If you experience short-term or chronic anxiety, you’re likely familiar with how it feels when an attack is happening. It may come on slow and begin to build rapidly. Your heart begins to race and your breathing quickens. During this time, your body goes through several different processes, all of which consume energy. This is why people often feel exhausted after a bout of anxiety or stress.

Many people may feel the mental anguish of a stressful situation causes tiredness. However, there’s more going on beneath the surface that causes fatigue following an attack of anxiousness. But what does anxiety do to the body, and how does it affect how much energy you have? Read on to learn how anxiety can influence energy levels. 

What does anxiety do to the body? 

Anxiety is an intense feeling of dread, worry, or impending doom. It can occur sporadically because of stressful events. It can also be chronic, as is the case with anxiety disorders. In many cases, people feel anxiety in entirely safe situations, where nothing specific is triggering the feelings.

When the brain thinks there is a threat, hormones are released from different areas such as the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, and hypothalamus. These hormones prepare you to fight or flee the perceived danger. When those hormones are released, they trigger physical symptoms that can include:

• Shaking 
• A faster heart rate
• Chest pain
• Shallow and rapid breathing
• Dry mouth
• Muscle tension
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness 

These physical symptoms all contribute to the fatigue people feel after experiencing a bout of anxiety. However, if stress is constant or occurs more often, that tiredness can stick around even after rest. 

How can anxiety affect a person’s ability to function? 

Because of the physical symptoms above, a person’s ability to participate in regular activities during a bout of anxiety can be near impossible. Every system in the body is affected differently. 

Central nervous system 

The release of hormones during anxiety and stress increases symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and depression. That is because the nervous system becomes flooded with the hormones and chemicals that are released to help deal with a specific threat. 

Cardiovascular system

The cardiovascular symptoms arising during bouts of anxiety put stress on your heart muscle. That can increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. Some chest pain associated with anxiety may even feel like a heart attack, prompting people to visit a hospital. 

Digestive system 

The digestive system can get thrown out of balance because of anxiety. Stomach aches, nausea, and diarrhea are all common symptoms of anxiety, meaning day-to-day living can be disrupted severely. Dealing with gastrointestinal issues can also sap your energy. 

Immune system

The flood of chemicals released during anxiety also affects the function of the immune system. Constant stress can leave a person with a weakened immune system that cannot fight off pathogens as well as it should. With a weaker immune system and more risk of sickness, you are likely to feel more tired if you catch a common cold or other illness. 

Sleep 

If you aren’t getting enough quality sleep, you will not be able to function at your best. Long-term anxiety can negatively affect your sleeping patterns, sometimes leading to insomnia. Insomnia and other sleep issues such as the inability to stay asleep throughout the night can, over time, cause a person to feel chronically tired. 

The issue with sleep and anxiety is that the two can be codependent. That means that one can cause the other and vice versa. If it goes on long enough, this cycle will lead to severe tiredness in people with chronic anxiety.  

What does anxiety fatigue feel like? 

There are two ways that anxiety can cause a person to feel tired all the time. The first is sleep-related, and the second is known as anxiety fatigue.

Fatigue is mental or physical tiredness that does not go away. People with fatigue often feel weak, unmotivated, and as if they need sleep throughout the day. Anxiety fatigue is fatigue brought on by anxiety.

Some symptoms that you can experience if you have anxiety fatigue include: 

• Brain fogginess 
• Inability to concentrate or finish a thought 
• Poor memory 

The little things that you do daily can feel highly taxing, and it’s hard to escape those feelings if you have anxiety that continues every day. Eventually, stress and anxiety may lead to chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition marked by excessive fatigue that will not go away. 

How can you restore your energy levels? 

To address fatigue caused by anxiety, you have to take it step by step. The first thing you will want to do is manage your stress and seek treatment. You should also adopt specific lifestyle changes. To help curb anxiety’s effects while undergoing treatment, you can: 

• Develop bedtime and wake-up routines to get into a good cycle of sleep 
• Engage in some form of exercise every day 
• Try meditation to reduce the overall levels of stress hormones in your bloodstream

Anxiety isn’t easy to deal with, and neither is being tired all the time. The best thing you can do for both is address your anxiety head-on and get the proper treatment and lifestyle practices in place. 

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Your lifestyle plays a significant role in your anxiety levels. Nutrition and daily stress can factor into how your specific case of anxiety progresses or declines. The idea that lifestyle greatly impacts mental health is nothing new. That said, the importance of making lifestyle changes to benefit the wellness of your mind has gained traction in recent years. New research surrounding anxiety disorders and lifestyle factors has all shared one finding: if you don’t take care of your body, your mind will suffer. 

However, people with mental health disorders such as anxiety can also suffer from a reduction in physical health as a result of their condition. Stress affects many biological systems in the body – cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, and digestive – so it’s only fair to assume that high stress and anxiety can also impact fitness levels. But how does anxiety affect your overall level of fitness and physical wellbeing? Read on to learn how anxiety can influence fitness levels.

Anxiety and fitness 

Anxiety and fitness are connected in a big way. That is because stress, when severe enough, impacts a person’s fitness for various reasons. The first has a lot to do with just feeling up to working out. Studies have shown that people with anxiety are far more sedentary than those without the disorder. One study looked at the reasons behind this fact and found that it could have much to do with anxiety’s physical symptoms.

People with anxiety may experience various ailments, including: 

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Stomach aches
• Racing heart
• Shallow breathing
• Muscle tension that can lead to pain 
• Fatigue
• Feelings of weakness 
• Tingling in the hands and feet 
• Chest pain or pressure 

All of these physical symptoms can be mild to severe. That said, even people who experience the mildest of symptoms associated with anxiety may not feel inclined to work out. Suppose you are supposed to go for a run, but you wake up with a stomach ache and feel dizzy. You’re not going to feel comfortable lacing up your shoes and pushing your body when you feel physically ill. The study did, however, find that the more severe a person’s symptoms are, the more likely they are to skip their next workout session. 

