If you’re currently feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and burned out, then you are certainly not alone. This is pretty much the status quo for countless millions of people around the globe. But that doesn’t make it okay! In fact, it makes it even more important that we explore the reasons for this stress and work out ways to stop it. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t just ‘put up’ with serious stress.
It Makes You Unhappy
Not only does stress make you extremely unhappy in the moment – kind of by definition – but it can also lead to longer term issues with your mental health such as depression, anxiety, and mental fatigue. When you feel low, anxious, and depressed, the world will feel as though it has no color. In order to really enjoy the things you’re doing, you need to allow yourself to.
It Damages Your Immune System
Stress forces the body to redirect blood and oxygen away from the organs and toward the muscles. Your body assumes that if you’re very stressed, you must be in danger. Hence you are more likely to need your biceps than your spleen! Problem is, that then means that your immune system stops working as well as it should, leaving you open to attacks from harmful bacteria and germs. The longer you are highly stressed will result in you getting sick more often and in the long term, stress can actually be dangerous and even cause fatal illnesses.
It Prevents Nutrient Absorption
Likewise, stress causes blood to be directed away from your digestive system (hence the feeling of getting ‘butterflies’), which then means you absorb nutrients less effectively. Over time, this can result in serious malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies, resulting in a host of other issues.
It Causes You to Make Mistakes
When you are stressed, you will struggle to focus on the task in hand. Whatever it is you’re worried about is going to seem more important. The more you stress, the more mistakes you’re likely to make, which can lead to all kinds of complications and issues.
It Damages Relationships
Stress can make you short tempered, it can rob you of the energy you need for socializing, and it can result in you being less pleasant to be around. This can place a strain on your relationships. If you don’t fix your stress for yourself, think about the impact it’s having on your children or other loved ones.