• Have you ever felt stressed? If so, you’re not alone. An estimated 54% of Americans say they experience stress on a regular basis, and almost half of all adults say stress has caused them to feel physically ill. But did you know stress can also cause physical symptoms without any apparent cause?

  Stress is a state of mind, not a disease or condition. It is a response to a situation that causes an increase in adrenaline and other hormones. Stress is a natural response to a wide variety of situations, including those that are emotionally difficult, such as losing a job or being bullied. It can also be caused by physical factors, such as illness or injury.

  How does Mental Stress Affect Physical Health?

  
  

  The body's response to real or perceived threats is stress. Chronic stress is the body's reaction to a persistent or acute circumstance. When we are anxious, our stress might emerge as physical symptoms, which can lead to medical disorders. Many of us ignore our body and the stress signals they send us, yet doing so can have serious consequences. You may not be aware of how stress symptoms are harming your health. That nagging headache or frequent insomnia, which leads to lower productivity and stresses you out at work, could be the result of stress in the first place!

  I'll go over some of the most prevalent physical symptoms of stress, starting with my old foe, muscle

  tension....

  1.    Headaches

  Stress headaches are characterized by pressure on either side of the head, as well as a stiff neck and shoulders. If you have these types of headaches on a frequent basis, it's possible that they're caused by stress. Severe headache or migraines can be exacerbated by stress.

  2. Tension in the muscles

  
  

  This is one of the first physical signs of stress, and it is most noticeable near the base of the skull. Muscles normally contract when a person's fight or flight response is activated when they are stressed. Muscle tension typically manifests as a dull ache, but it can also manifest as acute or shooting pains.

  
  

  3.   Grinding of the teeth

  
  

  
  Teeth grinding is a stress symptom that can lead to dental issues such as fractured or chipped teeth, as well as severe headaches.

  4.   Nausea

  Trying to manage with stress might cause your nervous system to slow down or get disrupted. Because the colon is primarily controlled by the neurological system, serious disorders like irritable bowel syndrome can be connected to stress.

  5.   Changes to Appetite

  Stress can induce a decrease of appetite in the short term by causing the brain to release an

  appetite suppressant hormone. Cortisol is released when you are under a lot of stress for a long time, and it stimulates your appetite, especially for sweet and starchy meals. This can lead to stress eating and weight gain, which is caused not only by increased consumption of bad foods, but also by your body retaining calories in the event of an emergency.

  6.   Increased Heart Rate

  The chemicals released into your system during a fight or flight response can increase your heart rate as well as the rate at which you breathe. This might be alarming for some people, causing their hearts to race even faster.

  7.   High blood pressure

  
  

  High blood pressure is caused by the neurological system being stimulated, which produces significant amounts of vasoconstricting hormones.

  8.   Chest Pain

  
  

  Cortisol and adrenaline are two stress chemicals that are released into the body and can cause chest pain. Chronic stress has been linked to cardiovascular disease, albeit the link is not yet fully understood.

  9.  Anxiety Attacks

  A panic attack is a brief period of extreme dread that is accompanied by significant physical symptoms. Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent panic episodes and protracted periods of continual worry of another attack. Some of the following symptoms are common in panic attack

  
  

• Fear of loss of control

  Rapid heart rate and pounding heart, chest pain

  Excessive sweating

  Trembling or shaking

  Shortness of breath   

  Nausea   

  Chills or hot flushes     

  Lightheadedness or faintness

·       Panic attacks are not life-threatening but may significantly affect the quality of life of the sufferer.

10.Mouth Dryness

Saliva production in the mouth might be reduced as a result of the stress response. This can make

swallowing food more difficult and increase the risk of bacterial or fungal infection.

11.Acne

Stress can cause cortisol surges, which can cause cystic acne, which is characterized by red,

itchy patches that are difficult to treat.

12. Dizziness

Dizziness is linked to stress and anxiety because increased stress causes changes in breathing rates, which affect CO2 levels in the blood. Blood is redirected from the head to locations where the body believes it is needed in the fight or flight response.

13.Insomnia/Feeling Tired

Stress and a racing mind can leave you having a tough time shutting down and falling asleep. Conversely, the physiological effect on your body of the releasing of stress hormones, heart and breathing acceleration can cause a constant strain on your system leaving you feeling tired all the time.

14.Increased risk of illness

Another impact of stress may be a negative impact on immunity.

 Conclusion

In addition to the aforementioned issues, unmanaged stress can lead to even more serious health issues like heart disease and diabetes. It is critical to be aware of these threats to mental and physical health as a health and safety professional or as someone whose job obligations involve health and safety responsibilities. Employees' mental health at work must be protected, according to the new UAE Labour Law, Federal Decree by Law No. 33 of 2021 Regulating Labour Relations.