People with anxiety also suffer from mental symptoms that can make exercise challenging to accomplish as well. Brain fog from anxiety fatigue can make it difficult to get out of bed, let alone head to the gym. A lack of motivation can also play a role in the absence of physical exercise in people with anxiety. 

Anxiety and bodyweight 

Another aspect of fitness that ties into anxiety is body weight. People with anxiety have elevated levels of stress hormones. One such hormone, cortisol, has been linked to an increase in weight. The hormone signals the body to hold onto excess weight in case it needs it in a life-or-death situation. The abdomen and stomach area are where most of the fat accumulates in highly stressed people. Research shows that losing fat in the belly is the hardest to do when trying to shed pounds. 

When people with anxiety carry extra weight, it can make it physically more difficult to engage in various types of exercise. When combining being overweight, unmotivated, and physically ill, it’s no wonder getting out to exercise with chronic anxiety is difficult. 

Can exercise improve anxiety? 

The connection between anxiety and fitness is something of a catch-22. As mentioned above, getting to the gym or working out is increasingly difficult for people with anxiety. But on the opposite side, exercising can lead to decreased anxiety symptoms.

There are many reasons why exercising can help make anxiety a more manageable condition. They include: 

Distraction 

Working out requires focus. Whether you run, lift weights, or do yoga, you must remain focused on your body. This intense concentration is a distraction against anxious and stressful thoughts. When you’re too busy counting reps, you can’t be thinking about the things that stress you out. 

Combat for physical symptoms 

Some physical symptoms of anxiety, such as muscle tension and headaches, can be improved through regular exercise. While your muscles may be sore after a workout, they are less tense.  

Brain chemistry 

Symptoms of anxiety are driven by the body’s release of stress hormones. If you exercise, you trigger the brain to release different types of chemicals that can combat those feelings. For example, the brain releases serotonin when you increase your heart rate through exercise. Serotonin is associated with feelings of mental wellness and can regulate anxiety. 

Brain function 

If you have anxiety, your brain perceives non-threats as dangers you need to get away from. This malfunction can be fought against with exercise because movement can activate areas of the brain that control how you process threats to your safety.  

What type of exercise is best for anxiety? 

While any physical movement helps battle anxiety, high-intensity interval training is one of the best. Research shows that people who engage in activities that increase their heart rate show a more notable improvement in anxiety symptoms.

Overall, though, the best exercise for you is the one you’ll continue doing. It doesn’t matter what type you choose; if you want to increase your fitness levels while helping your anxiety, pick one and stick with it. You’ll be grateful you did. 

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According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, roughly 40 million American adults have an anxiety disorder. That is close to 20% of the population. With such a high prevalence, many people deal with the debilitating symptoms of anxiety daily. Over half of those suffering from anxiety deal with at least one anxiety attack each year. 

Anxiety disorders and panic attacks are treatable using various medications or therapeutic techniques. However, they are not curable. The only thing that medicine or therapy can do is help people manage their symptoms and avoid having panic attacks as best they can. 

One way people can keep anxiety and anxiety attacks at bay is by knowing triggers and learning how to cope appropriately. But what are the most common triggers of anxiety? Read on to learn more. 

What is the most common cause of anxiety? 

There is no single most common cause of anxiety. Typically, various factors play into its development. Anxiety disorders are generally the number one cause associated with anxiety and panic attacks; however, medical researchers are yet to understand why these disorders develop.

Other things that can lead to anxiety and panic attacks include trauma, stress, medications, drug use, and other underlying medical conditions. Each person’s anxiety will develop because of something different, and no two people experience it the same way. 

What triggers anxiety attacks? 

People with anxiety often get to know their individual triggers to cope with their disorders and symptoms. However, some more general triggers can cause anxiety attacks to occur. These include: 

1. Health issues

Being told that you have an illness can make you feel like your world is ending. It can be a profound and drastic life change that will turn things upside down. When a person already has anxiety, or even if they don’t, dealing with severe or chronic illness can trigger feelings of anxiety or a panic attack. 

2. Medications 

While medications keep your health in check, some have nasty side effects. One such side effect can be anxiety or panic attacks. The medicines that trigger these feelings can be either prescribed to you or over-the-counter. Ingredients in the medication can trigger emotional or physical changes that cause an anxiety attack when you’re least expecting it.

Medicines that may cause this include: 

• Weight loss medications
• Birth control pills
• Cough and congestion medicines 
• Inhalers for congestion or chest infections 

3. Caffeine

Caffeine in small doses may not cause anxiety in most people, but it can send some into a panic attack. Research has found that people with existing anxiety disorders are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine. 

4. Hunger and skipping meals 

Blood sugar and anxiety can go hand-in-hand in some cases. If you skip meals, your blood sugar drops. When that happens, the body begins to experiences symptoms such as jittery hands. Research has found that the hungrier you are, the higher your anxiety levels may be. 

5. Negative thoughts 

Your thoughts have a remarkable ability to control physical sensations within the body. Suppose you constantly repeat negative phrases or words to yourself in times of distress. In that case, you can trigger feelings of anxiety without even realizing it. The mind–body connection is strong, and if you aren’t kind to yourself, you may be doing yourself more of a disservice than you realize. 

6. Finances 

Money makes the world go round, and when people are experiencing a financial worry or downfall, it can trigger anxiety or panic attacks. Worrying about one’s financial position and falling behind on bills have been shown to correlate with anxiety and depression.  

