EARS
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears affects up to 15% of the population, and in many cases
it’s triggered by repeated exposure to loud noise. There’s evidence that this disabling
condition can also be brought on by stress.
BEAT THE STRAIN Stop stress from making your tinnitus worse by trying not
to focus on it too much or allowing it to dominate your thoughts. For help, visit
Earinstitute.co.zaYOUR HEALTH
HEART
A recent Dutch study found people
with high levels of cortisol were much
more likely to die from heart disease.
Researchers spent six years tracking 860
people aged over 65, testing their urine
for cortisol as a measure of their stress
levels. Among those with the highest
hormone readings, the risk of dying from
heart problems was five times greater
than those unaffected by stress. Research
indicates that the biggest risk is not from
stress itself, but from coping mechanisms
used to deal with it such as drinking
heavily, smoking and overeating.
BEAT THE STRAIN Exercise helps by
stopping muscles from being tense,
burning up some of the excess stress
hormones circulating in your blood
and by taking your mind off your
problems for a short while.
BACK
During an emergency when the body’s
‘fight-or-flight’ response kicks in, muscles
in the back, neck and jaw become
tense. If the muscles remain tense for
long periods, as with chronic stress,
not enough oxygen gets through to
them because the blood vessels are
compressed. This is often what causes
the pain we get when we’re under stress,
and some experts believe it can cause
long-term muscle wasting and damage.
Muscles that are tense are more likely to
be injured and can also go into spasm.
BEAT THE STRAIN Regular exercise
helps by increasing endorphin levels,
the body's natural painkillers.
Exercises such as yoga, which stretch
and strengthen muscles, can relieve
back pain.BRAIN
Scientists believe prolonged stress kills
off healthy brain cells. That’s because the
brain has evolved to release the hormone
cortisol when it perceives there is a threat
to safety. Cortisol drives up blood sugar
levels and blood pressure to help us
escape from danger. Persistently high
cortisol levels damage cells in a part of
the brain called the hippocampus and
may even make the brain age faster.
BEAT THE STRAIN Have a good
laugh. Studies suggest even the
anticipation of laughter can help
lower levels of stress hormones
cortisol and adrenaline.
APRIL 2017 81or flee to safety. Even today this
natural response helps us cope with
emergencies. Problems emerge when
the body is in a constant state of stress-
related arousal and levels of these
hormones do not subside.
‘Pressure is different from stress,’ says
Professor Cooper. ‘Pressure is motivating,
but when it exceeds your ability to cope
then it’s stress.’
So how exactly does stress affect your
body and how can you prevent it taking
a damaging toll on your health?
BOWELS
When we’re anxious or nervous
we sometimes need the toilet
more often. This is because the
bowel has nerves that connect it to
the brain. When the brain detects
a stressful situation these nerves
react by increasing the rate of
contractions among the muscles
in the stomach and bowels that
control our need to use the loo.
In chronic stress this can lead to
abdominal cramps and even irritable
bowel syndrome.
BEAT THE STRAIN Something
as simple as walking dampens
down stress hormones and eases
bowel troubles, but meditation
or counselling can also help.Vital clues that you’re
stressed include:
Under
pressure?
Feeling tense
Rapid heartbeat
Breathlessness
Excessive yawning or sighing
Churning stomach or nausea
Sweating
More frequent toilet trips
Poor concentration
Broken sleep