Did you know that people report feeling twice as much pain after thinking about financial troubles compared to thinking about financial security? The idea that debt is affecting your health is more than just an abstract concept. It is a proven fact that makes sense when you think about it. Debt is a thought in the mind, and our thoughts and body functioning are inseparable. The way that debt affects your health might surprise you, especially if you are used to segregating your money worries from your physical health. Here are five ways that your thoughts about debt are affecting your physical health.
1. The Perception Of Pain
The perception of pain is not as cut and dry as you might expect. The same injury can be experienced differently by different people. This is why doctors take such care to ask a patient what level of pain they are perceiving. One interesting study found that unemployed people were more likely to purchase pain killers. Pain is processed not at the cite of injury, but in the brain. This is why pain killers often work on receptor cites in the brain. The way we think changes the chemistry in our brains. Thinking about debt can lead to an increased session of pain.
2. Your Digestion
The stress of having debt triggers a cascade of hormonal responses in the body. Stress levels are correlated with the hormone called cortisol. High cortisone levels actually shut down the digestive system. Think about the “fight or flight” response. This is when the body perceives a threat, and goes into fight or flight mode. The body focuses on reacting to the threat rather than completing mundane tasks such as digestion.
Debt is perceived as a major threat to those who struggle with it. In our modern world, debt is one of the dangers that individuals face that can impact their means of survival. Though we can’t fight or run from debt in the same way that we would run from a lion, our bodies are programmed to respond in the same way as they did thousands of years ago. Thus, our digestive system shuts down and we lose the ability to effectively process food.
3. Your Heart Rate And Blood Pressure
Because of this fight or flight reaction to a stack of bills, our heart rate and blood pressure also naturally increase. This is again because our body is preparing to go into battle or sprint in order to survive the encounter. Since debt can not be shot with an arrow our outrun, these physical responses no longer serve us. Yet, they persist.
4. The Way You Sleep At Night
Constant worry and anxiety can detract from our ability to shut down and get restorative rest. If you lie awake at night with a racing mind, you will not be able to get the health benefits of good sleep.
5. Your Immune System
The increased stress that comes along with debt actually effects our immune system on a cellular level. Because the emotion of stress translates into a physical response, our body chemistry and processes change as well. When a bacteria or virus enters the body, a stressed body will react in a different way than a relaxed body will.
The impact that debt has on your body is under your own control. The way that you mentally process your debt and your financial situation will change your emotional and physical response to it. Those who feel that they have a plan in place feel less stress around their finances. There are many people who can help people who are struggling with debt, and getting help is a great first step. Reach out to Nationwide Debt Reduction Services, or an expert in your area. You can also start to learn about budgeting and methods of paying down debt on your own.