Stress is present in the lives of virtually of every person. It appears in both our personal and professional lives. professional life, in small amounts, giving us a kick up the backside… and making us more focused and motivated. However, the positive effects of stress are small, and when we are exposed to it for too long and when it is too severe, our health suffers. our health suffers. Why do we need stress, what are the symptoms of chronic stress and how to deal with it?

Stress is nothing more than our body’s reaction to organism to external stimuli, requiring from us strong and rapid adaptation to current conditions. The role of stress hormones is not to withdraw the body, but on the contrary, to motivate it to action, so that it can cope with an unpleasant situation.

The stress hormones are:

The concentration of stress hormones is are constantly changing, but when there are too many of them, problems arise in both the physical and… psychological.

Stressors are the previously mentioned stimuli or events which cause increase of stress hormones. They can vary in their strength. The weakest of them are our ordinary, everyday problems that don’t make a significant in our lives, but because they happen so often… but because they happen quite often, they can be a real nuisance. Serious stressors are connected with are connected with certain life changes, for example a change of job, the birth of a child, getting married or moving house. The worst are the so-called catastrophic stressors, which affect the human organism in a significant way, often involving large groups of people (war, terrorist attacks, natural disasters). A serious stressor is also the sudden death of a close family member or other or other dramatic events, causing disturbances in the psychological area (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Of course, stressors do not always have to have negative consequences. There is also positive stress, associated with a certain excitement and expectation (holidays, date, trip). These are stressors that can affect the human body the body more positively, giving it energy and a desire to act.

Changing jobs is classified as a While changing jobs is considered a major stressor, being at and doing your job can be a stressful experience. But just being at work and doing your job can be a common stressor. It is common to go to work almost every day. Research shows that work is one of the most common work is one of the most common stressors, often progressing to a chronic form. chronic. In many cases, it also leads to the development of oxidative stress.

These symptoms are often disregarded or confused with various infections. Meanwhile, at this stage everyone can still help themselves or with a little help specialist. The problem arises when stress becomes chronic, because then it leads to more serious functional disorders.

Symptoms of chronic stress:

One of the most visible negative effects of long-term stress is a significant decrease in immunity. Under the influence of frequent stressors our immune system ceases to function properly, which makes us more prone to various infections. This is due to excessive production of cortisol, which reduces the production of white blood cells and antibodies.

It is also associated with an increased risk of cancer. Some scientists claim that chronic stress increases the possibility breast cancer in women.

Long-term stress can also exacerbate symptoms of autoimmune diseases, such as:

Long-term continuous production of of cortisol causes the body’s sensitivity to the hormone to this hormone. As a result, the body behaves as if constantly in a state of danger and starts fighting its own its own tissues.

The best way to to reduce the effects of stress is, of course, to avoid excessive stressors. However, this is not always possible. You can help yourself with special techniques to calm us down and, in effect, protect us from the negative effects of stress. Let’s see what can help us cope with stress.

Proper nutrition is important. A lack of certain nutrients and vitamins can contribute to to an increased perception of stress factors. In your diet should include foods rich in:

If you notice the first signs of stress in yourself, it is a good idea to support your diet with an adequate dose of vitamin C to improve the functioning of the immune system.

In building resistance to stress vitamin D is also very important. Its deficiency deficiency is observed especially during the autumn and winter period, and then it is worth thinking about supplementation with supplements.

Regular physical activity improves mood and helps to reduce stress. It does not have to be exercises that take a lot of time, already a short cardio such as training Tabata will affect our mood. At the same time we must remember not to let overtraining body. Strength exercises with dumbbells or intense aerobic workouts are good, but until our body can function well. If we overdo the effort, stress levels can increase.

Among the relaxation techniques you will find many different options. These can include music therapy, relaxation exercises such as yoga or pilates and various special breathing techniques. Some recommend daily meditation and relaxation massages.

Available at any pharmacy, composed of calming herbs, these capsules help calm the body, reduce heart palpitations and help you fall asleep faster. They usually contain: chamomile, melissa, green tea extract, hops extract, magnesium and B vitamins, especially vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

If the above-mentioned methods don’t do not help, it may be worth asking someone for help. Just talking to someone a conversation with a loved one often brings relief, but if even this does not give results, it results, it is worth making an appointment with a specialist, who will who will recommend a special therapy.