Chronic Stress - What is it

Chronic stress is a type of stress that persists for a long time. Stress is a normal part of our lives however it should only be temporary. Stress is produced as a consequence of the fight or flight response so it should appear only in certain situations for a short period of time. The chemicals released during stress are very strong and the human body shouldn’t be exposed to them for too long. The main problem is that society has evolved in such a way that experiencing stressful situations for a long time seems very normal. Living day by day under continuous stress can be quite damaging for your health.

The effect of chronic stress in our bodies should not be underestimated. You probably have faced many scary situations in your life for example like almost hitting another car. In that moment your heartbeat skyrocket and your blood pressure rise to levels never experienced before in your entire life. This feeling is known as normal or temporary stress.

Now imagine having the same feeling every time you go to work or anytime you forget to do something you should had done. Your body is not designed to suffer such strain for so long. The result is your blood pressure remains high for too long and damage your blood vessels. If your arteries are too damaged they can get clogged easily resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

Your immune system loses some of its capacity to fight infections and common illnesses like colds will affect you more easily. Cancer is another condition that affects people that are under chronic stress. Your ability to concentrate and perform certain tasks is also affected by it on a long term.
 

You must remember that you do not have to live under constant stress.

There are several methods that you can use to ease your mind. Believe it or not eating a healthier diet can help you to feel better.
 
Listening to music has been proven to be very relaxing. Classical or instrumental music have a tranquilizing effect on the mind. Exercise can help too by balancing the neurotransmitters in the brain that affects your mood.




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