Respiratory Symptoms of Stress - Signs and Actions

What are respiratory symptoms of stress? We all live under some form of stress.  This can impact our health in numerous ways. 

Among the most serious are respiratory stress symptoms that can create a number of other side effects often without us even being aware of them.

The hard and difficult part of the problem is not all stress is bad.

It is only when we are unable to cope effectively that stress becomes a real problem. 

Stress can become progressively worse, cycling on itself in an ever-worsening fashion.

How can one get a grip on the stress in their life and provide some measure of relief?  There are several common sense things you can do every day that will provide you with major stress relief benefits.

Bad Stress

As I mentioned, not all stress is bad stress.  Some can be good motivation to succeed and thrive.

But there are bad stresses too and those are what need to be moderated to keep the challenges in life from overwhelming you. It is this perceived negative pressure that creates issues, like respiratory symptoms of stress

The higher respiratory rate that comes with a fight or flight response increases oxygen levels in the blood, which alters brain chemistry and how the body copes with additional stress, placed on it. 

This can range from general aches in the body to digestive troubles of various kinds, the inability to sleep, mental issues ranging from suicidal thoughts to general lack of concentration. Stress can create feelings of helplessness, anger, indecisiveness, anxiety, moodiness, and general low self-esteem.

To compound matters, there are many negative ways that stress is dealt with. From addiction to alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and other drugs to violence, apathy, or even abusing food by overeating, stress takes a toll on the health of those who suffer too much.

These methods are often used as a stopgap measure to ease pressure from respiratory symptoms of stress only to end up causing more stress in the long run. These habits end up adding to stress by creating new ones in the form of addictive behaviors and personality shifts.

What this all amounts to is that stress can cause damage to the body on its own and our habits developed to deal with stress can either help us or harm us further.  The "quick" way out of stress is often the bad way out of stress that leads to additional heal issues and problems down the line.

This snowballing effect can create cycles of stress that make things ever more dire, and eventually the fight or flight responses get so hyped up that even a small additional stress is too much.

What is really bad about this is respiratory symptoms of stress, which can be triggered by many different things in life, from job related problems, to concerns about finances, relationships, or health.  

When we breathe at a higher rate, we reduce carbon dioxide in the blood.  This leads to mild to severe cases of respiratory alkalosis, or increased ph in the blood. This condition can be expressed from anything like fainting to mood swings, aches and pains, and other symptoms already mentioned. It can be very serious and cause long-term health issues.

Stress relief can be found through awareness of those things that are triggering the responses.  To see if you are hyperventilating try a simple test. See how long you can hold your breath.  If it is less than 30 seconds, you need to take some counter measures for the sake of your health.

Some common sense things you can do that are simple, cheap and effective are getting enough sleep, eating a well balanced diet, exercising, taking time out for leisure,  limit alcohol and caffeine use, stop smoking, revise your goals and make realistic ones, and get support from friends and family.

One final word, the best way to reduce stress is to make time for yourself.  It can be as simple as pausing to smell the roses or as complex as a trip to the sauna. 

If you learn how to do three things, you can know when you need to plan a timeout. First, know what the beginning responses are you have to stress, work on a set of skills to manage those responses, and then actively apply those skills.

Some tools against respiratory symptoms of stress are deep breathing, meditations, psychotherapy, and or religions involvement. 

For more information on how to manage your stress in life, consult our resources site and blog where you will find more resources every day.

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