People who are stressed out tend to do other things that make their body less healthy and more vulnerable to the effects of stress. Many eat more fatty comfort foods, which can lead to obesity and diabetes. They may smoke or drink more, raising the risk for cancer and other diseases. And they often feel they’re just too busy to exercise.
Seeman says, “Being physically active helps keep the body’s systems in better shape and thus better able to deal with any demands from other stressful conditions.”
Another factor affecting how we deal with stress is the isolation of modern life. Sometimes it seems like the only time we interact with our family or co-workers is when we’re having a conflict. Seeman says it’s important to develop a network of people you can go to and talk with when you’re confronted with difficulties in your life.
“Large studies have clearly shown,” she says, “that people who have more social relationships, a larger network of people they interact with on a regular basis, live longer. Research suggests they’re less likely to show declines as they’re older.”
All this research highlights the fact that healthy practices can complement mainstream medicine to help treat and prevent disease. Do things that make you feel good about yourself, mentally and physically. Get enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Develop a network of people you can turn to in difficult times.
If you still find yourself too stressed out, talk to your health care professional. There are many therapies they may recommend to help you deal with stress and its consequences. The effects of being chronically stressed are too serious to simply accept as a fact of modern life.