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The Link Between Financial Stress and Mental Health and Health
We all know the effect of financial stress: hours of extra work, sleepless nights, feeling overwhelmed or isolated and lack of motivation. Financial stress can directly impact your mental and physical health, with worries about money standing in the way of your wellbeing. Here’s an look at the connection between financial stress and mental and physical health, and how to manage it.
How Can Financial Stress Impact Your Mental Health?
Financial stress can lead to significant changes in mental health, often manifesting as depression, anxiety, and a decrease in quality of life. It can also lead to more severe conditions such as severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Financial stress can contribute to physical illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions.
One of the most common ways financial stress manifests is through money-related worries. This can happen when people are constantly worrying about money or feel like they don’t have enough. The massive sense of feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope can then lead to further physical and mental health issues.
Managing the Mental Effects of Financial Stress
There are many strategies to managing financial stress, and the key is to recognize when you’re feeling stressed and seek help. Finding a professional to talk to, such as a therapist or financial advisor, can help you gain the skills and insight to understand the causes of your financial stress and develop strategies to tackle it.
The Impact of Financial Stress on Physical Health
Financial stress can also be linked to physical health, due to the amount of cortisol – the hormone generated by stress – your body produces when you’re feeling stressed about money. The physical changes this hormone can cause can include interruption to your metabolism, sleep cycle, and pain sensitivity.
Financial stress can also contribute to medical conditions due to the effect it has on your immune system. Constant stress can weaken your bodies’ defense systems, leaving you more susceptible to colds and other illnesses. Financial stress can increase risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and can also contribute to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Managing the Physical Effects of Financial Stress
Making sure you eat well, exercise regularly, meditate, and get enough sleep are the key elements to good physical health, and they can also be very effective in helping to reduce the physical effects of financial stress. Cutting down on your caffeine intake, avoiding alcohol and drugs, and drinking more water will also help you keep your body in check.
Conclusion
Financial stress can have an enormous impact on your mental and physical health, but there are steps you can take to manage this. Recognizing when you’re feeling stressed and seeking professional help are key elements in maintaining your wellbeing. Additionally, adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as proper nutrition, exercise, and plenty of sleep can help reduce the physical effects of financial stress.