Financial Stress

What do money, stress, and health have in common?

In a recent study on how stress over finances can impact health, the list of things involving money that people stress about is endless: mortgage payments, loans, car payments, and many more.

The fact that stress affects health is not a new concept, but what you’re stressing over and how much you stress about it can have different effects on your health.

Stressing over money is not anything new. I have found myself overwhelmed by financial worries more than once while I’ve been in college.

The question becomes, how does stress actually affect health?

Stress can cause appetite changes, different sleep patterns, among many other things.

“Of the patients that I would attribute their medical problems to stress the overwhelming majority have money at the root,” said Dr. Arta Bakshandeh, a senior medical officer with Alignment Healthcare in Los Angeles. “Most commonly, these patients complain of headaches, elevated blood pressure, ulcers, depression, and moderate to severe anxiety.”

So what can we do to improve our health?

The answer is stress management, specifically financial stress management. I know, you have probably heard of this before and maybe tried a few things out with no to little success; however, stick with whatever you try for longer than a few weeks.

Dr. Bakshandeh recommends that people exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 to 4 times a week, seek a counselor if you need it, breathe deeply, and laugh.

“Laughing lowers cortisol, your body’s stress hormone, and boosts endorphins, which help your mood,” Bakshandeh says. “Find something that makes you laugh hard and often.”

#health #financialstress #stressmanagement