at different times and for different reasons. Stress can come from work, home life, traffic, kids, dealing with pets, and even just the hustle and bustle of walking down the street. It’s important to listen to your body - look for the signs that it’s time to take a minute to yourself and find your peace. This will let your body recover from the stress response and rebalance itself from what it just experienced. When we go through life continuously feeling stressed and overwhelmed - without taking that break - we wear our bodies down. This can lead to some serious health problems, including high blood pressure, anxiety, and panic attacks, as well as exacerbate the symptoms of a thyroid condition. It’s important to be able to recognize when your body is talking to you so that you may take measures to protect yourself.
Everyone's body is different, so the effects of stress won't always be felt in the same way. Some may feel the body impacted physically and some may feel that stress only troubles the mind. Others may encounter both. Below are a few signs/symptoms of stress.
Long-term effects of chronic stress can lead to serious health issues - even well after the stress levels have calmed down. For instance, it can greatly increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack and can greatly increase your chances of being diagnosed with depression and anxiety. What's more, is that there seems to be a direct link between chronic stress and your thyroid. See, when you get stressed, the hormone cortisol is released by your adrenal glands. For a moment or so, it is no big deal. But when you are chronically stressed, you constantly have an influx of cortisol flowing through your body. And cortisol is known to inhibit the secretion of TSH (the thyroid-stimulating hormone). Since your thyroid is in charge of your body's processes, chronic stress can, in turn, impact your entire body.
Dealing with chronic stress can and will take so much from you. It’s important to find ways to help cope or reduce your stress. Find things that you enjoy, that may be relaxing to you - and start incorporating them into your life, 10-15 minutes at a time. Below are a few examples.
Whatever you decide to do - remember to take time for yourself, be good to yourself. Learn how to naturally approach your health and your thyroid with Dr. Randy Hansbrough and his team. Contact us at (772) 287-7701 to schedule an appointment. Or sign up for a free, 30-minute consultation.
