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The Many Unkind Faces of Stress
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 In addition to making you feel frazzled, studies show stress can also take a toll on your health. Here are five signs stress might be having a greater impact on your body than you think:
- Tension headaches and migraines. Hormones from stress can stimulate nerves and cause headaches.
- Indigestion and heartburn. Stress directly affects the stomach, creating more digestive acid and slowing digestion, which can lead to gas and cramping.
- Sniffles and colds. The immune system takes a hard hit when you’re stressed and leaves you more susceptible to getting colds.
- Insomnia. Stress is often responsible for sleep deprivation, which can lead to a stress-inducing cycle of sleeplessness and fatigue the next day.
- Gaining weight. Hormonal changes can increase a person’s hunger when the body thinks it needs physical energy for protection in stressful situations.
Relieve Stress
Science has proven that interaction with the natural world and ‘green space:’
- Shortens the length of hospital stays
- Reduces the amount of pain medication needed
- Improves the mental well-being of patients
Hospitals with natural habitats create a retreat for staff and patients’ families to relieve stress and rejuvenate.
Gardens act as therapeutic tools and throughout history have been used to aid in the healing process — from the Japanese Zen Gardens to the Monastic Cloister Gardens — and now they have found a place in modern medicine. To register for a 'Healing Through Places' stress relieve class at Crittenton Hospital, please visit the Mind Body and Spirit class schedule here.
To find a physician at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center who can help you manage stress, visit www.crittenton.com or call 888-904-4325.
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