This condition negatively affects the work of almost all organs and systems.
Each of us can experience acute feelings of anxiety from time to time, such as before an exam, job interview, or a date. Your heart rate and breathing increase, sweating increases, you may experience dizziness, nausea, weakness, pain in the abdomen and chest, and diarrhea.
All this is the result of the action of stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, which are powerfully released into the bloodstream when we experience fear and anxiety. But as soon as the situation is resolved, all these physiological symptoms disappear without a trace.
However, quite often, anxiety becomes chronic and begins to negatively affect mental and physical health, reducing the quality of life. Anxiety disorders can be encountered at any age, but they develop more frequently in adolescence and young adults, with women more than men. There are several types of anxiety disorders:
generalized anxiety disorderin which a person is constantly in a state of increased anxiety without any logical reasons.
social anxiety disorderin which a person experiences a paralyzing fear of any contact with other people, is afraid of condemnation and humiliation on their part.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorderassociated with psychological trauma resulting from some difficult situations and experiences – war, natural disaster, attack by a criminal, and so on.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorderin which, in order to cope with an underlying sense of anxiety, a person performs certain rituals over and over again (washes hands, checks if the gas is turned off, and so on) and struggles with obsessive, disturbing thoughts.
panic disorderassociated with panic attacks – sudden bouts of uncontrollable horror and a sense of impending danger.
Here’s how anxiety disorders affect different body systems:
central nervous system
Fear and anxiety cause the brain to regularly release stress hormones into the bloodstream. This leads to migraines and tension headaches, when the head seems to be pulled together by a tight tourniquet, irritability, concentration problems, and depression.
The cardiovascular system
Rushing adrenaline and cortisol cause blood vessels to constrict and disrupt the normal blood supply to the heart, which causes bouts of palpitations and heart rhythm disturbances, as well as a feeling of heaviness and pain behind the sternum.
Anxiety disorders increase the risk of hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
In addition, chronic anxiety disrupts the function of the vagus nerve, which communicates information between the brain and internal organs and regulates the functioning of the heart, as well as reduces heart rate variability – an indicator that reflects the body’s ability to cope with stress.
10 anti-stress tips from Scandinavians – in our gallery:
Show light. Bright fluorescent lights are not what you need when you are feeling stressed. Instead, buy warm orange lamps and place them throughout your home. These small islands of light are much better at soothing the eyes and therefore helping to relax at home.
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Light candles. The process of lighting candles is a pleasure in itself. Since childhood, they have been associated with a holiday, something kind and magical. What’s more, scents like vanilla, lavender, or chamomile can trigger a chemical reaction in the brain that helps you relax. In particular, cucumber-scented candles are said to help with anxiety.
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Make pauses. The Swedish “fika” is a tradition of taking a break from work every day to enjoy a hot drink and sweet pastries (like a cinnamon roll!), in peace. Taking small breaks in a busy, difficult day, you switch and give yourself a break. This is an excellent prevention of overwork.
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Listen to music. Listen to songs that make you feel better and give you a good, positive vibe. Romantic ballads, songs from musicals, Christmas carols or Soviet classics – the main thing is that you like it. Half an hour on the way to work, in the car, at home – create a mood for yourself.
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Exit the room. Contrary to the advice of the classic, outdoor activities will not be a mistake and are strongly encouraged! If you still think Scandinavian advice is about staying at home, remember the joke that Finns are born with skis on their feet. Long walks, Nordic walking, ice skating, jogging – choose what you like best this time of year.
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Invite guests. Gather at home those with whom you are pleased to talk about plans for the future and recklessly play board games. If relations with relatives are a series of provocative questions, let it be a friendly meeting. Be “here and now”, communicate easily: do not discuss politics, money and health.
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Be alone with yourself. Turn off your devices, take a hot bath and be alone: watch what you are thinking at this moment, whether you quickly relax or start to worry. Every day we do so many things, we run so fast that it does not give us the opportunity to pay attention to ourselves. And such awareness is the key to psychological health and balance.
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Make coffee. It’s probably no secret that Scandinavians are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world. Still, living most of the year in the cold and twilight, they know how to adapt. We do not encourage you to drink coffee in unlimited quantities, but if you also love this drink, a cup of aromatic brewed coffee is a great morning tradition that will set the mood. Unless you have contraindications to caffeine, of course!
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Decorate the house. Decorate your home not only for the holiday, but just like that. Garlands, candles, soft pillows, and home fragrances all help create a safe, pleasant, cozy space in your home that makes you feel good. The mere presence of it is therapeutic.
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Maintain balance. Like it or not, a balance between work and personal life is the main principle of preventing emotional burnout. In every profession, there can be overtime and big events from time to time, but if it happens regularly, you will leave yourself emotionally drained. Leave the office on time, create a rule like “no work after 8pm” and try to stick to it. You should definitely have a time when you can not check your smartphone and glance at the endless notifications. Sometimes even half an hour in “flight mode” is a great technique to reduce stress and anxiety.
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Digestive system
Abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, irritable bowel syndrome are constant companions of anxiety disorders, because the digestive organs are especially sensitive to the action of cortisol. In addition, stress hormones disrupt the balance of the bacterial microflora in the intestines – pathogenic bacteria become too numerous, and beneficial ones are too few, which leads to chronic inflammation.
Respiratory system
The rapid, shallow breathing that is characteristic of anxiety and panic attacks leads to hyperventilation, when too much oxygen is delivered to the lungs and brain. This causes dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness, ringing in the ears, and a feeling of lightheadedness. In addition, anxiety disorders worsen the symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The immune system
Anxiety triggers the body’s response to stress, triggering a hormonal surge designed to help you deal with an emergency—either fight or flee. The pulse and breathing quicken so that the brain receives more oxygen, the immune system is activated. If this is just a one-time action, then the body returns to normal when the anxiety passes. But in the case of chronic anxiety, the hang-up signal never sounds.
Due to the constantly high level of cortisol, the production of white blood cells is disrupted. This leads to a weakened immune system, and makes the body particularly vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections. This is why anxious people get sick so often.
Read also:
15 simple and reliable ways to deal with stress
How to deal with anxiety
Water and Anxiety: How Drinking Helps Calm You Down
What 12 foods are rich in vitamin C – find out from the video:
2023-07-19 10:21:13
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