Source: http://haaswellnesscenters.

com/stress-facts/

40 Interesting Facts About Stress and

Anxiety The short-and long-term effects

Interesting facts about stress and anxiety:

1. Stress has been called “the silent killer” and can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure,
chest pain, and an irregular heartbeat.
2. While it is a myth that stress can turn hair gray, it can cause hair loss. In fact, hair loss can
begin up to three months after a stressful event.
3. In recent studies, the top most stressful jobs are a surgeon, commercial airline pilot,
photojournalist, advertising account executive, and real estate agent. The least stressful jobs
were actuary, dietitian, astronomer, systems analyst, and software engineer.
4. The top three stressful cities in America are Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and New
York, New York.
5. Stress alters the neurochemical makeup of the body, which can affect the maturation and
release of the human egg. It can also cause the fallopian tubes and uterus to spasm, which can
affect implantation. In men, it can affect sperm count and motility and can cause erectile
dysfunction. In fact, it may account for 30% of all infertility problems.
6. Stress can make acne worse. Researchers say stress-related inflammation rather than a rise is
sebum (the oily substance in skin) is to blame.
7. Laughing lowers stress hormones (like cortisol, epinephrine, and adrenaline) and strengthens
the immune system by releasing health-enhancing hormones.
8. The stress hormone cortisol not only causes abdominal fat to accumulate, but it also enlarges
individual fat cells, leading to what researchers call “diseased” fat.
9. Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments,
accidents, liver cirrhosis, and suicide.
10. The stress of caring for a disabled spouse increases the risk of stroke substantially.
11. Chronic stress can impair the developmental growth in children by lowering the production of
growth hormone from the pituitary gland.
12. A CNN poll reveals that the number one reason for stress in most countries is money. The
countries most stressed about money are Malaysia, China, Singapore, and the United States. The
countries least stressed about money are Russia, France, and Italy.
13. The term “stress” derives from the Latin stringere (to draw tight).
14. Stress causes capillaries to close, which restricts bleeding if a flesh wound should occur.
15. Pupils dilate (mydriasis) during stress much the same way they dilate in response to attraction:
to gather more visual information about a situation.
16. Chronic stress floods the brain with powerful hormones that are meant for short-term
emergency situations. Chronic exposure can damage, shrink, and kill brain cells.
17. Studies find that women with moderate levels of stress were at lower risk for suicide than
those women who had very high or very low levels of stress.
18. Scientists suggest that stress is part of the evolutionary drive because it has enabled humans
to survive. Specifically, it temporarily increases awareness and improves physical performance.
19. Stress makes the blood “stickier,” in preparation for an injury. Such a reaction, however, also
increases the probability of developing a blood clot.
20. Research has shown that dark chocolate reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and other
fight-flight hormones. Additionally, cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids.
21. Chronic stress increases cytokines, which produce inflammation. Exposure to constant
inflammation can damage arteries and other organs.
22. Stress can alter blood sugar levels, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia, and
metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for heart attack and diabetes.
23. Chronic stress worsens irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that irritates the large
intestine and causes constipation, cramping, and bloating.
24. Peptic ulcers are caused by the H.pylori bacteria or the use of NSAIDS—not stress. However,
stress can exacerbate ulcers and keep them from healing.
25. Chronic stress decreases the body’s immune system’s response to infection and can affect a
person’s response to immunizations.
26. Stress can increase the ability of chemicals to pass the blood-brain barrier, which shields
neurons from some poisons, viruses, toxins, and other fluctuations in normal blood chemistry.
27. Acoustic stress (caused by loud noises) can trigger an episode of Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), a
disorder of the heart’s electrical system. LGTS is estimated to cause as many as 3,000 deaths in
the U.S. each year.
28. Young people from military families who have a deployed parent report higher levels of stress
and emotional problems than other adolescents and teens.
29. Stress increases the risk of pre-term labor and intrauterine infection. Additionally, chronic
levels of stress place a fetus at greater risk for developing stress-related disorders and affect the
fetus’s temperament and neurobehavioral development.
30. Post-traumatic stress physically changes children’s brains; specifically, stress shrinks the
hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores and retrieves memories.
31. Chinese stress balls (Baoding balls) were created during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) in
Baoding, China. Originally made of iron, the balls are thought to relieve stress because they touch
pressure or acupuncture points on the hand.
32. Stress can result in more headaches as a result of the body rerouting blood flow to other parts
of the body.
33. The hyper-arousal of the body’s stress response system can lead to chronic insomnia.
34. An early record of post-traumatic stress syndrome dates from the eighth century B.C. in
Homer’s Iliad when Achilles suffers severe battle stress in the Trojan War. Achilles complains of
feeling emotionally “numb” or “dead” and expresses suicidal thoughts and rage.
35. In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Lady Percy’s description of her battle-worn husband, Harry Hotspur,
is surprisingly similar to the symptoms of actual post-traumatic syndrome, such as feeling
estranged from others, difficulty sleeping, exhibiting an exaggerated startle, dysphoria, and
strong anxiety.
36. When cells shrink due to exposure to stress hormones, they disconnect from each other, which
contributes to depression.
37. Men are more likely than women to develop certain stress-related disorders, including
hypertension, aggressive behavior, and abuse of alcohol and drugs.
38. Chronic low-level noise and low-frequency noise below the threshold of human hearing
provoke stress hormones that can interfere with learning and can also elevate blood pressure,
degrade the immune system, and increase aggression.
39. Stress creates hormonal changes in the human body that can decrease libido and sex
response. However, the BBC reports that penetrative sex (as opposed to other types of sex, such
as masturbation) decreased stress hormones while those who had no sex had the highest blood
pressure.
40. Extreme or sudden emotional trauma can lead to “broken heart syndrome” (BHS), or stress
cardiomyopathy (severe heart muscle weakness). This condition occurs rapidly and usually in
women. In Japan, BHS is called “octopus trap cardiomyopathy” because the left ventricle balloons
out in a peculiar shape.
41. Stress can kill.