How does stress affect your body? According to the Men’s Health Foundation, high stress, poor sleep and eating habits increase the risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, and other mental illnesses in men. It can also cause low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.
Men, when it comes down to it, is it really worth it? Here’s what stress can also do to your body:
1. You May Lose Hair
There are three types of hair loss that can be associated with high-stress levels.
Telogen effluvium is tied to a significant amount of stress and pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase. Within a few months, affected hairs might fall out suddenly when simply combing or washing your hair.
Trichotillomania is another condition in which a person experiences irresistible urges to pull out hair from the scalp, eyebrows or other areas of the body. Hair pulling can be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, tension, loneliness, boredom, or frustration.
And lastly, alopecia areata, in which a variety of factors are thought to cause hair loss, including severe stress. With alopecia areata, the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss.
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2. You May Gain A Gut
Stress is most definitely connected to weight gain. The high level of the stress hormone, cortisol, has been shown to increase appetite, drive cravings for food, and make it much easier to accumulate belly fat.
So, in this instance, you’re not only packing on the pounds, but you’re also slowing down your metabolism and burning fewer calories.
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3. You May Get Acne
There are many causes of adult acne in men, but stress is among the most common. Stress causes an increase in the androgen hormone, which stimulates your sebaceous glands to overproduce sebum.
The androgen hormone is responsible for developing male traits. You might think having excess is a good thing, but it’s not. Your body needs a balance of it.
4. You May Lose Your Vision
When we are severely stressed and anxious, high levels of adrenaline in the body can cause pressure on the eyes, resulting in blurred vision.
People with long-term anxiety can suffer from eye strain during the day regularly. Stress may actually be one of the major causes of eye diseases, like glaucoma.
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5. You May Lose Muscle Tone
Chronic stress can throw your hormones out of balance. Persistent stress is likely to decrease the level of anabolic hormones like testosterone and increase the level of catabolic hormones like cortisol, which is an unhealthy balance.
Low testosterone levels and elevated cortisol levels affect energy and inhibit muscle development.
How to Avoid Stress
According to NYC Health + Hospitals, the following can help you avoid stress:
- Take care of yourself. Avoid drugs and alcohol as they can add to stress. Eat a well-balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise on a regular basis.
- Engage in self-relaxation. Try muscle relaxation, breathing or meditation exercises, prayer, yoga, or swimming to reduce stress. Spend time with nature or listen to quiet music.
Take breaks when needed. Especially at work, taking breaks can help you reorganize and re-energize your thoughts and focus. This will help you do your work and maintain productivity. - Seek out social support. A partner, family member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergyperson can help lighten your mental load.
- Connect with others socially. Spending time with loved ones and doing fun things can help ease the stress.
- Maintain a normal routine. Get up in the morning and go to bed at night each day at the same time. Eat three meals daily.
- Give back to others. Sometimes channeling your energy into giving, like doing community service or helping a neighbor or a friend, can channel your energy in positive ways.
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.
