Causes Body Stress

Causes of Body Stress

It’s a little over a week into January, and I hope you’re still feeling the positive effects of the holidays. Before the year picks up pace, spend a little time thinking about what creates stress for you. If you’re aware of your personal stressors, you’re better able to manage them. Are you exposed to mechanical (physical) stress, chemical stress factors, and/or emotional and mental ones? How can you reduce or remove these?

Let's look at the 3 Types of Stress Factors that cause your body to store stress:

Emotional and Mental Stress

Emotional and Mental Stress Factors

Fear of the future, financial worries, competition in the workplace, difficult family relationships … these are some of the most common causes of emotional or mental stress. Are these creating stress in your life? Or do you struggle with ongoing mental strain: depression, anxiety, resentment?

When we shield ourselves from emotional and mental stress factors like these, we take on a defensive attitude which finds physical expression in the tightening of the diaphragm, jaw, neck and shoulders, and causes body stress.

Mechanical or Physical Stress

Mechanical or Physical Stress Factors

What are mechanical stress factors? And how do they cause body stress? They could be sudden and violent – a car accident, a severe fall or lifting a heavy load incorrectly. They could be milder – a gradual build up as a result of bad habits, like sitting incorrectly or doing the wrong exercise routine.

In short, when mechanical stress goes beyond the body’s ability to adapt, the effects may be stored as body stress.

Chemical Stress Factors

Chemical Stress Factors

Air pollutants; insecticides; food additives, colourants and preservatives; artificial growth hormones … the list of chemical stress factors in our daily lives continues to grow even though we may steer clear of tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals.

Chemical stress may manifest in severe headaches and nausea. It puts our bodies on the defensive, creating body stress.

Are you prone to one of these causes of body stress? Or a combination of two or three?

Now you've identified your stressors, you're better able to defend yourself against them. You'll be more aware of them and better able to consciously make decisions or take action to reduce their effects.