Less Known Stress Facts

Stress has been called “the silent killer” and can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain, and an irregular heartbeat.
Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis, and suicide
While it is a myth that stress can turn hair grey, stress can cause hair loss.
Stress alters the neurochemical makeup of the body, which can affect fertility.
Stress can make skin conditions and other weak areas worse.
The stress hormone cortisol causes abdominal fat to accumulate
The stress of caring for a disabled spouse increases the risk of stroke
Chronic stress can impair the developmental growth in children by lowering the production of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.
Chronic stress floods the brain with powerful hormones that are meant for short-term emergency situations. Chronic exposure can damage, shrink, and kill brain cells and is linked to dementia
Stress makes the blood “stickier,” in preparation for an injury. Such a reaction, however, also increases the probability of developing a clot.
Research has shown that dark chocolate reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and other fight-flight hormones.
Chronic stress increases cytokines, which produce inflammation. Exposure to constant inflammation can damage arteries and organs.
Stress can alter blood sugar levels, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia, and metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for heart attack and diabetes.
Chronic stress worsens irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that irritates the large intestine and causes constipation, cramping, and bloating.
Chronic stress decreases the body’s immune system’s response to infection.
Studies show that HIV-infected people are more likely to progress to AIDS if they are under high stress than those who are not.
Stress can increase the ability of chemicals to pass the blood-brain barrier, which shields neurons from some poisons, viruses, toxins, and other fluctuations in normal blood chemistry.
Young people from military families who have a deployed parent report higher levels of stress and emotional problems than others.
Stress increases the risk of premature birth and puts the foetus at greater risk for developing stress-related disorders.
Post-traumatic stress physically changes children’s brains; specifically, stress shrinks the hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores and retrieves memories.
Stress can result in more headaches as a result of the body re-routing blood flow to other parts of the body.
The hyper-arousal of the body’s stress response system can lead to chronic insomnia.
When cells shrink due to exposure to stress hormones, they disconnect from each other, which contributes to depression.
Men are more likely than women to develop certain stress-related disorders, including hypertension, aggressive behaviour, and abuse of alcohol and drugs.
Stress creates hormonal changes in the human body that can decrease libido and sex response.