7. Social events

Social anxiety is a form of anxiety disorder that affects people in a specific way. People with the condition often feel significant anxiousness while in social situations. They may even experience an anxiety attack at a party or other social gathering. Social interaction with even a few people, or someone you don’t know, could bring on an anxiety attack for some. 

8. Conflict 

When a person has stress surrounding their relationships with their partner, friends, family, or coworkers, they may experience an increase in anxiety or panic attacks. People with anxiety feel an increase in physical and emotional distress when they have to witness or engage in hostile situations. 

In some cases, conflict can be much more profound – for example, if a person is in a war-like situation. Research shows that people who experience this more severe form of conflict in their life may suffer from anxiety and panic attacks years after the events took place. 

9. Stress

Stress and anxiety are often connected because of how they influence each other. Stress can trigger feelings of anxiety, and anxiety can trigger the physical stress response in the body. When people experience high levels of stress for any reason, it can trigger anxiety symptoms and even full-blown panic attacks. 

While these triggers are common, they do not affect all people with anxiety disorders similarly. People may also have personal triggers that are unique to them and their own life experiences. The best thing you can do for your anxiety attacks is to learn your triggers and develop coping mechanisms to help you manage your symptoms. 

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The immune system is a vital piece of the health puzzle. It acts as the body’s defense system and has three main functions: fight outside infections, neutralize harmful substances, and ward off non-infectious diseases. Within the immune system are cells, chemicals, and organs all working together to ensure your body is ready when something threatening occurs.

The immune system can be fickle, and many things can compromise its ability to do its job. Sometimes, a simple illness can throw the immune system out of sorts. Other times it can be an internal attack. This means that things you do regularly or specific things you experience can all affect how well your immune system functions. When looking at it from an emotional standpoint, how you feel daily greatly influences how ready your body will be when it needs to fight a cellular battle. 

One emotion that affects immune function is anxiety. But what exactly is anxiety, and what role does it play in immunity? Read on to learn how anxiety can influence immune function.

What is anxiety? 

In simple terms, anxiety is a feeling of anticipation. It is how the body primes itself for a future worry or concern. Our ancestors used anxiety as part of the stress response to prepare to deal with threats. The stress response—or fight or flight reaction—occurs when there is a perceived threat to safety. The physiological changes, such as an increased heart rate and tense muscles, get the body ready to either fight an oncoming threat or flee the situation for your safety. 

In modern times, the need to be alert to possible threats isn’t the same as it once was – people are much safer today than they were in ancient times! This is why anxiety, or anxiety disorders, are more closely related to emotional experiences than the need to protect one’s physical safety. Today, anxiety can manifest when there is no true danger at all. When that happens, the body goes through physiological changes that prime it for danger even though there is no actual risk. 

Similar to stress, the physical symptoms of anxiety often manifest the way they do because the body isn’t aware there is no threat. However, acute stress comes with symptoms that subside, while anxiety symptoms generally remain. 

Anxiety and the immune system

Anxiety triggers the stress response in the body. As mentioned above, this response determines the right course of action between fighting or fleeing. During high periods of stress, the body goes through various physiological changes. Certain hormones, including adrenaline, are released into the bloodstream. Your breathing and heart rate increases when the adrenaline increases. The body responds this way so that the brain can access more significant amounts of oxygen and react to the stressful situation appropriately. 

When anxiety sets off this response and the stress hormones are released, the immune system gets a little boost. Research shows that bouts of short-term stress can activate innate and adaptive immune responses. The innate immune response acts as a dispatcher to the danger call, and the adaptive is the first responder. Specific immune cells are produced to prepare for battle. This increase in immune activity protects you during periods of stress.

While anxiety initiating the stress response may seem helpful to immunity, however, it applies only if the stress and anxiety are short-term. The body and the immune system return to normal when the short-term stress begins to subside. Long-term anxiety and stress are entirely different stories. 

Does stress and anxiety compromise your immune system? 

While short-term stress boosts the immune system, the opposite is true for long-term anxiety and stress. Research has found that when a person experiences long-term anxiety, the innate and adaptive immune responses become compromised. That is because chronic stress and anxiety can cause the immune system to become dysregulated. A dysregulated immune system responds to nonexistent threats and cannot fight appropriately if an invader shows up.

What’s more is that cytokines – small proteins that control the growth and action of immune cells – become altered by chronic anxiety and stress. If cytokines are not functioning as they should, the preparedness of other immune cells suffers along with them.

Other issues that the immune system faces because of anxiety include: 

• Chronic inflammation, which can drive the development of chronic illness and disease 
• The suppression of immune cells designed to protect against non-infectious diseases such as cancer 
• Decreased production of new immune cells, which leaves the body defenseless when invaders do show up
• Problems with how immune cells move freely through the body, leading to their inability to be where they need to be to fight infection
• An increased risk of developing chronic disease 

With all these changes caused by anxiety, the immune system will not be able to fight the good fight against pathogens or internal bodily threats. If the body is always anxious or stressed, it is left wide open and unprotected without a properly functioning immune system. That’s why it’s important to seek treatment for anxiety symptoms before they get out of hand.

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People who suffer from anxiety know how difficult it can be. There are several types of anxiety disorders, all of which come with their own set of symptoms. When a person develops an anxiety disorder, they often experience mental and physical symptoms that can be debilitating. 

One of the most challenging symptoms of anxiety is an anxiety attack. People who suffer these types of attacks most likely require treatment. In some cases, taking medication can work for people with an anxiety disorder, but that’s not always the case. Many people suffer from treatment-resistant anxiety or prefer to go the natural route. So are there supplements you can take to help in these situations? Read on to learn more about what supplements are good for anxiety attacks.

What are anxiety attacks? 

Anxiety attacks are also known as panic attacks. During an attack, a person will experience feelings of intense fear or panic that lead to severe physical and emotional symptoms. In some cases, an anxiety attack can bring on chest pain that is so severe it can feel like a heart attack.

