Are headaches, constipation, and chest tightness all caused by "stress"? Doctor reveals "two major tests" to help clarify the source of anxiety
The tight pace of modern people’s lives and the accumulation of stress may lead to many complications.
Modern people are facing a compact life pace and an era of information explosion. When the body is under long-term stress, it may affect physical and mental health. Intangible stress will manifest itself in different physiological symptoms, such as headaches, constipation, chest tightness, depression, etc. In severe cases, it may even change the endocrine system, and the impact cannot be underestimated.
Dr. Su Shengjie, deputy director of Lianqing Clinic, said that because stress is intangible, subjective, and difficult to measure, many people often ignore the impact of stress.
“Actually, the absence of stress is not entirely a good thing. You will perform best under appropriate pressure. But everyone has different tolerance limits for stress. When stress reaches the limit, the body will cause gastrointestinal problems, headaches, or sleep disturbances, etc.”
Dr. Su Shengjie explained that if the above problems occur, people often seek treatment from doctors in various disciplines to deal with the discomfort. However, X-rays, gastroscopy, electrocardiograms and other examinations found no abnormality. In the end, it was discovered that the main cause was not an organ structure problem, but psychological stress.
Keep an eye on your work progress while eating and sleeping to be careful of “autonomic nervous system disorder”
Dr. Su Shengjie explained that when faced with stress, the human body will activate the “sympathetic nervous system” to respond. At this time, you may feel a faster heartbeat, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and nervousness. Only after the stressful event or crisis is resolved, the body will automatically switch to the “parasympathetic” mode, allowing you to have a good rest or sleep.
However, many office workers and white-collar workers today still think about work meetings or numerous to-do items when dining, resulting in a lack of appetite for meals and affecting the quality of their sleep. This is also the reason why the parasympathetic nerves cannot activate normally, leading to the so-called “autonomic nervous system disorder” phenomenon.
If you are in a state of stress for a long time, the nervous system cannot regulate normally, and hormonal rhythms will also change. For example, cortisol, commonly known as the “stress hormone”, is usually secreted in the highest concentration during the day, allowing individuals to maintain a mental state and not get tired easily. The concentration of cortisol will gradually decrease at night. If you continue to worry about work, it will stimulate the secretion of cortisol and make you sleepless over time. Obstacles will begin to appear.
Hormone analysis helps clarify the source of stress. Doctors recommend “2 measures” to relieve daily anxiety
Therefore, it is crucial to identify early if you are experiencing excessive stress and make adjustments. Dr. Su Shengjie said that clinically, the fluctuation of hormone cortisol secretion can be checked through “sex hormone combined with adrenal stress cortical analysis” or by measuring endocrine system index. Or use the online stress assessment scale to evaluate whether you are under stress.
If the stress gradually becomes unbearable, in addition to seeking help from professional doctors, Dr. Su Shengjie provides two important methods to relieve stress:
Sleep: Deep sleep has a stress-reducing effect. The sleeping process can help the brain regulate, reorganize emotions and relieve stress. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid sacrificing sleep time as much as possible. If you have any sleep problems, you need to seek medical treatment.
Meditation: The psychological fear and fear of stress are initiated by the “amygdala” in the brain. Through meditation and deep breathing, the vagus nerve sends relaxation signals to the amygdala, reducing tension in the face of stress. Yoga, abdominal breathing, meditation, etc. also have similar effects. Remember to practice regularly to train your brain to stabilize your emotions.
In addition to lifestyle adjustments, people also need to pay attention to their nutritional status. Micronutrients such as vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin B complex, magnesium, selenium, etc. can be supplemented in a timely manner. In addition, modern people should learn to moderately release stress. They can do more things that can enter the “flow” through exercise, painting, making desserts, etc., and take appropriate rest to give the body a chance to restart and face challenges again.
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