Stress affects not only mental health but also physical health. We often don't understand this, but when we're stressed about something, it negatively impacts our body and mind. Let's understand this from an expert.

Stress...sometimes at work...sometimes at home...sometimes about relationships, sometimes about something else. In today's hectic lives, we all find ourselves stressed about something or the other, even if we don't want to. We often think that stress is the reason we can't sleep or have a bad mood. This is true, but if you think that's the only impact of stress, you're wrong. Stress affects both your physical and mental health—in simple terms, it impacts both your body and mind. From weight gain to difficulty remembering things, let's learn from an expert how stress affects the body and mind. Dietitian Manpreet Kalra provides insights into this. She holds a Master's in Nutrition from Delhi University. She is a hormone and gut health coach and the founder and director of Reboot Gut Health Care Pvt. Ltd., Delhi.

What effect does stress have on the body and mind?

• Stress not only affects our brain, but it also affects our weight, appetite and immunity.
• When you're stressed for long periods of time, your body feels constantly tired. Stress also impacts your ability to fight illness, making you more susceptible to illness.

• Dietician Manpreet says that if you are unable to sleep at night and do not feel like getting up from bed in the morning, cravings are increasing and belly fat is not reducing even after lakhs of efforts, then this is also due to stress.
• Stress actually causes our bodies to release the stress hormone cortisol. When levels remain elevated for a long time, it can alter not only your mood but your body as well.

• Stress can make it difficult to sleep, cause sugar spikes, and raise blood sugar levels. This can slow down your metabolism and lead to weight gain.
• Stress also affects a woman's menstrual cycle. Sometimes periods are delayed, and sometimes they can come early.
• Due to stress, one does not feel like doing any work and it becomes difficult to remember things or focus.

If you've been stressed about something for a long time, its effects are clearly visible on your health.

PC: Herzindagi