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HOW ANXIETY AFFECTS YOUR BODY

Anxiety is more or less a normal part of life. It is programmed, so as to prepare us to be alert of our surroundings or to be sharp before a job interview. In short spurts, anxiety in our body helps in concentrating blood flow to your brain to the areas of the body that requires to respond quickly. If anxiety and stress turn into being chronic in nature, then it becomes hard for the body to cope, leading to several health issues.

According to a survey conducted by Cigna TTK Health Insurance, about 89% of the sample size representing the Indian population say they are suffering from stress compared to the global average of 86%!

Here is how chronic anxiety can affect your body:

Your heart

Anxiety and chronic stress sufferers have been found to develop high case non-congenital cardiovascular problems. This could be due to a constant increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and overexposure to cortisol stress hormones.

Your lungs

Anxiety causes shallow, rapid breathing in us. The condition worsens if you have panic attacks. Thus studies have suggested that people who have a history of panic attacks or lives under a lot of stress are at higher risk from asthma or other breathing problems.

Your brain

The way our brain reacts to chronic anxiety is often the most difficult to understand or talk about. Chronic stress and anxiety can affect areas of the brain that influence long-term memory, short-term memory and chemical production, which can result in a host of other physiological issues, including fatigue, nervous breakdowns, depression, headaches and more. For many, it could be seen as the trouble to fall asleep. To know more, talk to our psychiatry experts at KIMS.

Your immune system

Studies have also found that when you’re stressed, your immune system gets compromised and you’re also more likely to catch a cold and susceptible to infections.

Your stomach

When your gut experiences stress, the food digestion and nutrient assimilation goes off balance. Chronic and extreme stress can cause acid reflux, bloating, diarrhea, loss of bowel control or growth of ulcers also known as piles.