April 26, 2016/ No CommentsIt feels like our lives are ruled by stress from whatever life throws at us. Unfortunately, as we age, the stress doesn’t necessarily go away. It is important to learn how to reduce stress in healthy ways, and that is true for seniors as well. Most seniors are experiencing stress from a variety of things, and it can have a negative effect on their lives if it isn’t managed well enough. Causes of Stress for Seniors People may think that since seniors have fewer responsibilities, they must have less stress as a result. However, stress for seniors is caused by many experiences that they may not have dealt with before. Here are a few things that can cause stress for seniors:
The immune system can become weaker as we get older, which can make it easier for seniors to get sick. According to the American Institute of Stress, stress can decrease our ability to protect ourselves against inflammation in conditions such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, cancers, and dementia. In addition to these, stress is linked to the six leading causes of death. This includes cancer, heart disease, lung ailments, cirrhosis of the liver, accidents, and suicide. According to PsychCentral, Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress. As we age, it becomes even more important to reduce stress in order to stay healthy and lessen the chances of getting sick. Besides the major illnesses that can be caused by stress, it can cause minor symptoms that interfere with everyday life. These include fatigue, headache, upset stomach, muscle tension, chest pain, and sleep problems. Your mood can change as well, resulting in anxiety, irritability, depression, and restlessness. Being aware that stress involves much more risk than you realize is important for prioritizing stress relief techniques as part of your daily routine. If you continue to make efforts towards reducing your stress, in the long run your stress levels should stay under control. How to Know if Your Senior Loved One is Stressed Seniors may try to hide their stress like everyone else does. Some may not realize how stressed they are until they take some time to enjoy themselves and relax. If you have elderly loved ones, it can be helpful to keep an eye out for certain moods and behavior that may indicate that they are dealing with a lot of stress. Some behaviors to look out for include:
How to Relieve Stress Fortunately, stress can be managed if you take the time to pursue stress relief tactics. Some stress relief tactics are more active, but there are plenty of other ways to relieve stress for seniors who aren’t as mobile. Active Ways to Relieve Stress
If not feeling stressed isn’t enough incentive to try and de-stress on a frequent basis, relieving stress has multiple benefits for your health both physically and mentally. Physical benefits from stress relief
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