Short Term Effects of Stress

Short Term Effects of Stress

Short term effects of stress are common. In an average day, you may encounter a number of stressful events. For the most part, these events can be mild and dissipate fairly easily. There are also other moments in time that are more stressful and the way to resolve the problem may not be immediate, could be out of your hands, or may be severe. It is fairly obvious that chronic stress can trigger problems within the body, but some people may forget that strong, short periods of stress can have negative affects as well.

When you encounter something stressful, your body can do many different things. It may increase blood flow to vital organs, leaving less blood flow to the less vital areas of the body. Your heart rate increases as does blood pressure. Your respiratory rate can increase, your blood sugar rate can jump, and your metabolism can change. Encountering a stressful event that is strong can boost what you may feel. For example, if you were a student getting ready for a very important test, stress can build up and continue until either you find a way to calm yourself or the test is over. Severe, yet brief stressful events can mean chest pains, clammy skin, breathlessness, dry mouth, abdominal discomfort, loose stools, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, muscle pain, and headaches.

Short term effects of stress can aggravate already present conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, arthritis, and ulcers. You may have other conditions that are affected by stress, even in small doses, and what is worse, you are likely to stress over these new problems as they arise, which will only compound upon your current stress level.

Should a short amount of stress loom in the future, find ways to counter it; realize that you can handle it and it does not have to stress you. If you are not careful, short term stress repercussions could lead into long term stress.