New Delhi, October 11 (IANS). In today’s fast-paced life, almost every person faces stress in some form or the other. Office pressure, complexities of relationships, financial worries or the pressure of looking perfect on social media all weigh heavily on our mind which gradually makes you sick both physically and mentally.
Stress is not just a mental problem, it can gradually become the root of serious diseases in the body. Chronic stress over a long period of time can also damage our DNA. Stress shortens telomeres, which protect our chromosomes. Short telomeres lead to early aging and increase the risk of problems like heart disease and cancer.
Stress also affects our memory. During stress, the cortisol hormone increases in the body, which can damage the hippocampus part of the brain. Due to this, a condition like temporary amnesia or transient amnesia may also develop in some people. Also stress can cause premature graying of hair. Damage to melanin-producing cells causes hair to turn gray early, a condition known as Marie Antoinette syndrome.
Excessive emotional stress can also affect the heart. In broken heart syndrome, the left side of the heart swells like a balloon. Although it often resolves with treatment, it can be fatal in severe cases. Stress can also bring on fever, in which the body temperature rises to 99–104 degrees Fahrenheit without any infection. Stress also affects our taste buds, causing food to taste tasteless, bitter or too spicy and some people even experience a metallic taste.
Stress also affects the intestinal microbiome. Lack of good bacteria impairs digestion and affects mental health. Also, some people become victims of sleep paralysis due to stress, in which the body is unable to move after waking up in sleep and hallucinations can also occur. Prolonged stress can also cause false memory syndrome in the brain, which causes a person to believe things that did not actually happen.
–IANS
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