Stress can be classified into two types: acute and chronic. When people experience immediate or acute stress, the body undergoes a series of reactions and immediate effects. However, if one experiences chronic or long-term stress and fails to manage it properly, it can gradually damage one’s physical health. Therefore, when facing stress, both psychological and physiological aspects are simultaneously affected.

According to medical research, the body systems involved in responding to stress are primarily the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Under stress, the sympathetic nervous system triggers responses such as dilated pupils, expanded airways, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. The HPA axis releases cortisol and adrenaline, which have similar effects to the sympathetic nervous system, including vasoconstriction and increased blood glucose levels.

Acute stress can lead to burst blood vessels, while chronic stress can cause brain degeneration and cancer. Acute stress can severely damage the body’s health, leading to burst blood vessels, heart attacks, and fainting. However, the detrimental effects of chronic stress on the body should not be ignored. When the body is constantly in an active state and influenced by stress hormones, normal metabolism is hindered, leading to conditions such as gastrointestinal ulcers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, brain degeneration, and cancer. In fact, there have been numerous medical studies linking chronic stress to various chronic diseases.

To manage stress, there are two main methods:

1. Maintain a healthy body to minimize the impact of stress on physical health and prevent multiple damages.
2. Recognize the sources of stress and practice tolerance.

Source: Neowave