These attacks can occur with or without triggers, making them impossible to predict. The good news is that there are natural ways to keep anxiety attacks at bay. 

What is the best natural supplement for panic attacks?

Natural supplements are gaining traction in the health and wellness world because they are effective and do not contain chemical ingredients. The best natural supplements for panic attacks include: 

Saffron 

Saffron is a type of spice used in cooking. However, it has a lot of beneficial medicinal properties. People who suffer from anxiety attacks can benefit from taking saffron because of its antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants are used in the body to help balance free radicals. When free radicals build up, it can create various health problems. 

Research shows that saffron supplements can reduce anxiety so effectively that it rivals the anti-anxiety medication known as fluoxetine. 

Chamomile 

Chamomile is a popular tea people drink for its calming properties. While tea is an excellent way to consume chamomile, people with anxiety may want to opt for supplements. Studies show that chamomile can help reduce anxiety symptoms in people with severe generalized anxiety disorder. 

L-theanine 

L-theanine is a natural amino acid found in green tea. When taken in supplement form, it can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Certain mood disorders that cause anxiety as a secondary symptom can also be relieved using L-theanine. 

Curcumin 

Curcumin is one of the main compounds found in turmeric. It also gives the spice its bright hue. Curcumin is a polyphenol, a plant-based compound packed with health-boosting antioxidants. It has been shown to reduce inflammation as well as symptoms of depression. In terms of anxiety, regular curcumin use can reduce symptoms significantly.  

CBD

Cannabidiol, otherwise known as CBD, is a natural compound found in marijuana plants. Its popularity has grown in recent years with the increase in marijuana legalization across the county. The medicinal benefits have been studied extensively, and current evidence finds that people with anxiety disorders can reduce their symptoms when using CBD.  

What vitamins are best for anxiety? 

While natural supplements can be helpful, giving the body the nutrients it needs can also keep anxiety levels down. Some of the best anti-anxiety vitamins include: 

Magnesium glycinate 

Magnesium is a mineral the body needs for various functions, including the stress response. Since stress and anxiety go hand in hand, regulating the stress response can aid in reducing anxiety. This can in turn reduce the number of panic attacks a person has. 

Vitamin D3

One of the most common nutrient deficiencies is vitamin D3. People often fail to get enough through diet alone, and the health of the body and mind suffers for it. The body uses vitamin D3 to help regulate mood and encourage good brain function. People with anxiety are far more likely to be deficient in the vitamin, showing a connection between the two. 

Research shows that people with anxiety who take vitamin D3 supplements can reduce their symptoms, including panic attacks. The severity of their anxiety can also be reduced, decreasing panic attacks over time. 

Omega-3 

Omega-3s are vital to brain health and function. Many people don’t get enough through diet and nutrition alone. Studies have examined omega-3 supplementation in people with anxiety and found that the vitamin can reduce symptoms of the disorder if taken in high doses. 

Vitamin C 

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to help combat free radical buildup and oxidative stress. Since oxidative stress can cause inflammation and other issues within the body, it’s essential to maintain balance as best you can.

For people with anxiety, oxidative stress can contribute to worsened symptoms. Research surrounding vitamin C and anxiety concluded that people who take 500 mg of vitamin C daily could reduce their anxiety symptoms over the long term. 

None of these supplements will take a panic attack away while it’s happening. However, taking them regularly will help reduce overall anxiety in people with these disorders and thus reduce the frequency of panic attacks. 

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Everybody experiences some form of stress – it’s just a normal part of everyday life. Whether it’s acute stress, such as having a really tough day at the office, or something more chronic because of a continually stressful situation or lifestyle, there isn’t a person on the planet who hasn’t felt this emotion at some point in their life.

The stress response is an evolutionary part of human existence and initially acted as a way to protect you from harm. However, it was designed solely for this purpose, and typically, when our ancestors were out of the stressful situation, their bodies returned to normal because the stress response was no longer needed.

Today, however, that initial stress response (also known as fight-or-flight) still works for you and your health, but it can be skewed in the sense that it may be activated for too long. When that happens, different bodily processes can be negatively affected. One such system that can be affected by stress is the immune system – but what is the role of stress in immunity, and can it make your immune function worse? Read on to learn more about how stress can influence immune function.

What is the relationship between stress and the immune system?

The immune system acts as your body’s first line of defense, and technically speaking, stress can actually be helpful when it comes to your immune response. As mentioned above, stress was initially a psychological response that protected people against harm. In terms of the immune system, that initial response primes the body to be better prepared to fight off infection and avoid or heal any injuries a person may have from fleeing a dangerous situation.

Since the same rules don’t apply today (the stimuli our ancestors experienced were very different to the ones we experience today!), that stress response now invokes an immune response that isn’t necessarily needed. For example, if you get stressed while waiting in line for coffee while you’re late to work, your body isn’t in any real danger – but you’re still stressed. The physiological response is still the same, and the activation of your immune system to help heal injury or prevent infection will still occur, even though it isn’t really needed.

How does stress affect the immune system?

Stress can affect the immune system in many ways because of the way it influences various bodily systems that tie into immunity. For example, the bowel is a large part of immunity since it houses immune cells needed to fight off infection. Stress can cause issue with the bowel that can lead to various unpleasant symptoms.

When it comes to immunity, stressful situations can reduce the amount of nutrients that are absorbed into the body and the gut bacteria can become imbalanced. The immune system can become weakened when the nutrients it needs are not getting absorbed, and when gut bacteria are off balance, immune function also falters. 

The nervous system also gets activated during times of stress. During this activation, stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released. These are designed to help the body prepare for battle, so to speak – but when there is no battle, the body doesn’t really benefit from their release.

