In honor of Stress Awareness Month, researchers and experts at HeartMath have compiled five little-known facts about anxiety and how it may affect physical health and decision-making skills.
Even minor stress has the ability to cause a rush of 1,400 biochemical events in the body. This may lead to early age-related decline and impaired cognition, as well as lack of energy and lucidity.
Moreover, stress has the ability to cause ‘cortical inhibition’ in the brains of affected individuals. This diminishes a person’s capacity to reason and make good decisions, and may lead to mistakes in the workplace.
Some people are so stressed that they don’t even realize that they’re stressed. When tension becomes so common that an individual becomes accustomed to feelings of anxiousness, the health effects can build up and lead to a more serious illness.
Fortunately, it’s possible for people to put their bodies and minds at ease through stress management techniques. Research has shown time and again that responses to stress can be diminished by simple solutions.
Additionally, it’s always best to deal with stressors right away. It may be too late to reverse the effects of stress if one waits until the weekend to take the time to relax.
In light of these facts, it may be a good idea for employers to consider implementing employee wellness programs to reduce workplace stress and improve their staff’s health and well-being.
