7 Ways In Which Stress Can Be A Health Threat

A stress-free life is probably a dream for most people but almost impossible ever to achieve. But while a little stress can be a great motivator, too much pressure – whether domestic or work-related – can be a real threat to your health. Depression, anxiety and even the possibility of a heart attack are clear and present dangers when you’re under too much stress.

Here are 7 common ways in which stress can manifest itself in health-threatening ways.

1. US researchers working with mice have discovered that stress can lead to depression. The work at the National Institute on Mental Health put the mice in stressful situations, then noted how their behaviour changed to more depressive responses.
2. How you react to stress and stressful situation can have a negative impact on your physical health over time. A study carried out by Pennsylvania State University revealed that stressful, anxious people are more likely to develop chronic health conditions, including arthritis and heart problems, compared to those who took a more laidback view of life.
3. The more anxious and under pressure you feel under, the higher your risk of having a stroke. Becoming more mellow and relaxed about situations can reduce that risk, according to Spanish research.
4. Reducing stress can also reduce your chance of having a heart attack. If you suffer from chronic stress, your risk of a heart attack is 27% higher than those who are calmer about stressful situations. And the levels of stress you are under will also affect how quickly you can recover after a heart attack – keep feeling under pressure and you have a 42% higher risk of dying within two years.
5. Stress may actually help cancer cells survive against anti-cancer drugs, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
6. And your attitude towards stress and difficult situations can also determine how you deal with a diagnosis of cancer. A study by the University of Miami shows that those who can handle the stress of cancer diagnosis and treatment are more likely to have a positive outcome.
7. Stress might be passed on in your genes, say researchers at Cambridge University. They studied mouse germ cells and discovered the genes were affected by factors such as stress, meaning those stress genes can go on to the next generation.