An overproduction of cortisol that is not used appropriately, or remains high due to constant and chronic stress, hinders the action of the immune system. This is because too-high levels of cortisol end up causing the immune system to become less responsive to the hormone, thus increasing the production of inflammatory cells that hinder the immune system’s function.  

Cortisol also has the ability to disrupt how well the immune system works because of its effect on the endocrine system. The endocrine system acts as a series of messengers throughout the body to regulate the action or organs and glands. Because acute levels of stress cause inflammation to occur due to the production of cortisol, chronic stress drives chronic inflammation.

When the body’s inflammatory process isn’t acting as it should, the immune system does not activate when it needs to, because the connection between it and the glands that produce stress hormones is compromised.Altogether, when chronic inflammation and the connection pathways in the body are hindered, you are more at risk of chronic diseases.

Can stress cause a weak immune system?

As mentioned above, stress can weaken the immune system. While acute stress isn’t as much of an issue, chronic stress can cause real problems. Brief periods of acute stress are a normal and typical response that leads to the re-regulation of the immune system once the stressful situation has passed. Chronic stress, on the other hand, drives crossed wires and poor functioning because the body is in a constant state of stress when there is no actual situation that it needs protection from.

While avoiding stress completely is essentially impossible, one of the best things you can do for your immune system is practice stress reduction techniques. This could include meditation, practicing a hobby you enjoy, or exercising regularly. Keeping overall stress levels down as much as possible will ensure any acute stress you experience doesn’t stick around to harm your health in the long run.

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Many factors are at play when it comes to our weight. Food (the types eaten and how much), exercise (how often we move our body), and genetics can all play a role in whether a person gains or loses weight easily, or how well they are able to maintain a healthy weight. Metabolism – the rate at which we burn or store calories – can also influence weight.

There are other lesser-known factors that contribute to weight loss or gain just as strongly as those mentioned above. One such factor that many people either don’t know about, or pay little attention to, is stress levels. Read on to learn how stress can influence weight in terms of both loss and gain.

What is chronic stress?

Everyone experiences stress at some point in their lives. Whether those stresses are small, such as being stuck in traffic while late for work, or large, such as losing a loved one, feeling stressed from time to time is unavoidable. Typically, passing stressors don’t do much in the way of weight gain or loss, because the body can cope well with the type of stress that doesn’t stick around. However, when chronic stress strikes, it’s a whole different story.

Chronic stress is characterized as consistent and unrelenting periods of high stress that tend to last for three months or more. People who experience chronic stress often find themselves dealing with other physical symptoms such as aches and pains or the inability to get a good night’s rest. When a person deals with this level of stress for a long time, several physiological changes can occur.

One such change is the level of cortisol in the blood. Cortisol is referred to as the primary stress hormone. In the natural stress response, cortisol raises and encourages the release of more glucose into the blood stream. That glucose is then used by the brain and bodily tissues as a way to repair injury. It also stops the functioning of certain processes that could hinder a person’s ability to fight or flee in a dangerous situation.  

During a chronic stress situation, levels of cortisol stay high and the processes that are hindered as a form of protection remain that way, even when there’s no threat or danger. This leads to various malfunctions within the body, one of which can affect your weight.

How does chronic stress affect your weight?

Chronic stress can affect your weight in different ways because of the high levels of cortisol you’re experiencing. High levels of cortisol change the way many processes in the body function and can make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight by either encouraging weight loss or weight gain. But how does stress cause weight gain or loss, exactly?

Can stress cause weight gain?

Cortisol and weight gain often go hand in hand because of the way the hormone affects the body. When a person is constantly under stress, they may experience sugar cravings because the body is using up all the glucose it has stored in order to be ready for the perceived threat.

However, when there is no threat and that glucose storage is getting used up, the body will crave more and more sugar because it won’t have any left to power up the areas needed for the fight or flight response. This increase in sugar cravings can lead to a person eating more sugary foods that cause weight gain. The body also stores sugar after stressful situations so that it’s well prepared, and if these stores don’t get used as energy, they can end up on your waistline. 

If you’re trying to lose weight but are constantly stressed, cortisol will make that difficult, too. This is because cortisol slows down your metabolism. When the metabolism slows, less calories are burned on a day-to-day basis and you will find it increasingly difficult to lose weight.

How to stop cortisol weight gain

If you want to stop the cortisol weight gain, you will first have to lower your levels of cortisol – that is, by reducing your stress levels. This can be easier said than done, but one proven way you can do this is by practicing mindful meditation. Studies have shown that the practice of meditation can effectively lower cortisol levels in people who perform it regularly. Regular moderate exercise may also help to lower cortisol levels over time, leaving you less stressed in the long run and more able to either lose weight or maintain your weight over time.

Research has shown that other activities and stress reduction techniques can also help to lower cortisol levels within the body. These activities include:

• Music or art therapy
• Yoga
• Being out in nature
• Focusing on positives

Does stress cause you to lose weight?

On the opposite side of the spectrum, stress can also cause a person to lose weight. While most of the clinical research surrounding chronic stress and weight focuses heavily on weight gain, there are some reasons why stress could also cause a person to lose weight, including a loss of appetite or an inability to sit still (causing more calories to be burned throughout the day).

Chronic stress is bad for the body in many ways, and weight fluctuation is one of them. In addition to eating well and exercising, the best thing you can do to maintain a healthy weight is undertake stress management/reduction techniques that can help you curb chronic stress.

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The world today is full of stressors that cause mental anguish. Many of these stressors are unique to our modern society – novel “first world problems” that nonetheless provoke a stress response that is very real, and often chronic.

