Stress is an inevitable part of the modern world. And with the fast-paced urban lifestyle comes unavoidable pressure and expectations to fulfil. Stress has always been an important factor while determining one’s mental health. But were you aware that stress can also contribute negatively to your physical health?
Yes, a lesser-known fact remains that stress can adversely affect your immune system. We are all in the middle of a very tricky situation right now. While the entire world is emphasising on the importance of strong immunity, the situation is also badly affecting most of us mentally. With the rising numbers, we as humans are bound to stress out thinking about the possibility of getting affected by Coronavirus. We are constantly worrying about the health and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.
Though stress is sometimes a motivating factor and helps you in pushing your limits and achieving targets, chronic stress can lead to compromised immunity. Acute stress may be manageable but chronic stress can cause some serious damages. In the long run, it can cause irreversible damage to various functions in your body.
How stress impacts your body & what conditions are caused by stress?
The stress hormone – Cortisol, is responsible for the feeling of stress you experience. When an event occurs that is beyond your coping abilities, your body produces a high level of these stress hormones. Too much cortisol in your blood leads to more inflammation. Inflammation, in a normal scenario, protects you from viruses and bacteria. But in this case, it may damage the regular tissues in an attempt to fight off bacteria that don’t exist.
Another effect stress has is directly on the level of lymphocytes in your body. Lymphocytes help your body in fighting off infections. Lower the level of lymphocytes, higher the risks of getting infected.
Depression and anxiety are few of the famously known effects of long-term stress. These also lead to a high level of inflammation that can, in turn, lead to a compromised immune system. Our immune system functions in a way that protects us from many diseases that can be caused by bacteria & viruses. But an over-tired immune system will not be capable of fighting off these outside invaders effectively.
Long-term stress can cause many serious diseases or develop severe conditions such as:
- Arthritis
- Cardiovascular Problems: Increased Heart Rate or Heart-related Diseases
- Gastric Ulcers
- Cancers
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Lupus
- Psoriasis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Decline in Mental Health
5 Ways to Manage Stress and lead a Healthy Life
Meditation helps relieve stress
Yoga & meditation are a proven source to reduce stress. Meditation relieves your mind of stress and helps you attain a calmer approach towards life. Meditating daily for a minimum of 10-15 mins can give you noticeable results. It calms your nervous system and also helps you stay more focused on work. Meditation reduces negative emotions, helps you in gaining a new perspective on stressful situations, makes you self-aware.
Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy diet leads to a healthy life. There can be no argument over the benefits of maintaining healthy & regular food intake. A proper diet that consists of nutritional values gives your body the energy it requires and boosts your mood. A healthy mind enables you to make accurate decisions. It enhances your problem-solving abilities and helps you attain a positive approach to life. A strong & positive mind gives you inner strength and helps you cope well with problems.
Stick to natural immunity boosters
Since the pandemic has hit us, we have all been consuming supplements that help boost our immunity. But we’ve been missing out on the fact that the stress can also directly affect our immune system. It is important to attain, both mental and physical strength. An ayurvedic remedy such as Neuro Vita by Chandrodaya Ayu Pharma can help manage stress and boost the immune system. It is always advisable to consume immunity boosters consisting of natural ingredients.
Follow a strict routine
Acute stress generally develops when you start thinking about being unable to achieve your target or accomplish a task. Following a strict routine will help you avoid unnecessary stress. Rushing to work, compromising on your sleep to meet deadlines, irregular food habits; all of these accumulate into a stressful mind in the long run which negatively impacts your overall health. Sticking to a daily routine gives you more time to relax and reduces anxiety.
Stop worrying about things you cannot change
It is important to understand that there will always be things that will be out of your control, things that you can not change or do anything about. Identify these factors and stop worrying about them. Worrying about things that are not under your control only makes it worse. Rather, divert your energy towards things that you can actually change. Focusing your energy in the right direction will help you achieve better results and a better work-life balance.
A healthy body comprises both – physical and mental health. Always focus on overall well-being. We are bound to face stressful situations but it is important to control our reaction to it. We are all well aware of how important a strong immunity system is to fight COVID-19. During this pandemic, we have all realized the importance of a healthy body and have been trying our best to stay strong. A little more push and we’ll all sail through this crisis safe & sound.
