Stress is a normal part of life. But how you handle that stress has major implications for your long-term health. Turns out dwelling on daily stressors can double your risk of chronic health problems, according to a study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Researchers interviewed 435 people, asking them about the daily stresses they experienced, their mood, and the physical health symptoms they had. The interviews were conducted between 1995 and 1996 and then again 10 years later. The authors also analyzed participants’ levels of the stress hormone cortisol from saliva samples. They found that participants who dwelled on the small stressors, rather than letting the problems roll off their backs, were twice as likely to report an increase in chronic health problems 10 years later. The most common conditions reported: Pain (like arthritis and fibromyalgia), cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal problems.
How Stress Impacts the Body
It’s not news that stress can negatively impact your health. In the short term, people who experience stress are more likely to report headaches, stomach problems, anxiety, and decreased productivity. Stress can also affect memory and cognitive performance: You’re more likely to forget things and perform worse on cognitive tasks, as if you had the brain of someone about 6 years older, says study author David Almeida, Ph.D., professor of human development and family studies at Penn State University.
Almeida’s study is one of the first to look at the long-term effects of stress, however. As for why stress can leave lasting damage over a decade, Almeida has two theories. The first: “When we get upset in the face of stressors, we have increases in cortisol, or disruptions to our daily physiology. Over time, this could place the body at risk [for health problems].” For example, spikes in cortisol cause heart rate to increase, which make your cardiovascular system work harder.
His other theory is purely behavioral: When people are experiencing stress, they’re less likely to engage in the types of things that improve health, like exercising and eating well.
How to Manage Stress in a Healthy Way
Almeida maintains that stress in and of itself isn’t bad. “In the end, it’s healthy to have stressors in our lives—that means we have challenge in our lives,” Almeida says. “But we have to be aware of how we respond to these challenges.”
“If you’re carrying it with you when you go to sleep or if it disrupts your going to sleep then you’re certainly dwelling.”
Try these tips for managing frustration and improving your mood:
1. Break a Sweat
If at all possible, find an outlet for physical activity and exercise, Almeida says. It’s only natural. “We’ve evolved to mobilize energy in the face of a stressor,” he says. Heart rate goes up and glucose is sent to all parts of our bodies, but “our modern-day response to that is to sit and work out the challenge mentally when our bodies are saying ‘go out and do something.’”
If you know in advance that a certain day is going to be stressful, schedule a workout for that morning. If, instead, you’ve been blindsided by tension, make a point to hit the gym in the evening or work out at home. (Chill out with this relaxing yoga routine.)
2. Be Solution-Oriented
“Try to focus on solving the problem if it’s solvable, rather than focusing on your emotions about the problem,” Almeida says. Make a list of all the steps you need to take to get something accomplished and then cross them off as you complete them. When you see that you’re making progress on smaller, more manageable tasks, the job as a whole will feel less overwhelming, Dan Ariely, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and economics at Duke University who studies irrational behavior.
3. Laugh It Off
The people who do best at not dwelling are those who have some sort of positive outlook on life, Almeida says. “In the face of challenge they can maintain joy, happiness, or humor—that seems to help a lot in limiting the duration of the stress response,” he says.
Research shows that smiling and laughing increase feel-good endorphins. Cracking up also causes levels of the stress hormones to plummet. Your laughter Rx? Hit up Buzzfeed.com and belly-laugh at animal photos or watch a YouTube clip from your favorite comedian.
4. Count Your Blessings
Being grateful can help calm you down. In a study published in Applied Physiology, people who focused on feeling grateful at bedtime were less worried and anxious and their overall sleep quality was better compared to previous nights. To improve your mood and outlook, make a list of five things for which you’re grateful every night, no matter how small.
5. Massage It Out
A rub doesn’t just make your muscles feel good—it can also do wonders for your anxiety. When the nerves in your skin sense firm pressure, your brain activates your parasympathetic nervous system. As a result, your adrenal glands cut back the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and vasopressin and your brain boosts production of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. (Here’s how to give yourself an amazing DIY massage right now.)
6. Eat Your Veggies
New research shows that happiness is highest among people who eat seven servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The more good-for-you foods people ate, the more likely they were to report satisfaction and happiness and the less likely they were to experience nervousness and “feeling low.” The positive effects topped out at seven servings, which might seem like a lot but it’s doable. Try these tricks for squeezing more fruits and veggies into your diet.
Additional Reporting By:
Women’s Health Editors
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