Our ancestors may have been susceptible to dying from an illness that modern medicine has neutered and made benign… But they also lived much more in accordance with their circadian rhythms, suffered less Instagram-induced status anxiety, never had to grind their way through rush hour traffic, and didn’t use email!

The modern world is a fantastic place to live, but it can also be stressful. Stress can have an impact on many elements of your life and health – let’s take a look at a few below.

How Stress Can Influence Fitness Levels

Most of us would agree that at the end of the day, our health, and the health of those we love, is the most important thing in the world. So why do so many of us live in ways that are damaging to our health?

Stress can have a very negative impact on our health and physical fitness levels. Being physically fit is a crucial component of overall health, but unfortunately many of us have compromised fitness because we are chronically stressed.

How Does Stress Affect Fitness?

Does stress reduce fitness? Yes, stress can reduce fitness levels. Some of the negative effects that stress has on fitness are:

• Increasing muscle tension
• Increasing appetite and promoting storage of body fat
• Increasing risk of injury
• Reducing sleep quality and energy levels

How Do Stress And Anxiety Affect Exercise?

Stress and anxiety can…

• Make exercise less enjoyable

• Negatively affect concentration, ability to focus, and exercise quality
• Hinder recovery after exercise
• Reduce sleep quality, which makes exercise more difficult
• Make people avoid gyms and exercise classes

What Are The Physical And Emotional Symptoms of Stress?

The most common physical symptoms of stress are:

• Headaches
• Clenched jaw and grinding teeth
• Muscle tension, aches, and pains
• Nervousness and shaking
• Upset stomach
• Chest pain and heart palpitations
• Trouble sleeping
• Low energy levels
• Frequent colds and infections
• Loss of sexual interest
• Ringing in the ears
• Cold or sweaty extremities
• Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing

The most common emotional symptoms of stress are:

• Low or erratic mood
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Being easily agitated
• Frustration
• A feeling of overwhelm or panic
• An inability to relax your mind
• Negative internal dialog
• Low self-esteem

What Are The Cognitive And Behavioral Symptoms Of Stress?

The most common cognitive symptoms of stress are:

• A pessimistic outlook
• Chronic worrying and rumination
• Racing thoughts
• Forgetfulness
• Trouble focusing
• Disorganized thinking

The most common behavioral symptoms of stress are:

• Overeating
• Undereating
• Using alcohol and/or drugs
• Procrastination
• Avoidance behaviors
• Engaging in compulsive coping behaviors such as masturbation, pacing, nail biting, or fidgeting

What Are The Effects Of Stress On Physical Health?

Short-term stress has physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral symptoms. If/when stress goes away, these symptoms will usually abate. However, long-term chronic stress can lead to a variety of physical health problems, including:

• Obesity
• Cardiovascular disease
• Gastrointestinal diseases
• Menstrual problems
• Sexual dysfunction, such as impotence and premature ejaculation, or loss of desire
• Skin problems, such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis
• Balding and permanent hair loss
• Long-term mental health problems

Causes Of Stress In The Modern World

Some of the main causes of stress in the modern world are:

• Financial concerns
• Overwork
• Internet overuse and addiction
• Alienation and a lack of face-face connection
• Status anxiety
• Sleep deprivation
• 24-hour news coverage
• Omnipresent advertisements and marketing
• A lack of connection to nature
• Exposure to artificial light that interrupts our circadian rhythm

How Can We Manage Our Stress Levels And Improve Our Fitness Levels?

Here are some ways we can manage stress levels and improve our fitness:

• Eat a healthy diet
• Get plenty of sleep
• Spend lots of time with people whose company you enjoy
• Get off social media
• Limit how much news you consume
• Spend time with animals
• Read a good book
• Go for walks in nature
• Explore supplements that reduce stress levels and improve health

What Are The Best Supplements For Reducing Stress?

CBD oil: Research has shown that CBD oil has the effect of lowering cortisol. CBD also appears to increase sleep duration.

Melatonin: Good-quality sleep goes a long way to reducing stress levels. Research suggests that melatonin can improve sleep in several ways, including encouraging the onset of sleep and improving people’s subjective assessment of the quality of their sleep.

Delta Sleep Inducing peptide: Another promising supplement that can reduce stress by improving sleep is Delta Sleep Inducing peptide. Research indicates that Delta Sleep Inducing peptide promotes higher sleep efficiency and shorter sleep latency.

Bioactive Milk Peptides (lactium): Lactium peptide contains amino acids that can reduce cortisol levels, induce relaxation, improve sleep quality, and reduce stress.

Magnesium: Research suggests that magnesium relaxes muscles, improves sleep time and sleep efficiency, and reduces serum cortisol concentration.

Valerian: Research indicates that valerian may help reduce stress by promoting sleep and relaxation and reducing anxiety.

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Many people who vigorously exercise on a regular basis know about that feeling after their workout. The one where you feel as if you’ve just conquered the world. The most commonly used phrase to describe the sensation was coined by avid runners and is known as the “runner’s high.”

While many people are not quite sure why this sensation happens, as it turns out, that overall feeling of euphoria after a satisfying exercise session comes down to biological science. It is caused by neurochemicals known as endorphins, which are made primarily in the hypothalamus and pituitary glands of the brain. The pituitary gland is a vital component to brain health because it influences all other parts of the body. But what exactly are endorphins? And how do they affect you?

We’ll examine this below, as well as delving into how to use diet and exercise to achieve an endorphin rush and feel like you’re on top of the world.

What are endorphins?

As mentioned above, endorphins are neurochemicals. More specifically, they are a large group of peptides that act on the opiate receptors in the brains. Opiate receptors are designed to act as a switch in the brain that triggers reward systems as well as addictive behaviors. When endorphins are released within the brain and stimulate the opiate receptors, it leads to feelings of pleasure, wellbeing, and even a reduction in pain.

