You’re late for a meeting and traffic won’t move; you’re juggling 2 kids and trying to put dinner on the table – there always just so much to do and so little time. Stress can be perceived when we face problems we don’t have the resources to deal with. You can’t speed up traffic, put the kids on pause, or bring more hours to the day. When you find yourself in these kinds of situations, your body responds by becoming more alert, so that it can help you react quickly. And although beneficial in the short term, stress can be damaging in the long run.

Chronic stress has been related to a number of consequences, including problems like headaches, pain, insomnia, and weight fluctuations. Over time, prolonged stress can decrease one’s immune system and make bodies more vulnerable to conditions like heart disease and stroke. A recent New York Times article even discusses how stress can cause our cells to prematurely age.

So stress can make us tired, hurt, and old? What a powerful impact the mind has over the body. You can literally make yourself sick with worry. And even worse, knowing that stress can have such devastating consequences may even add more burden to your already stressed frame of mind. So what can you do? The advice out there seems to be to reduce the stress – get some exercise, sleep, avoid caffeine, say no, balance your priorities, spend time with your friends, think positively, and maybe even reconnect spiritually. Worrying more than necessary won’t help anyone, especially you. So remember, take care of your mind to take care of your body.

Further Reading:

How do you manage your stress?