How Stress Saps Your Health

Everybody has experienced stress in one form or another, yet many don’t fully understand the dramatic effects stress can have on their health. In most situations, the body returns to normal once the threat has passed. However, if stress is overbearing and long-lasting (chronic), it can start taking a toll on one’s health. In fact, according to a major stress study by the American Psychological Association (APA), some of the most common stressors in our modern world — work, money and the economy — are persistent and pervasive. Some studies even suggest that job-related stress can be as dangerous to one’s health as smoking or inactivity. From disrupting sleep to increasing the risk of heart disease and spurring flare-ups in MS patients, chronic stress is not an issue to ignore.