The most common time endorphins are released into the body naturally is in stressful situations or if you are experiencing pain. The body naturally releases these endorphins to help cope with the experiences, with the aim being to combat the negative outcomes that accompany high levels of stress or pain by maximizing pleasure.

It’s not only stress or pain that can lead to the release of these neurochemicals, though. Other activities such as eating, sex, and exercise can all play a role in endorphin release. Because of the body’s ability to create endorphins during those times, it is said that their release can help modulate appetite, trigger the release of sex hormones, and increase the efficacy of the immune response.

What are the benefits of endorphins?

Aside from being able to help you deal with painful injuries or stressful situations, endorphins have been shown to promote overall wellness, especially when it comes to mental health. Studies have shown that participating in activities that boost endorphins can lead to the reduction of symptoms in those with depression and anxiety. Endorphins can also help to boost self-esteem because they lead can lead to a more positive and optimistic demeanor.

Other studies have shown that an endorphins have a role in weight gain or loss. This is because of their appetite regulation abilities. It’s also possible to be deficient in endorphins, leading to a range of potential symptoms, such as:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Moodiness
• Aches and pains
• Addiction
• Trouble with sleep
• Poor impulse control

Does exercise increase endorphins?

Any type of physical movement will cause the body to produce endorphins. This is because exercise stimulates the body’s stress response. When you increase your heart rate or start to move your body in an active way, the body can see this as a sign of stress and begin to release stress hormones. When that stress hormone activation occurs, your brain counteracts it by releasing endorphins. This counteraction is why people can feel euphoric or a general sense of happiness after a good exercise session.

What activities increase endorphins?

You don’t have to wait for a stressful situation or injury to occur to take advantage of the happy chemicals in your brain! There are many activities you can partake in that will lead to a rush of endorphins. Running is perhaps the most common activity when it comes to endorphin release, but any type of exercise will do the job. Workouts with a higher intensity are more likely to give a rush, because they put more stress on the body and thus elicit a higher response to combat that stress. Wild swimming, for example, is another physical activity that sends stress signals throughout the body that will induce endorphin production and release.

Aside from exercise, some activities that will drive the release of endorphins include:

• Sex. Since endorphins are thought to contribute to sexual function because of their effects on sex hormones, having a healthy sex life can lead to an overall boost in endorphins.
• Meditation and yoga. Both yoga and meditation can lead to endorphin release.
• Laughter. Studies have shown that laughing with a group of friends can help to increase the release of endorphins because of how it affects the pleasure center of the brain.
• Binging your favorite show. Studies have shown that getting lost in your drama television series obsession is good for overall feelings of happiness due to the endorphin release.   
• Forest bathing and grounding. Getting back in touch with nature has been shown to help release endorphins. It’s likely attributed to the exercise you’re getting while walking around in the woods.

What foods help release endorphins?

Since appetite regulation is an important part of food consumption and endorphins play a role in appetite, it’s no surprise that eating and endorphin release are connected. Eating good foods have been shown to trigger the release of the feel-good chemical that leads to those satisfied feelings of fullness and happiness after eating something you truly enjoy.

So which types of foods can trigger the release? Well, some are better than others. The best foods to eat if you want to give yourself an endorphin rush include:

• Dark chocolate
• Spicy foods
• Wine

Although these foods have been studied and shown to help boost overall feelings of happiness, simply eating your favorite food can also do the trick.

The endorphin rush is a natural high that everyone can benefit from – it’s great for the body, the mind, and overall levels of health.

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Meditation is a health practice that has been utilized by many cultures for thousands of years. Almost every type of religion has its own meditation practices; however, it isn’t just for religious people. In recent years, it has been used as a form of independent self-care to benefit both the body and the mind.

By definition, meditation is a mental technique or techniques that can be performed with the goal of heightened awareness and improved focus. People meditate today for religious reasons, to help ease physical pain and mental issues, and to help combat stress in everyday life.

What are the different forms of meditation?

There are nine specific forms of meditation, all of which are performed in different ways and by different cultures. Each type has its own focus, though many seem to share a similar goal of achieving peace and calmness.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation is a Buddhist type of meditation and is the most widely practiced form in the western world.It is aimed at acknowledging thoughts and allowing them to pass without dwelling on them. It tends to push towards observation and pattern recognition when it comes to the way people think.

Spiritual

Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Daoism use spiritual meditation. It is done using essential oils to enhance the experience, with the goal of reflecting on silence and connecting deeper with the universe or God.

Focused

Focused meditation revolves around concentration using internal or external influences. Examples of focused meditation include counting objects, listening to a repeating sound, or watching a candle burn. It is meant to help control and sharpen the mind’s focus.

Movement

This type of meditation revolves around activities that require movement, such as yoga, walking in the woods, or gardening. It is meant to bring about a sense of peace from the movement.

Mantra

Using one particular sound on a loop, this type of meditation is designed to clear the mind. This could be through repeating a word or phrase over again or humming the “Om” sound. It is thought that practicing mantras helps a person become more in tune with their surroundings, enhancing awareness.

Transcendental

Studies have investigated the effects of transcendental meditation on things such as anxiety and found that it can help those suffering from the condition find relief from their symptoms.It involves similar techniques to the mantra type of meditation; however, the mantra chosen here is more unique and specific to the person practicing.

Progressive

This type of meditation is also referred to as the body scan, because it involves tightening and relaxing one part of the body at a time. The goal of progressive meditation is to help relieve physical tension.

Loving-Kindness

Loving-kindness meditation is exactly as it sounds in the sense that the practice revolves around both sending and receiving love and kindness. The goal is to promote compassion, love, and acceptance towards others as well as oneself.

Visualization

This type of meditation relies heavily on the imagination and is performed by visualizing positive images in the brain using all five senses. It is designed to promote relaxation, peace, and calmness.

