This is how stress affects different parts of the body

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Immediately, you’re going to get an increase in your heart rate, with that almost panic attack or anxiety-like feeling,” says Dr Alka Patel, aka the Health Hacktivation Doctor. “Your breathing rate is going to speed up as well, because you’re trying to oxygenate your blood.” That’s also why you might get sweaty palms or pits: “You get vasodilatation of your blood vessels – you’re basically trying to increase blood flow to your body, so sweating is a very immediate phenomenon for most people.” Stressful situations can raise your blood pressure temporarily too, Powles says: “If you’re stressed over a long time, you could possibly develop long-term high blood pressure.” The link between stress and heart disease is mitigated by other factors. “You’re releasing this surge of cortisol, the stress hormone, very quickly, which is then trying to get as much sugar and fuel on board,” Patel explains. “Teeth grinding is often linked to stress, but lots of people aren’t aware they have the condition because it happens in their sleep,” says Powles.