Health
Marisa HeinzeDecember 14, 2022
Stress & Why it Promotes Weight Gain and Illness
We all know it, we all have it: stress. Whether in everyday life, at work or in our free time, stress is unfortunately often our constant companion. In small doses, stress makes sense. For example, it can enable us to have more energy for a short time, to increase our performance and to focus on the present. But too much stress paralyzes us, making us unable to move and think.
And that's not all: stress affects our entire body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nervous and reproductive systems. In this article, we explain exactly what happens:
Processes of stress in the body:
The nerve pathways in the brain and body can also be referred to as so-called working systems, since they synchronize functions and organs in our body in such a way that they achieve the best possible performance. This is expressed, for example, by zest for action, concentration or attention. The work systems use the neurotransmitter's adrenaline and noradrenaline to signal the body when to ramp up, or shut down, operations.
When working, our brain needs a lot of energy. Since it has no energy stores itself, the hormone cortisol has to release energy-rich glucose from the muscles. Cortisol is therefore often referred to as the stress hormone.
Is there positive stress?
In fact, there is something called eustress. This term refers to stress that leads to a positive response. It is the opposite of distress and often feels exciting. People find this type of stress manageable and even motivating. People can, for example, feel eustress in a sporting competition.
Physically, eustress can be similar to so-called distress, i.e. negative stress, in many ways. The difference is mainly in perception. The body's own processes are similar to the negative stress. Too much positive stress is therefore just as much a risk factor as too much negative stress.
Stress as a risk factor
Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. When adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, heart rate and blood pressure also drop.
But when we're constantly stressed, that fight-or-flight response stays on. But what does that mean? Due to prolonged stress, we have a constant overproduction of cortisol and other stress hormones. These hormones can disrupt almost every process in the body and lead to long-term health problems, such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Indigestion
- Headache
- Muscle tension
- Muscle pain
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Memory impairment
- Impairment of concentration
Healthy stress management
For the reasons mentioned above, it is particularly important to learn healthy ways to deal with stress and to actively reduce it. Here are a few:
Reduce stress with regeneration
Rest is not the same as relaxation! If the TV evening, the weekend and even a holiday don't fill up the batteries properly, then something is going wrong. Moderate exercise without overload is best for reducing stress hormones.
TV on, feet up, is that the best way to relax? According to studies, watching TV promotes the release of adrenaline and can thus subconsciously cause further stress.
That doesn't mean skipping your beloved TV evening entirely, just literally switching off more often. And that includes the mobile phone!
- Allow yourself to do nothing for once. Daydreaming for just 5 minutes can be balm for the soul
- Take a relaxing bath and switch off your mobile phone for half an hour
- Gentle tapping massage: Gently tap your body with your flat hands top to bottom off. Switch of your thoughts and instead actively feel the touch on your body
Reduce stress with exercise
Did you know that prolonged stress promotes muscle breakdown and the storage of calories in fat tissue? As mentioned above, under great mental and physical stress or tension, proteins from the muscles are converted into glucose, so that they are immediately available as energy.
Muscles, however, are among the largest energy consumers in the body. Conversely, fewer muscles require less energy. If we now consume the same number of calories every day as before, we generate an excess of energy that is stored as fat. In addition, the sugar that is extracted from the muscles in stressful situations is often not fully needed and is thus additionally deposited in abdominal fat.
Regular exercise is therefore necessary to build muscle and reduce stress. Exercise is the easiest way to reduce stress hormones and clear your head. Cardiac muscle and lung performance become stronger, so that all organs and cells benefit from better blood circulation and oxygen supply. Arrange an appointment for a free trial training at EVO today and let us introduce you to the EVO training concept without obligation.
Reduce stress = protect your health
In the case of stress, the body's own systems are suppressed or inhibited. A lot of stress can therefore lead to a health risk. You can reduce this risk through targeted stress reduction.
Targeted regeneration and individual training are suitable for this. So that these adjustments really work, it makes sense not to just get started, but to consult one of our EVO fitness experts in advance. You can find our contact details on our website.