What are the long-term effects of meditation?

Practicing meditation over a longer period of time is the best way to reap the benefits of the techniques. There are multiple different health effects of meditation, both physical and mental.

Mental

Meditation has long been thought to be a helpful aid in reducing stress and promoting relaxation. However, it has also been proven to help in the treatment of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Other mental health benefits include a high self-awareness, enhanced compassion and kindness, and higher levels of empathy. Transcendental meditation, in particular, has also been found to help combat addiction.  

Physical

Practicing meditation regularly can lead to many physical health benefits. One such benefit is better sleep. Research has found that those with insomnia who practiced meditation found relief from their condition and a better night’s rest.

Meditation has also been shown to help elevate brain activity and improve cognitive functions such as memory, attention span, concentration, and executive function in the brain. It does this by positively changing both brain function and structure.

Studies have also shown that meditation regularly could help those with chronic pain alleviate their symptoms. Meditation has also been linked to a decrease in blood pressure in those with high blood pressure.

Meditation and immune health

Another of the physical health benefits of meditation is that it can help with the health of the immune system. Practicing meditation, specifically mindfulness meditation, can help to modulate immune system function. Certain processes (such as the proinflammatory response, cell-mediated defense, and enzyme activity) have been shown to be positively influenced by regular practice of meditation.

Meditation also lends a hand in immune health because of the effects it has on overall stress levels throughout the body. Since chronic levels of stress can wreak havoc on the way the immune system functions, and meditation can improve stress levels over time, it indirectly leads to a better-functioning defense system.

The many health benefits of meditation have been studied rigorously in recent years, and for good reason. The practice is a proven technique that people of all ages and backgrounds can utilize on the road to better physical health and mental wellbeing.

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As the seasons change, different types of health conditions become more prevalent. In spring, many people suffer from heightened allergies, while in summer, those with asthma may experience worsened symptoms, and winter poses a bigger threat for the spread of the flu.

The beginning of fall is generally the prime time for Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD, to come into effect. But what exactly is SAD? And is there anything you can do to combat symptoms if you suffer from the condition?

What is SAD?

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mental health issue that appears when the colder weather begins to roll around. It is not considered to be its own entity, but rather a form of depression that occurs seasonally, at the same time every year. In cases of SAD, depression symptoms tend to go into remission during other seasons of the year and return again like clockwork when autumn begins.

SAD leads to mood changes that generally have a person feeling down for an extended period of time. It can sometimes affect people in the spring or summer, but mostly occurs in the fall and winter months. This has led to the disorder being referred to as winter depression, or the “winter blues”.

General feelings of sadness can occur naturally when the cold weather starts to hit and the year winds down. Such feelings are not generally considered a case of SAD, but when mood changes begin to affect daily activities in a negative way, it’s more likely to be considered Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is generally recurrent in individuals who suffer from the condition; it doesn’t just happen over the course of one seasonal change, but rather every year around the same time.

How does SAD affect you?

Since SAD is a type of major depression that only occurs for four or five months out of the year, the symptoms tend to present the same as they would in someone with year-round depression. Those who suffer from depression at all points of the year tend to experience symptoms that may or may not appear in those with SAD.

The typical symptoms of depression include:

• Feelings of extreme sadness and hopelessness, and depressive thoughts
• Losing interest in hobbies or other activities that you used to enjoy
• Appetite changes and weight fluctuations
• Sleep interruptions
• Feeling short-tempered or sluggish
• Depleted energy levels
• Cognitive difficulties such as problems with focus and concentration
• In serious cases, thoughts of suicide or death

For those with SAD, other symptoms may take hold. They also differ depending on the time of the year SAD sets in and vary on a person-by-person basis. Typical symptoms that occur in people suffering from winter SAD include:

• Hypersomnia or oversleeping
• Overeating with a high focus on carbohydrates 
• Weight gain caused by overeating
• Feelings of wanting to hibernate and withdraw socially

The symptoms of summer-induced SAD are different than those experienced in the winter months. They include:

• Insomnia
• Weight loss and decreased or poor appetite
• Restlessness and agitation, which may lead to violent behavior
• Increased levels of anxiety

To get a diagnosis, one must describe their symptoms and the pattern of their symptoms to a mental health professional to determine if SAD is the cause behind their mood changes.

How long does SAD last and who does it usually affect?

Depending on the person, SAD generally lasts anywhere from four to five months. Once the seasons begin to change again, symptoms tend to dissipate. Some research suggests that SAD is caused by changes in the amount of daylight one gets. In winter-onset SAD, the lack of sunlight contributes, while in the less common summer-onset SAD, the culprit is the presence of too much sunlight.

Young women with a family history of depression are generally most at risk for the illness, as well as those who live far away from the equator. The risk for developing SAD tends to decrease as people get older.

How do you fight SAD?

Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder can be tough, but there are ways to cope with the mood changes and symptoms that come along with seasonal depression. One of the best ways to combat SAD is through the use of light therapy. This therapy is performed using a bright light that is meant to mimic the natural light of the morning hours. If used in within the first hour of waking for at least 40 minutes, light therapy can be shown to improve mood by changing levels of brain chemicals.

Other forms of treatment include antidepressant medications or psychotherapy sessions to help improve symptoms. Some natural forms of treatment include mind-body connection activities such as yoga, meditation, guided imagery, and music and art therapy.

Seasonal Affective Disorder affects around 4–6% of people seriously, while a mild form of the illness can affect up to 20% of Americans every year. The people affected are generally located throughout the northern part of the country, where weather changes are more prevalent. Although the symptoms of SAD can sometimes be debilitating, knowing the right ways to combat them can mean all the difference when it comes to coping with a recurring case of the winter blues.

Featured image by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash