What Organs Are Affected by Stress?
The human body is designed to react to stress. This can be good or bad, and it can lead to health issues.
Positive stress, or eustress, is important for the human body because it keeps us alert and ready to face danger. However, when stress becomes chronic, it can be harmful to the body and the mind.
When someone encounters a dangerous situation, the brain sends a signal that tells the rest of the body to prepare for fight or flight. This reaction is triggered by the amygdala and the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus connects to the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic functions like your heartbeat and breathing.
Your breath is quickened to provide more oxygen around your body and your muscles are flooded with adrenaline. The body also releases glucose to power your muscles, allowing them to move faster and more efficiently.
You’re more likely to become dehydrated or ill when you’re stressed because your heart and lungs have to work harder to deliver more blood to the tissues to support increased energy levels. Often, the stress causes your blood pressure to rise, which can make it difficult to breathe and may even cause panic attacks or other problems.
Other organs are affected by the stress response as well. The immune system is stimulated to increase its ability to fight infection, but over time, the immune system can weaken.
The digestive tract is also affected by the stress response. This can lead to acid reflux and gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Your intestines are affected by stress because the nerve endings in your intestines are prone to inflammation when your body is under stress. This can cause you to feel bloated and gassy, and may even create butterflies in your stomach.
Many people who are under stress may not eat as much because they lack the motivation to prepare nutritious meals. They may eat more sugary foods or snacks that contain lots of fat and calories, or they might skip meals altogether.
Having a hard time digesting food can also lead to problems such as constipation or diarrhea. This can make it difficult to eat enough nutritious food to maintain your weight and energy level, so your body will need to pull more nutrients from other areas of the body to get by.
The heart is affected by the stress response because your blood pressure and heart rate increase when you’re under stress, which can increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases. This can result in heart attacks or strokes, but it’s rare.
Your eyes and ears are also affected by the stress response because your senses are more likely to be activated when you’re stressed, which can result in blurry vision or hearing loss. This can be especially dangerous if you have an eye or hearing problem or if your eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be.
The brain is also affected by the stress response because it increases the growth of new stem cells that form neurons, which improves memory. This can be especially helpful if you’re under stress because it’s important to remember where you were and when something happened in order to avoid it again in the future.
