When you go into the local YMCA gym, there are several possible health goals you might be aiming for. Maybe you want to be stronger and build bigger muscles, or perhaps you just want to lose weight. Your workout can help with your cardiovascular health, or you might train for flexibility, balance, and agility.
But working out also helps with alleviating stress. This is a big deal, since stress is a contributing factor to a wide range of health issues.
Stress has been linked to weight gain, giving prominence to the notion of “stress eating”. Plenty of research has confirmed that people in general are like to eat more food (about 40% more) when they’re stressed.
And stress is also a known factor for various cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure and heart attacks. It’s been found that the stress hormones constrict the blood vessels and increase the heart rate, forcing your heart to work harder.
But that’s not even the last of the problems. Here are some more issues that stress might lead to:
Weakened Immune System
It’s not a coincidence that when you’re feeling stressed all the time, you’re more likely to get sick or get a cold. There’s actually a good reason for this. Stress really puts a lot of demand on the body that as a consequence, the immune system suffers. That makes you more vulnerable to various infections and diseases.
Premature Aging
You might have noticed that the more relaxed folks tend to look younger than the people who seem stressed out all the time. It’s not because the relaxed people are smiling more, making them look younger. Or at least, that’s not the only reason.
Research conducted at the University of California, San Francisco indicated that constant stress physically makes the telomeres (these are the structures at the end of chromosomes) shorter. This is significant because as a result, new cells aren’t able to grow as quickly.
And that means you’re more likely to experience the various signs of aging, including wrinkles, deteriorating eyesight, and weaker muscles.
Tooth Problems and Gum Disease
This might seem preposterous when you first hear about it. But it makes a lot more sense when you realize that plenty of people react to stress with nervous tics—which include grinding their teeth. This practice in the long run is bad for your health, as it wears the teeth down and can even result in damage to the jaw.
Another study also linked stress to gum disease. In this study, it was found that the people wo became highly emotional when faced with money problems significantly increased the risk of periodontal disease. Other stressful situations that had similar effects on the gums include marital issues, parental issues, and work problems. The lack of a romantic life is also similarly stressful.
Bad Romance
A good romantic life and a healthy sex life is a great boon when it comes to dealing with stress. That’s obvious, as a nice round of sex and the emotional support of a loving partner can truly keep one relaxed and centered. It’s why those without a romantic life are just more stressed.
But when you’re truly stressed, it might affect your sex life as well. This isn’t just about performance anxiety, though that’s also common. But other stressful situations, such as tension from work or family issues, can really get you off the mood quickly and often.
What does this all mean? It means that stress isn’t as trivial as you might think. And you need to find effective ways of dealing with stress on a regular basis. Try out breathing techniques and relaxing stretches, and find other ways that work for you.