Physical, Emotional and Lifestyle Effects of Stress

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide to Stress Management

Stress can affect you in many ways. People often notice the emotional effects of stress, but aren't always aware of all of the ways stress can have a physical impact. Learn more about the effects of stress, and how to safeguard your health and happiness.

1. Your Stress Response
2. How Stress Affects Your Body
3. Mental and Emotional Effects of Stress
4. Stress and Your Lifestyle
5. Stress By Demographic

Your Stress Response

When you experience stress, there's a cascade of physical changes that occur to prepare you to deal with it. Here's what happens in your body--and what can happen when your stress response is triggered too often.

• Understanding Your Stress Response
• How Much Stress Is Too Much?
• Stress Symptoms

How Stress Affects Your Body

Stress can affect your body in many different ways. Learn more about the effects of stress on your physical and emotional health.

• Heart Disease
• Blood Pressure and Stroke
• Metabolic Syndrome

• Weight Gain
• Stress and Immunity
• Psychosomatic Illness

Mental and Emotional Effects of Stress

You may be able to recognize the 'stressed-out' feeling you get when you're overwhelmed. In addition to that feeling, here are several other ways that stress can affect your thinking, behavior and emotional state.

• Anxiety
• Emotional Eating
• Feeling Overwhelmed
• Cognitive Impairment

• Psychosomatic Illness
• Anger and Your Health
• Rumination--Obsessing About Stress

Stress and Your Lifestyle

Just as stress can be the result of certain lifestyle factors, stress can contribute to certain habits and behaviors. Here are some stress-related lifestyle factors that may be affecting you. Learning about the role that stress plays in each of these areas can help you to create a healthier lifestyle.

• Poor Sleep
• Inadequate Nutrition
• Imbalanced Lifestyle / Being Too Busy
• Burnout

Stress By Demographic

Stress affects everyone in a slightly unique way, and different types of people face certain types of stressors. This section addresses the effects of stress and stress management needs of specific categories of people.

• Women and Stress
• Men and Stress
• Children and Stress
• Student Stress
• Stress On The Job