What worry or STRESS does to the human body....

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 What constant stress does to the human body

Imagine your body is like a superhero that can handle lots of things. But sometimes, when you feel worried or scared for a long time, it's like your superhero is always on high alert. This is called chronic stress.

Here's what happens when your superhero is always on high alert:

  1. Heart Beats Faster: Your heart starts beating really fast, like it's running a marathon. This can make your blood pressure go up, which isn't good for your heart13.

  2. Muscles Get Tired: Your muscles get tight and tired because they're always ready to fight or run away. This can give you headaches and make you feel sore9.

  3. Tummy Troubles: Sometimes, you might get a tummy ache or feel sick because your body is too busy being on alert to help your tummy work properly10.

  4. Sleepy Time: You might have trouble sleeping because your body is always ready to go, like it's waiting for something to happen28.

  5. Getting Sick More Often: Your superhero body gets tired of being on high alert all the time, so it can't fight off germs as well. This means you might get sick more easily6

  6. Feeling Sad or Worried: Chronic stress can make you feel sad, worried, or grumpy a lot of the time. It's like your superhero is too tired to be happy27.

So, it's important to help your superhero body relax sometimes. You can do this by playing, drawing, or talking to someone you trust. Remember, it's okay to feel stressed sometimes, but it's not good if it lasts too long.

Citations:

  1. https://www.vcuhealth.org/news/the-ways-chronic-stress-can-impact-your-body/
  2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323324
  3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
  4. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2017/07/toxic-stress-how-the-bodys-response-can-harm-a-childs-development
  5. https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/chronic-stress-can-hurt-your-overall-health
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSrYKswLA4w
  7. https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body
  8. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/chronic
  9. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
  10. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/effects-on-body

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share


When you're feeling worried or scared for a long time, it can make your body work differently. Let me explain how it affects two important parts of your superhero body: your nervous system and your immune system.

Nervous System

Your nervous system is like the boss that tells your body what to do. When you're stressed for a long time:

  • It keeps sending out "fight or flight" signals, like an alarm that never stops ringing. This uses up a lot of energy and makes your brain tired13.

  • Your brain might shrink in places like the hippocampus, which helps you remember things and learn new stuff. This can make it harder to think clearly1.

  • The part of your brain called the amygdala gets super active, making you feel extra scared or upset about little things1.

  • Over time, your nerves can get tired and stop working as well, which might make you feel pain or tingling in your hands and feet1.

Immune System

Your immune system is like the army that fights germs to keep you healthy. Chronic stress can confuse this army:

  • Stress makes your body release too much cortisol (a stress hormone), which weakens the immune system's soldiers, like white blood cells. This means germs can sneak past them more easily, making you sick more often24.

  • Instead of fighting germs properly, your immune system might get confused and cause inflammation (like swelling and redness), which can hurt your body over time24. (or even an auto-immune type disorder)

  • If stress lasts too long, it can even make your immune system too tired to protect you from big illnesses or infections4.

So, chronic stress is like keeping your superhero body on high alert all the time—eventually, it gets too tired to work properly! Taking breaks to relax helps your superhero stay strong.

Citations:

  1. https://lonestarneurology.net/others/how-stress-affects-your-nervous-system/
  2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11546738/
  3. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
  4. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-when-your-immune-system-gets-stressed-out
  5. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
  6. https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-does-Stress-Affect-Your-Immune-System.aspx
  7. https://www.hanleycenter.org/stress-and-the-nervous-system/
  8. https://health.umms.org/2020/11/10/stress-immune-system/

Answer from Perplexity: pplx.ai/share

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