30 quick Stress Facts...

1. While it is a myth that stress can turn hair gray, stress can cause hair loss.
   
2. In 2009, the top most stressful jobs were a surgeon, commercial airline pilot, photojournalist, advertising account executive, and real estate agent.
   
3. The least stressful jobs were actuary, dietitian, astronomer, systems analyst, and software engineer.
4. The top three stressful cities in America are Chicago, Ilinois; Los Angeles, California,and New York.
   
5. Stress can make acne worse.
6. Laughing lowers stress hormones (like cortisol, epinephrine, and adrenaline) and strengthens the immune system by releasing health-enhancing hormones.
7. The stress hormone cortisol  causes abdominal fat to accumulate.
8. Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis, and suicide.
9. The stress of caring for a disabled spouse increases the risk of stroke substantially.
10. Chronic stress can impair the developmental growth in children by lowering the production of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.
11. A 2009 CNN poll reveals that the number one reason for stress in most countries is money.
12. The term “stress” derives from the Latin stringere (to draw tight).
13. Stress causes capillaries to close, which restricts bleeding if a flesh wound should occur.
14. Pupils dilate (mydriasis) during stress much the same way they dilate in response to attraction: to gather more visual information about a situation.
15. Chronic stress floods the brain with powerful hormones that are meant for short-term emergency situations. Chronic exposure can damage, shrink, and kill brain cells.
16. Scientists suggest that stress is part of the evolutionary drive because it has enabled humans to survive.
17. Stress makes the blood “stickier,” in preparation for an injury.
18. Research has shown that dark chocolate reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and other fight-flight hormones. Additionally, cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids.
19. Chronic stress increases cytokines, which produce inflammation. Exposure to constant inflammation can damage arteries and other organs.
20. Stress can alter blood sugar levels, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia, and metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for heart attack and diabetes.
21. Chronic stress worsens irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that irritates the large intestine and causes constipation, cramping, and bloating.
22. Peptic ulcers are caused by the H.pylori bacteria or the use of NSAIDS—not stress. However, stress can exacerbate ulcers and keep them from healing.
23. Chronic stress decreases the body’s immune system’s response to infection and can affect a person’s response to immunizations.
24. Studies show that HIV-infected men are more likely to progress to AIDS if they are under high stress than those with lower levels of stress.
25. Stress can increase the ability of chemicals to pass the blood-brain barrier, which shields neurons from some poisons, viruses, toxins, and other fluctuations in normal blood chemistry.
26. Young people from military families who have a deployed parent report higher levels of stress and emotional problems than other adolescents and teens.
27. Stress increases the risk of pre-term labor and intrauterine infection.
    
28. Post-traumatic stress physically changes children’s brains; specifically, stress shrinks the hippocampus, a part of the brain that stores and retrieves memories.
29. Stress can result in more headaches as a result of the body rerouting blood flow to other parts of the body.
30. Men are more likely than women to develop certain stress-related disorders, including hypertension, aggressive behavior, and abuse of alcohol and drugs.