How us affect stress physically?

It stress is one of the most widespread ills of today therefore example, 75% of adults in the United States said to suffer stress, according to the survey Stress in America─. On many occasions, the most serious problem is how we sometimes underestimate it. To prevent that from happening, it is important to know how it affects us physically.

1. problems in the digestive system
   As the brain and the digestive tract are closely connected, stress can cause many negative effects on the latter. Among them, is the syndrome of irritable bowel syndrome, one of the most widespread digestive stress consequences , although not the only, as they also are in the stomach inflammations, ulcers and reflux, above especially when stress is chronic.

2. the life of our cells
   All cells have chromosomes. Chromosomes, in turn, have Telomeres and with chronic stress, become shorter. When the Telomere ends, the cell dies. In this regard, stress affects us at a cellular level, accelerating our Aging or by making more noticeable their signals.

1. the immune system vulnerability
   When a person suffers from chronic stress, hormone cortisol behaves in a strange way, raising its presence in the body. Because of this, the immune system begins to ignore it. When that system, that is which defends our body from external threat, begins to fail, the body becomes more vulnerable.

On the one hand, it increases the risk of colds. On the other hand, common wounds may take longer to heal. And, while they are more slow to heal our wounds, we are more exposed to threats to the environment. In addition, vaccines are less effective.

1. promotion of heart disease
   Science knows that stress can cause heart problems, although it is not known what the determining factors. On the one hand, has been linked to high blood pressure, that it also affects indirectly: people under stress tend to smoke more or less healthy than people without stress eating.

Between its different consequences, stress can also cause the almost unknown broken heart syndrome. Even a woman was diagnosed with this syndrome after the death of your pet.

1. mental disorders
   Childhood traumas can do that in the future, we develop mental illness. Even Professor Alan Brown, of Columbia University, found that certain events of early life increases the risk of developing schizophrenia in adulthood.

But, returning to the theme of physical changes, stress can cause changes in the amygdala, especially at an early stage of our lives. Those changes have also been often related to anxiety and depression.

1. changes in metabolism
   Elevated cortisol levels can make the brain response to stress to increase and generate changes in metabolism. In that sense, eating disorders or sleep disorders occur, in relation to the changes in the circadian rhythm, also called internal clock.

On the other hand, stress and its changes in the levels of cortisol can cause damage in the hippocampus and enhance memory or concentration, and even Alzheimer's disease problems.

1. sleep problems
   Stress can cause changes in our metabolism and affect our circadian rhythms. In that sense, the sleep problems may begin to appear, especially when we follow a routine that requires us to get up early.

On the other hand, stress can also cause other sleep disorders, such as nightmares. In this sense, changes in metabolism make sure the brain is more active at night and that the nightmares become more frequent.

Remember that before the symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression, the best decision is to see a medical specialist: stress should not be underestimated.

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