You’ll have to deal both with stress and aging. Stress is easier to handle when we’re young. Stress has a different effect on our body as we age.
There are easy ways to reduce stress and improve your health. You must first ask yourself, how does stress impact the body of older people?
Stress and the Body
Stress can affect every system of your body. Your body reacts when it senses danger, or a need to fight. Your blood pressure increases, you breathe harder, and your muscles tighten up. This is because your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to give you the energy and power to deal with the threat.
This response can be good in small amounts, such as when you bump something and are able react quickly to catch it before falling over. Problems arise when these feelings occur frequently, and sometimes even constantly.
Stress can lead to high blood pressure, immune system problems, anxiety, depression and other issues.
Tension and Aging
You may be asking yourself, “How do older people’s stress levels differ from younger people?” There are two ways to answer this question.
Your body answers in an differently
As we age, our physical fitness levels decrease, our lung capacity drops, and people tend to lead a more sedentary life. Due to these changes, your body is unable to handle the natural stress response in the same way it did when you were younger.
Many older adults have chronic diseases, making it more difficult to recover from physical ailments. An issue that used to be hard on the body is now even more difficult.
Stress can also have mental effects. Stress hormones flood the brain and start to affect memory and cognition. This can be a problem for older people. All of this has nothing to do with dementia or age-related cognitive decline.
Sleep is the main factor that will make a difference in your mental health. A good night’s rest will usually reset your brain and bring you back to normal. Restful sleep is not always easy for older people. If you are unable to reset your mind, it can make cognitive problems related to stress worsen over time.
Changes in What Triggers Pressure
Remember the things that made you feel stressed in your youth. This could be an increase in your workload at work or falling behind with household chores. Stressors for older adults include things like the death of a loved-one, a feeling of helplessness or the loss of physical abilities. Stress triggers can have a different impact on stress symptoms depending on their nature.
Stress Side effects to Post for
It can be difficult to relate certain physical symptoms to stress. You can get used to the symptoms of stress if you are in a state of constant stress. Knowing what to look out for will make it easier to identify stress symptoms. You may need a family member or friend to help you recognize them.
These are the symptoms of stress to watch for :
- Changes in eating habits
- Changes in mood such as sadness, anxiety, being more irritable or overactivity
- Short-term memory or concentration difficulties
- A bad judgment that is out of the ordinary
- Social isolation
- Personal care is not taken seriously
- Have more headaches, aches and pains.
- Sexual illness is common
- Weight gain or loss
- Sleeping problems or excessive fatigue
You can see that many of these symptoms are easily misinterpreted as a result of another problem. Some of these symptoms are also signs of depression. When you look at the cause, stress may be the culprit.
Stress Relieving Activities
Now that you are aware of the stress-related symptoms and effects, it is time to learn how to relieve stress. There are many things you can easily do at home that will help to calm your mind and melt away the stress.
Profound Breathing Activities
Breathing is something you probably do not give much thought to, but should. The act of breathing is what allows oxygen to flow through your blood vessels, and removes carbon dioxide.
You can get more oxygen into your body by spending some time each day focusing on your breathing. Inhale deeply, letting your stomach protrude out. Your lungs will stretch down and your chest will fill with air. Exhale slowly. After the first few breathes, you’ll feel the stress levels drop.
Many people are interested in meditation
You can combine this method with breathing exercises. It has been proven that meditation can help you reduce stress and prevent future stress.
Meditation can be practiced in many ways, but the most common is to clear your mind or focus on a single thought. Spend 5-20 minutes clearing out your mind and body of stressful thoughts.
Brain workout
Stress can be reduced by a bit of mental stimulation. You can focus your mind on the problem solving activity that you are doing by doing things like crossword puzzles or putting together puzzles.
Exercise your brain for cognitive health is important. By keeping your brain in shape, you can prevent dementia and stay sharp.
Reduce Triggers
You probably know what causes you stress. You can reduce their impact on your daily life once you identify them. It is true that addressing the source of stress can be difficult, but it will improve your life.
If, for example, your stress is caused by a sense of helplessness, then you should try to keep yourself busy. Volunteering for a cause you believe in or taking on a part-time position are both popular choices. You can do wonders by simply organizing a weekly or a monthly event that you attend with your family or friends. Socializing and getting out is another great way to keep your brain active.
Deep Breath
Take a moment to relax and focus on your breathing. You can do it. It may take some effort to enjoy your golden years at first. This is just one more thing that life will throw at you. Enjoy the little things and remember to breathe. You can make stressors appear less important.
You can talk to your doctor if you continue to feel the effects of stress. You may not be able to pinpoint the physical stress effects on your body without professional help. Your doctor is there to guide you to Better Health.
