Are YOU in the stress danger zone and speeding through life

We live in a fast moving world where stress seems to have become an accepted part of our daily lives.

Somehow we never have enough time to eat properly, sleep for long enough, talk to our families or just sit and enjoy some guilt free leisure time. 

We have cars and planes to help us to travel faster, technology which keeps us in touch 24 hours a day and even exercise routines which are geared for speed.  

All this can take its toll on our health, more so than many of us realise. 

Stress that is veering into the danger zone comes with tell-tale physical and emotional signs. 

Here, experts writing for The Hippocratic Post reveal the key things to look out for.

Scroll down for video 

If you start getting infections all the time or find yourself crying over nothing, you could be dangerously close to a stress-related breakdown

PHYSICAL 

‘When we are in a fight of flight situation, the body releases lots of stress hormones including cortisol to gear the body up to cope with an emergency,’ says psychologist, Gladeana McMahon.

‘Someone who is under chronic stress has cortisol pouring into the bloodstream all the time. In the long term, too much cortisol can damage the immune system.’

Take note if you start getting infections all the time or really bad colds. 

• Women are happier in life and feel more worthwhile – but…

  Four in five work longer than we’re paid for: Third of…

  Can extreme tiredness be treated with acupressure? Breast…

  Instagram your meals, get an extra hour in bed and snack on…

Some studies suggest that a lowered immune system can even lead to cancer.

Your sleep patterns can be disrupted by stress that is getting out of control. Early waking is a sign to look out for. 

If you regularly use sleeping pills to overcome your insomnia, it may be time to assess your stress levels (stock photo)

Insomnia is also a key sign. If you are regularly using sleeping pills to try and get some sleep, it may be time to assess your stress levels.

Appetite levels can drop off a cliff, or you can start eating all the time. 

‘If you start being excessive about your eating habits, this is a sign that all is not well,’ she adds.

Frequent headaches and muscular aches and pains can be a sign of growing stress, according to McMahon.

EMOTIONAL

‘Lots of my clients report that they are angrier than normal and little things can set them off,’ says Jacqueline Hurst, a clinical hypnotherapist and life coach.

‘Too much stress can heighten emotion so you may find yourself crying for nothing, or screaming and shouting at someone over nothing.’

Libido levels plummet in times of high stress, and lack of a sex life can put further strain on a relationship.

People under too much stress may react hastily to situations and quickly regret it.

‘Confidence goes out the window. As stress levels increase, confidence and self – esteem decrease,’ she added.

GET A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE 

No one can change the economic downturn or alter the fact that juggling a job with bringing up children is stressful, but we can all change the way we think about our lot in life, according to Ms Hurst.

She said: ‘I believe that people’s thoughts rule everything and I am always challenging my clients to change their beliefs and their thinking. 

‘Step back and ask yourself, is that going to make any difference at all in five years time? 

People under too much stress can heighten emotion so you may find yourself crying for nothing or being left full of regret after hastily reacting to a situation

‘Is this really an extreme situation like the Blitz when Londoners faced death? Try and get a sense of perspective.’

SPEEDING THROUGH LIFE? SLOW DOWN A LITTLE 

We have cars and planes to help us to travel faster, technology which keeps us in touch 24 hours a day and even exercise routines which are geared for speed.

But experts believe all this speed comes at a price.

Experts are now unanimous that stress is likely to contribute to ‘metabolic syndrome’.

This is a cluster of pathogenic mechanisms characterised by an accumulation of abdominal fat, a decrease in sensitivity to insulin, increased level of cholesterol, and heightened blood pressure.

Speeding through life comes at a cost, warns Dr Jack Edmonds, a GP at The London Clinic, as the constant state of catching up puts pressure on our health

‘Doctors’ waiting rooms are full of people suffering from a variety of ailments ranging from IBS to high blood pressure, skin disorders to migraines with just one cause in common – stress,’ says Dr Jack Edmonds a GP at The London Clinic.

‘They are doing everything far too fast and it’s giving them very real health problems. 

‘Everyone seems to expect far too much of themselves and take on too many commitments.’

Living in a constant state of ‘catching up’ puts tremendous pressure on our health because stress encourages the production of noradrenaline and adrenaline which increases the heart rate and puts pressure on the nervous system. 

‘It leads to raised blood pressure which in turn can increase the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack.’

SHOULD WE CUT DOWN ON FLYING? 

The boom in cut price air travel means that many of us are frequent flyers and often work will expect us to fly rather than take less stressful options such as rail. 

But the ability to get there fast can come with a high price.

Flying has been associated with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the combination of inactivity and dehydration, makes the blood more sticky and more likely to form a clot.

Flying has been associated with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and flare-ups of skin problems such as ecezema

Research has shown that sitting down for more than five hours long by car, plane or train increase the risk of DVT fourfold.

‘Sitting for several hours in an air conditioned environment cause dehydration and your mucus membranes dry up quite quickly,’ explains Dr Edmonds. 

‘This causes sinus problem, blocked up noses, and even reduced urine output. 

‘There is also some evidence that it increases flare ups of skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.’

He advises people to fly less often, drink lots of water, avoid alcohol and try to move around the cabin during flight.

This article has been reproduced with the permission of The Hippocratic Post.