Stress is a part of life and is not all bad. However, if left unattended, stress can significantly impact your overall health and wellness. Therefore, regardless of your age and situation, managing stress is critical. Don’t give up if you feel like your routine stress management is not working out. Poway Gain Wellness Center includes a comprehensive approach tailored to identify the root cause and put in place effective measures to lower the stress to manageable levels.
Stress and its impact
In stressful moments, your brain releases hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. The hormones provide you with the focus and energy to deal with the moment. As you face tougher times, the brain experiences challenge regulating the hormone levels, typically resulting in higher amounts that are harder to shut down. In larger amounts, the hormones can cause problems. For example, cortisol is associated with hippocampus damage, the brain’s section responsible for storing and retrieving memories. Other health risks associated with stress include high blood pressure, heart diseases, obesity, depression, and immune system weakening.
Stress in older adults
In your youthful years, stress might not be as damaging. You can get over it through a routine. Nonetheless, the levels can skyrocket for older adults due to the least stressors. Aging adults have experienced significant stress over the years. This includes considerable cases like losing loved ones involved in accidents, among other traumatic incidences.
What seems like a minor stressor can, in aging adults, be a significant problem. What’s more, aging adults worry a lot. Their deteriorating health, losing their independence, such as if they can’t manage activities of daily living, being a burden to their loved ones; the list is long. Therefore, practical stress management is critical to ensure it doesn’t hit unmanageable levels.
Here is the big problem; stress in older adults is not as easy to establish. Many brushes it off as just being worried, tired, or a sign of aging. It is even harder if they are on active prescription or dealing with a chronic condition, as pain increases the stress levels yet overlooked as the condition is the focus. Since most stress signs have a logical explanation, it is easy to go unnoticed for an extended period, a concern that puts them at risk.
Why stress management is critical
Aging adults are already at higher risk of contracting ailments. This is more so if they have chronic conditions such as diabetes. With stress in the equation, the least opportunistic ailments can easily get to them. Moreover, since their immune system is weakened, which stress further attacks, recovering from disease can take longer, exposing them to more risks. Proper stress management in older adults delivers benefits, including:
· Quality sleep, giving the body the needed rest to repair
· Get sick a lot less, and when they do, faster recovery
· Less muscle tension, improving their mobility
· Improved weight control
· Better moods, making it easier to stay active and get along with others
Your aging parent is not rude and mean; it could be that they are stressed. Get the help needed, keeping those unpleasant experiences at a minimum. For all your stress management needs, contact Gain Wellness Center. You will be equipped with information and access services needed for quality healthcare.