Stress can affect your physical health, and your thoughts and behaviour. Explore how stress effects certain areas of the body.
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As the fight or flight response becomes activated forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and decreased short-term memory function can occur.
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Heart rate increases and blood pressure rises to pump the blood around the body.
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Shortness of breath and rapid breathing occurs as the airway between the nose and the lungs constricts. If this rapid breathing continues (hyperventilation) it can bring on a panic attack.
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Neck and shoulders may become tense and can lead to pain and headache.
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Gambling is often a coping mechanism for stress or low mood.
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Tingling and pin and needles hands can often occur due to hypocalcemia (low calcium).
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Stress effects the reproductive system for both men and women through a lower sex drive, erectile dysfunction in men and changes in menstrual cycles for women.
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Tense muscles can lead to aches and pains including tension headaches, backaches and tight shoulders.
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Clenching and grinding of teeth can wear tooth surfaces down.
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Sweating increases as body temperature. Skin can feel damp and clammy. Pimples and acne can become worse.
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Higher risk of illness as the stress hormone corticosteroid can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system.
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Stress can interrupt the normal functions of the gut, causing the digestive tract to spasm, leading to pain, either diarrhea or constipation.
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Stress causes your liver to release extra sugar (glucose) into your bloodstream. Stress may make you feel like consuming alcohol.
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Your body temperature rises, prompting your sweat glands to kick in and feel damp and clammy.
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Stress can damage almost every organ in your body. Stress is when we feel we need to do more than we can cope doing. The point where things become stressful varies for everyone. The challenge is to know yourself and your own level of positive stress, so that you can maintain a perspective and lifestyle that will enable you to stay within a comfortable zone.