How a Stressful Job Can Affect You

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If you have a stressful job, you are not alone and you probably know that stress come with a number of potentially negative effects. Understanding what these are helps you to know when your stress levels are getting out of control, so you can take the steps necessary to reduce them. Dozens of physical things can happen with high stress, but everyone should have an understanding of the main ones so that they are able to quickly take action and improve their stress levels and their health.

You Experience Frequent Headaches

Many people under a lot of stress find that they have headaches on a regular basis. These occur as a result of the tension and are often in the back of your head. They might occur along with tight neck muscles or tight shoulders, causing your upper back and neck to also ache. Many people can feel knots in the muscles in this area when they are experiencing a headache. Self-massage and gentle stretching can be helpful to relieve your discomfort and help to lessen your headache.

It is Harder to Remember Things or Concentrate

Stress interferes with your ability to stay on top of things and when you are under a lot of stress, you forget things and it can be hard to keep your focus on a task. When this occurs, you want to take a short break from all things work. Even if you are incredibly busy, it is important to take at least 15 minutes to put your focus on something fun and entertaining. Play a game on your cellphone, read a chapter or two from a book or simply lie back and close your eyes. These get you out of your head and help to re-energize and refresh you.

Changes with Your Skin and Hair

Stress can wreak havoc on your hair and skin and this is sometimes the first physical sign that people notice when their stress levels are high. Things like hair loss, acne and psoriasis are all common when someone has a lot of stress. Reducing your stress levels and taking care of your hair and skin are what you need to do to resolve this problem.

You Are Getting Sick More Often

Getting sick causes you more stress, so this can become a sick cycle. People who are under a lot of stress tend to be more prone to minor illnesses like the common cold. However, it also makes you more vulnerable to things like flu and pneumonia. Eat a balanced diet and contains plenty of vitamin C to help get your immune system up to par. Regular exercise and making sure that you are getting enough sleep are also important to keep your immune system strong and to reduce how stress affects your body.

You Crave Junk Foods

If you find yourself craving fat and sugar on a regular basis, this can be a result of your high stress levels. It is important that you focus on keeping your diet healthy so that you give your body what it needs to stay healthy. Remember that you can have a small treat a few times a week and this is perfectly fine, but approximately 90 percent of your diet should consist of foods that are healthy. This will help you to stay healthy and prevent issues that can happen with a poor diet, such as high blood sugar levels.

Your Back is Hurting for No Other Reason

Lower back pain is a common occurrence when someone has a lot of stress. This is generally the result of excessive tension. Your muscles get tight and this can encourage muscle spasms in your lower back. Gentle stretching and heat can be beneficial in helping to relax these muscles. If the pain is particularly bad, over-the-counter medications for pain can help you to relieve the acute discomfort so that you are able to get back to work.

Use this information to keep your health in check when you are working a stressful job. Use anti-stress techniques on a daily basis to relieve current stress and prevent future stress from recurring. Things like yoga and deep breathing are something you can do right in your office to calm yourself down during particularly stressful situations. You should also create a routine that you can use in the morning and before you go to bed at night to relax and put yourself in a place where stress is not affecting you.

- Cara

References:

http://www.custominfographics.org/cdc74d8a121557a9-healthy-living-on-pinterest-self-massage-infused-water-recipes.html