The stress can easily be manifested when someone experiences a mental or emotional pressure for a longer period of time. This form of pressure is called distress, and is considered to be a harmful psychological state that can damage both the mind as well as the body.

It is not uncommon to say that too much stress could kill you. This sole fact, if combined with the near universal presence of stress in our day to day lives, does not add up to something good for the individual and the health of the public.

You’re Overstressed

You're Overstressed

Just take into consideration some of these alarming statistics:

  • 73% of the people regularly experience psychological issues due to the stress
  • 77% of the people regularly experience physical issues due to the stress
  • 48% of people cannot fall asleep at night because of stress
  • 48% of people blame the stress for the negative impact on their professional and personal life
  • 33% of the people claim that they are living under a great deal of stress

The human body is comprised out of exactly 78 organs, all of which being divided into 13 major organ system. From all these organs, five are considered to be vital – the heart, the brain, kidneys, lungs and liver.

And why do we care to mention this? Because the stress has an impact on all of them, especially the vital organs! This is why in this article today we are going to go a little deeper into this subject and talk about how stress can affect these organ systems, and of course, we will provide you with some effective ways of managing stress and maintaining the health of the body, mind, and all the organs!

  • Cardiovascular system – the cardiovascular system consists from the heart and the blood vessels and putting too much stress on it can be life threatening. According to recent findings, this is the lead cause of death for both men and women nowadays. The present stress, combined with excess smoking or alcohol will increase your risk of a cardiovascular disease. So make sure you destress yourself and cut the consumption of anything that might be bad for you.
  • Nervous system – the central part of our nervous system are the brain and the spinal cord combined. The beginning, the ending of stress, and everything in between, starts from the brain. The stress initiates the fight or flight response and releases the stress hormones that spread throughout the entire body, making the heart beat faster, the respiration to increase rapidly, even the blood vessels in the arms dilate. The chronic stress is no good for the brain.
  • Respiratory system – lungs, nose, larynx, pharynx, bronchi and trachea form the respiratory system. When the brain causes one to breathe harder, it sometimes comes to the point of hyperventilation. This is when the panic attack is happening – the sudden feeling of acute and disabling anxiety, which is a common medical condition to people who are constantly fighting with stress.
  • Musculoskeletal system – all the bones, joints and muscles make up for the musculoskeletal system. The chronis stress is causing out entire body to tense up, and be in a state of guardedness, which lead to chronic painful conditions.
  • Reproductive system – with both men and women, the reproductive system is influenced by the nervous system. During a constant period of stress, the brain releases cortisol which ultimately disrupts the normal functioning of the anatomic reproductive components.
  • Endocrine system – once again, when the brain releases the stress hormone, the body’s awareness is hightened, and in these cases, managing the levels of stress in the body can lead to high blood sugar levels and ultimately diabetes.
  • Integumentary system – this system includes the nails, skin and hair. This system plays an important role in maintaining the equilibrium of the body, including sensory reception, biochemical synthesis, absorption of nutrients, temperature regulation and so on. For this system to work optimally, the other systems must also be maintained. The stress disrupts this system which leads to skin inelassticity, destabilization of glandular functions, disrupted tissue restoration, decreased blood flow to the skin.
  • Digestive system – you all know the organs in this system – the esophagus, stomach, intestine, gallbladder, pancreas, appendix and rectum. Consuming more food, especially unhealthy food can cause heartburn or acid reflux – common problem with people who are dealing with a lot of stress. This can increase the sensitivity of the stomach, leading to a lot of pain, ulcers, and other conditions.

But how to combat stress? There are several ways for you to improve your overall lifestyle and successfully combat stress – here they are:

  • Make some lifestyle changes – the positive changes are a must if you want to reuce the stress in your life. Consume a well balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid excess use of caffeine, alcohol and smoking.
  • Use some relaxation methods – try some meditation, acupuncture, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, biofeedback and massage therapy.
  • Finally, try some herbal remedies – these include trying aromatherapy, valerian (herb with sedative qualities), and use of the root kava (reduces anxiety and stress).