4 Ways Stress Can Affect Your Health

There are many areas of life that can be the cause of stress, and parenthood and frequent travel are two of them. While you might enjoy your fast-paced career, travelling the world and raising your family, for the most part, it’s OK to admit that it’s not always easy. There are periods where these aspects of your life can get very stressful, and if you’re not careful, the pressures can take over and affect your health. Below are four examples of how stress can impact your health and if you are experiencing any of these, it’s time to try and manage your stress more effectively.

1.   Hair Loss and Turning Grey

As you get older, you might find a few grey hairs here and there, or even notice that your hair is thinning or falling out. While this is a normal part of aging, if you are experiencing high levels of stress, it can cause this to happen prematurely. You can always dye your hair to cover the grey and white streaks if you want to, but if your hair is falling out this can be a more difficult problem to solve. Your doctor may be able to prescribe you treatments or give you the advice to help with this, or you might want to visit a hair clinic to discuss transplant options or other treatments if you think it is necessary.

2.   Weight Gain or Loss

Another common side effect of stress that people can experience is noticing fluctuations in their weight. For some, stress might suppress their appetite, resulting in quick and potentially dangerous weight loss if you’re not careful. Others might turn to food as a way to soothe themselves, which will have the opposite effect and can still result in other dangerous health issues if left unchecked. It’s important to try and maintain a healthy diet even through tough times, as this will help your body get the right nutrition it needs to function properly.

3.   Lack of Sleep

Stress can often keep you up at night, even if you physically feel exhausted. It can be difficult to switch off your mind when you’re worried about your problems, and often people start going over these concerns in their head when the rest of the house is quiet and they are lying in bed staring at the ceiling in the dark. Sleep is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle – not only to help your body recover, but for the sake of your cognitive functions as well. While it is easier said than done to get to sleep when you’re stressed, try meditating before bed, or having a hot bath or shower, as these can help you to clear your mind and relax.

4.   Aches and Pains

Stress can also result in physical pain, commonly in the form of headaches or muscular pain. This is likely due to the tension you feel when you are under pressure, and many people might find that their shoulders, neck, and back become tense and painful when they are facing stressful and upsetting situations. Over-the-counter pain relief can help with this, as can getting a massage to help relax your muscles.

There are many scenarios that you can and likely will face in life that can result in you feeling very stressed and anxious. This is never a pleasant experience, but it is important to look out for the above signs as this could indicate that you are under greater pressure than you realized and that you need a break.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anna

Anna

Hi, I’m Anna, a travel loving wife to Tristan and Mother to 6 year old twins Poppy and Tabitha, their 3 year old sister Matilda, and together we are Twins and Travels.

Read More

Search here for ideas:

Subscribe:

.

Booking.com:

Recent Articles:

Support this site with Affiliates:

Twins and Travels uses affiliates. They are also a participant of the Amazon EU Associate Programme and they earn from qualifying purchases. Use this affiliate link to search for and purchase from Amazon and they will make a small commission. It does not affect how much you pay.