Colin Coleman ENG 111_67 4/1/15

Cause And Effect The effects stress has on your health vary depending on the importance of the challenge causing the stress and whether you relax in between challenges to relieve stress.

Stress is a natural occurrence in life, but when one doesnt allow their body to wind down after stress in begins to tax on your health causing high blood pressure and head aches which are the most common immediate effects stress have on your body and these are just a few but they all can lead to more serious ailments. (Med MD) High blood pressure is the most commonly associated effect that stress has on the body. Stress causes high blood pressure by releasing stress hormones, constricting blood vessels, and a pounding heart but thats all in the short term, but chronic stress can lead to much more serious problems (Healthline). Stress hormones are released naturally by your body to help you cope with challenges, these stress hormones effects youre respiratory and cardio vascular system to help distribute oxygen to your body. Your heart also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and raise your blood pressure. All that helps get oxygen to your brain and heart so youll have more strength and energy to take action (Healthline). This over time can lead to major negative effects on your body such as stroke or heart attack because your heart is being over worked over and over. Thought this is the most common effect stress has on your body there are many others as well.

Head aches are also a common effect stress has on your body that can become more serious over time. This is caused by a persons central nervous system which is in charge of a persons fight or flight instinct The central nervous system instantly tells the rest of your body what to do, marshaling all resources to the cause. In the brain, the hypothalamus gets the ball rolling, telling your adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol (Healthline). When the challenge that caused your Central nervous system to go into Fight or Flight mode is over your body begins to go back to normal, but if you dont allow your body to relax this never happens and your brain never stops telling your body its ok to calm down. This is what causes the head aches because your brain is constantly filling your body with adrenalin and cortisol thus leading to more serious effects.

Most people are only affected by the more immediate effects of stress, but those with chronic stress can suffer from much more serious effects. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, contributing to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression (American Physiological Association). Once some ones stress continues over a period of time it can change peoples lifes forever and even in some cases end them.

The effects of stress can become very serious if you dont allow for your body to relax in-between challenges. The effects can go from single headaches and high blood pressure to lifetime depression and even lead to life threatening events such as heart attacks and strokes. This is why its so very important to set yourself time aside to relax and take a load off so your stress doesnt escalate to a worse level.

Works Cited Goldberg, Joseph. "The Effects of Stress on Your Body." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.

Pietrangelo, Ann. "The Effects of Stress on the Body." Healthline. Healthline, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.

"How Stress Affects Your Health." Http://www.apa.org. American Physiological Association, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.