Chronic Stress Symptoms & Health Impact

More than half the Singapore adult population claims to be suffering from stress to some level. It is no longer just the high flying executives that are suffering from stress, but the unemployed, the exhausted working mothers, and the students as well.

 

 

There is evidence linking chronic stress to our overall well being and health, linking stress to certain diseases. These stress related diseases include high blood pressure, headaches, facial pain, neck pain, stomach ulcers, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, infections, anorexia nervosa, menstrual period problems (PMS) and the list goes on.

 

 

The most common symptoms of stress include:

• disturbed sleep and early morning waking
• insomnia
• panic attacks
• migraines and headaches
• loss of appetite
• compulsive eating
• excessive smoking
• fatigue
• irrational thoughts
• easily irritated, uncontrolled emotions
• frequent illnesses
• irrational thoughts

The 1st warning for some of us could be a bout of flu or the onset of headaches. Alternatively our digestive system or our energy levels could be affected. As time goes by, our immune system dyfunction and some of us develop migraine headaches, others get recurrent flush, irritable bowel symptom, depression, chronic fatigue or panic attacks. Some minority will simply have a fatal heart attack or develop a serious medical condition. Studies have shown that people who bottle up their emotions are more likely to die early and in particular to have heart attacks.

 

What We Can Do To Manage Stress Better

There is plenty of medical evidence to support the fact that persistent stress can affect us both physically and mentally. Many of us have the ability to cope with near tragedy or disaster, and it is not until it is over that we feel it is safe to “fall apart”.

Here are tips to help you cope and manage your stress better:

• Get some counselling to help you sort out the stressful situations you are facing
• If you are suffering from panic attacks, consult doctor to prescribe a low dose of beta-blockers to help you cope with anxiety symptoms.
• Do a physical medical examination and tests to check your iron levels, thyroid function, and check for early diabetes or underlying infection.
• Set aside some sacred time for yourself, time to think and time to switch off from your responsibilities.
• Open up and share with your family how you really feel, and ask for their support while you get yourself sorted out

 

• If it is work-related stress, discuss with your colleagues how you can make changes
• Learn not to take on too much and learn to say “NO” to others when you feel you are already fully committed.
• Prioritise your responsibilities and see if you can off-load and delegate some of the less important tasks to others
• Watch an entertaining film or read a good book
• Laugh occasionally as laughter is a great medicine
• Make time each day to simply relax for about 15 minutes, with no interruptions. Simply switch off your phone, cut off any possible distractions and just let yourself relax
• Most importantly, set aside time each week to exercise.

 

There are a variety of ways to control your chronic stress and is important you implement some of the above methods to prevent the harmful effect stress has on your health and beauty.