WHAT STRESS DOES TO YOUR BODY AND HOW YOU CAN MANAGE IT BETTER

On February 26, a tweet from Nithin Kamath, Zerodha's Chief Executive Officer, yet again sparked off a conversation around young age and heart diseases. This 37-year-old, who runs marathons and works out quite often, suffered a mild stroke six weeks ago.

Reason? In a post shared on X, on Monday, Nithin said that the stroke happened "out of the blue" and the possible reasons for it could be his "dad passing away, poor sleep, exhaustion, dehydration and overworking". He added that he is better now and that he can "read and write".

However, there's a slight droop in his face which is a remnant of the stroke.

Check out his post here: 

To his post, a lot of people reacted, including BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover, and assured him that he would be alright and wished him a speedy recovery. But, a lot of people attributed the reason for the stroke to stress in his lifestyle in the comment sections, apart from other things like extensive workout and exhaustion. 

Nithin's case also sheds light on the impact that stress has on your body, so that the next time you can try and manage it (we will get into that a bit). 

Types of stress 

Did you know that there are different types of stress and each one has a different impact on your body? 

According to a study released in 2017 called Neurobiological and Systemic Effects of Chronic Stress, you can stress out in three different types of ways: 

Good stress

Good stress is when you face a challenge, take a risk, and feel good about the result. It's also called "eustress".

For instance, do you hate it when you have to go to the gym and work out?

Good stress is when you know you will feel much better once you're done with that workout.  

Tolerable stress 

The next type is called tolerable stress, which is when tough situations occur, but someone with a healthy brain can handle it, often with help from family, friends, or others. 

In this case, "distress" is the uneasy feeling that you get when you cannot control a situation, but the situation is manageable. 

Toxic stress 

Finally, toxic stress is when someone faces difficult situations without much support, leading to issues with impulse control, judgement, and self-esteem. 

In these cases, the level of distress can be more intense and prolonged, and can impact both your physical and mental health.

Now, let us look at what it does to your body:  

1. Your brain

• Having a lot of stress can make your memory blurry. 
• How? Dr Ashutosh Shah, consultant psychiatrist at Sir HN Reliance Foundation, Mumbai explains, "The harm comes chiefly from the uncontrolled secretion of cortisol. Cortisol is secreted unchecked, and over a prolonged period, damages brain cells; chiefly the hippocampus (the memory area)."
• Stress also triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, which can impair your cognitive function, leading to difficulty concentrating, and decision-making challenges. 
• Chronic stress may contribute to anxiety and depression, affecting overall mental health.
• It also affects cognitive function, leading to difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and impaired judgement.

2. Your heart

• Prolonged stress can elevate blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes. 
• According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, anxiety can cause a rapid heart rate (tachycardia). Tachycardia can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
• Sometimes stress also promotes unhealthy habits such as overeating or smoking, further straining the heart.

3. Your muscles

If you often feel a stiffness in your neck, shoulder and back, and cannot figure out why, stress can be the reason behind it apart from your bad posture (sit straight please!). 

Dr Vidhe Sharma, consulting physician, Ruby Hall Clinic, Hinjewadi, Pune says, "Muscle tension and pain, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back, are common manifestations of stress." 

Chronic muscle tension often contributes to conditions like tension headaches and migraines. 

4. Your stomach and digestive system 

• Do you also get butterflies or feel "sick in your stomach" while you're stressed out? Well, this is because your stomach has a relation to stress. If you stress too often, your body will have a hard time recovering. This impedes the flow of digestion and can cause stomach upset.
• Dr Sharma says that stress can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as upset stomach, diarrhoea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Now you know why you were not able to poop before your big test or a big meeting!

5. Skin

Experts often say that stress shows on your skin. If you have too much stress, it can aggravate your skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea due to the release of stress hormones and inflammatory responses.

It can also slow down the skin's healing process, leading to delayed recovery from wounds and exacerbation of existing skin issues.

6. Immune system

• Chronic stress weakens the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections, illnesses, and autoimmune diseases. 
• Stress hormones can suppress immune responses, impairing the body's ability to fight off pathogens effectively.

7. Respiratory system 

• Stress can trigger or even worsen respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by causing shallow breathing, tightening of airways, and increased inflammation in the respiratory tract.
• However, this occurs when the stress level is at a"toxic level" and happens when you stress too often. 

8. Jaws

• Some people, when in stress, often clench or grind (bruxism) their jaws, which can lead to jaw pain, headaches, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
• These TMJ disorders can cause pain and dysfunction (including freezing of your jaws) in the jaw joint and muscles that control jaw movement). 

• Persistent clenching can also contribute to dental issues like tooth wear, fractures, and gum recession.

9. Eyes 

• Stress can manifest in eye strain, causing symptoms like dry eyes, blurry vision, eye twitching, and headaches.
• Prolonged stress may exacerbate conditions like glaucoma (damage to vision) or contribute to the development of vision problems over time.

10. Reproductive system

• The stress hormone, cortisol, can disrupt reproductive functions in both men and women.
• This can cause decreased libido, menstrual irregularities, erectile dysfunction, and other fertility issues.
• Chronic stress may also impact pregnancy outcomes and contribute to complications such as preterm birth or low birth weight.

How to manage your stress better

Now that we know what stress does to your body, here's what Dr Sharma and Dr Shah have to say on how to manage your stress:   

Dr Shah says to deal with stress one needs to 'develop a buffer' to deal with stress.

"This buffer can be developed using a lifestyle that promotes brain and body health," he adds.

Practice relaxation techniques  

Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga can help calm your mind and reduce muscle tension.

Move your body 

Dr Shah advised that children should get a minimum of an hour of intense physical activity every day; and adults should do a minimum of 30 minutes of brisk walking daily.

He says, "Sitting for long hours has the equivalent health risk as smoking. So stretch and move your body with periodic breaks once every hour to prevent neck, back, hand and eye fatigue."

Dr Sharma agrees that consistent physical activity aids in the release of endorphins, natural stress alleviators.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle 

Dr Sharma says that one of the ways to navigate stress is to have a healthy diet and overall lifestyle. 

Dr Shah agrees, "We should eat traditionally cooked balanced meals which are healthy for the heart, eat at fixed intervals, and eat to satisfy hunger, not our taste buds."

"Maintain minimum 12-hour gap between dinner and breakfast. Hydrate yourself well, avoid excessive tea, coffee or stimulant consumption," he says. 

Set boundaries 

One of the major reasons for toxic stress is when someone feels overloaded from work or even emotions. So to manage this type of stress, "learn to reduce extra obligations. Prioritise tasks and delegate when possible," says Dr Sharma.

Dr Shah says, "[One should] Ideally get 8 hours daily - 8 hours sleep, 8 hours of work, 2 hours for house chores, 2 hours for family and friends, and 2 hours for self (hobbies, play, exercise, homework)." 

Know your limit well and don't overstretch yourself, he adds. 

Stay connected

Seek support from friends, family, or a therapist. Talking about your feelings might help you feel better and gain perspective.

Engage in hobbies

Spend time doing activities you enjoy, whether it's reading, gardening, painting, or playing music. Engaging in hobbies can distract you from stressors and promote relaxation.

Sleep well

Sleep is an active process which repairs and restores your brain and body and makes it ready to face the challenges of the new day. 

Dr Shah advised that a minimum of 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep beginning 3 hours after sunset is recommended for children.

For adults, a minimum of 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep is recommended. 

Sleep removes a lot of toxic chemical by-products that are generated during the day in the brain and body. Any interference in this cleaning process would impair the functioning of the brain and the body and compromise the ability of an individual to deal with stressors.

Point to note

Experts say that despite adhering to the aforementioned lifestyle, if you still feel distressed in a stressful situation for more than a month, and it interferes with your productivity or social functioning, consult a psychiatrist.  

Bottomline

Stress not only impacts our brain but also affects various parts of our body. One should try to manage stress through various steps such as eating right, meditating, or even working out.

This can help us manage our stress and protect our bodies from its harmful effects. 

2024-02-27T10:20:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd