Emotions can be powerful. How negative and positive emotions affect our health

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Certainly our appearance directly related to the nervous system. You can always determine exactly what you or your interlocutor are feeling just by looking at him: when a person is angry or embarrassed, redness appears, when he is afraid - pallor. But what happens inside the body when we experience positive or negative emotions?

Doctors say that during a period of stress, when we experience a lot of negative emotions, blood flow is directed primarily to those organs that the body considers most important for survival: the heart, lungs, brain, liver and kidneys. And from other organs there is an outflow of blood, for example, from the skin, which immediately feels a lack of oxygen, acquiring an unhealthy shade. That is why a prolonged feeling of stress can not only harm your beauty, but also disrupt the mechanism of the whole organism.

It turns out that by taking care of our nervous system, we help ourselves get rid of all the negative consequences that manifest themselves primarily on the skin. Have you noticed that now the market for cosmetic services is replete with offers of procedures that cheer up and positively affect the condition of the skin? They are designed specifically to give you a feeling of comfort, joy and tranquility.

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Do you like to eat sweets when you notice that you are in a bad mood? Most likely, you motivate “stress-eating” by the fact that a piece of cake or a huge serving of ice cream will allow you to increase the level of serotonin in your blood, which has received a loud name - the “happiness hormone”. But let's be frank: when you are in a bad mood, your metabolism slows down, the hormone of joy does not bring the expected effect, and as a result, you get a double portion of disorders - excess weight and skin problems. If you want to cheer yourself up and at the same time tighten your figure, then it’s better to go to the pool or the gym. Moderate physical activity copes with a bad mood “perfectly”, allowing you to splash out negative energy, tone up and relax. And all this leads to a beautiful appearance, a healthy metabolism and a beautiful figure.

Health

Surely you have heard that, for example, pregnant women need peace and a good mood so that the baby does not worry with his mother. This is so important that even in ancient India and Ancient China three months after conception, they tried to surround the woman with only exquisite things, sewed clothes for her from the softest materials, and sometimes even arranged concerts where pleasant music was played. It was believed that this contributes to the birth of a healthy and talented baby.

All this is not just so, if the influence of emotions was known in antiquity. Positive emotions contribute to the formation of endorphins in the brain - hormones of happiness - affecting the human immune system. These hormones often help us win over diseases! Do you know that, on average, 90% of diseases are formed when a person experiences negative emotions, that is, psychologically preparing himself for the fight?

The list of diseases that can manifest themselves due to experiences, stress, constant negative emotions is incredibly wide: here you have neurosis, depression, colds, and even oncological and autoimmune diseases! The nervous system is incredibly sensitive to external and internal influences, affecting the entire body. But if you tune in to a positive wave, you will immediately feel that it is much more pleasant for you to live: despondency cannot exist where there is a healthy emotional state.

Communication

Well, who wants to communicate with a person from whom you feel sheer dissatisfaction? It seems to no one. So don't let bad mood influence your relationship with your loved one, friends or relatives. If you are positive in your outlook on the world, you will surely attract the same positive people, events and circumstances to you. Look around: everything that surrounds you is the result of your own thoughts and emotions! How you look at the world is the result of your thinking. Whether you are aware of it or not, the dominant thoughts will definitely affect your environment.

How to set yourself up for positive emotions?

Psychologists talk about a few very simple, but effective ways get rid of negative energy and find the well-deserved peace and satisfaction:

Learn to express your emotions out loud! Of course, your boyfriend doesn't need to know how much you're fed up with his best friend, and your boss doesn't need to know how much he's put on your shoulders. Better tell it to your girlfriend, who will never betray you, or say everything to yourself so that no one can hear you.

A good idea that all psychologists advise is to start your own personal diary, where you can write down all your experiences and even positive emotions! Let your diary not be a "black book" full of negativity for you. Write down the bright moments for which you are grateful. The feeling of gratitude improves your mood, and you yourself tune in to a positive wave.

Ready to put our tips into practice? Cosmo, together with HP, announces the launch of a new project in which famous heroes talk about the brightest moments of their lives - from the birth of a child to the first performance on stage in front of a huge audience. Follow the updates on the Cosmo website and participate in a joint competition.

Learn more about the competition and how to enter to win the HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2520hc Multifunction Printer with high-capacity cartridges and a record low cost per page.

Our thoughts and emotions directly affect our lives. Beyond lifestyle, genetic predisposition and exposure external factors Our emotional state also affects our health. Emotions affect the well-being of a person, his communication skills and even his position in society, therefore it is very important to learn how to express your feelings correctly - if you do not give vent to negativity and other negative emotions, this can ultimately affect your health..

How emotions affect human health

A good emotional state is a rarity these days. Negative emotions can significantly affect the state of health. Unfortunately, it is impossible to protect yourself from negative emotions: dismissal from work, financial difficulties, problems in personal life and other problems inevitably affect the mood and sometimes well-being of a person.

Therefore, the site will tell you how the following negative emotions affect a person’s health:

• anger;
• excitement;
• sadness;
• stress;
• loneliness;
• fear;
• hatred and impatience;
• envy and jealousy;
• anxiety.

How anger affects health

In “small controlled doses”, anger is good, but if you experience this emotion too often and also do not know how to manage it, anger negatively affects the ability to reason logically, as well as the health of the cardiovascular system.

Anger triggers the fight-or-flight response, leading to the release of adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. As a result, the amygdala (brain area responsible for emotions) is activated and promotes blood flow to the frontal lobe (brain area responsible for logical thinking). Therefore, anger prevents us from thinking soberly, and when we get angry, we can commit impulsive actions.

Anger slows down wound healing, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and impairs logical thinking.

Moreover, when we are angry, the blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, as does the rate of breathing. Studies have shown that anger tendencies increase the risk of coronary heart disease in middle-aged people. In addition, the risk of adverse cardiovascular events is significantly increased two hours after an outburst of anger.

Anger also slows down wound healing by 40% due to cortisol activity, and it also increases the levels of cytokines (molecules that trigger inflammation), resulting in an increased risk of arthritis, diabetes, and cancer.

How frequent anxiety affects human health

Frequent excitement affects the state of the spleen, weakens the stomach and impairs the function of neurotransmitters, especially serotonin. Therefore, constant excitement can lead to nausea, diarrhea, stomach problems and other chronic diseases. Anxiety is also associated with:

• chest pain;
• high blood pressure;
• weakened immune defense;
• premature aging.

Psychologists also argue that constant worry prevents social relations a person and leads to sleep disturbances, which in turn adversely affect health.

How frequent sadness affects health

Sadness is perhaps one of the most long-lasting emotions that affects a person's health, weakening lung function, causing fatigue and difficulty breathing.

When we are very sad, the bronchioles constrict, making it difficult for air to get in and out of the lungs. Therefore, people prone to sadness are more likely to have problems with the bronchi and breathing.

Depression and melancholy also negatively affect the condition of the skin and weight, and also increases addiction to drugs.

If you are sad, it is better to cry - this will help reduce the level of stress hormones and neurotransmitters.

The impact of chronic stress on human health

We respond to stress in different ways. Short-term stress helps the body adapt and function better, but under conditions of chronic stress, there is an increase in blood pressure, an increased risk of developing asthma, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Problems with the cardiovascular system are a common consequence of constant stress due to increased blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and a tendency to bad habits and overeating.

Chronic stress is also associated with a number of problems:

• migraine;
• bruxism;
• dizziness;
• insomnia;
• nausea;
• hair loss;
• irritability;
• pain in various parts of the body;
• acne
• eczema;
• psoriasis;
• disorders of the reproductive system;
• gastrointestinal diseases

How loneliness affects our health

This emotion affects a person very strongly, forcing melancholy. This interferes with the functioning of the lungs, blood circulation, and can also lead to violent outbursts of anger.

If a person feels lonely, the body produces more cortisol, which can increase blood pressure and reduce the quality of sleep.

For older people, loneliness increases the risk of mental illness, cognitive decline, heart disease and stroke, and a weakened immune system.

How fear affects the human body

This emotion affects self-esteem, causes anxiety, as a result of which the kidneys, adrenal glands and the reproductive system suffer.

Most of all, fear affects the condition of the kidneys, worsening their function. Sometimes, among other things, as a result of a feeling of fear, frequent urination is observed.

As for the adrenal glands, during fear they produce more stress hormones, which further negatively affect the functioning of the body.

Also, frequent fear can cause pain in the lower back.

What changes in the body leads to a state of shock

A state of shock may occur in response to trauma caused by an unexpected situation that a person is unable to cope with.

The shock hits the nervous system, kidneys and heart. This reaction leads to the release of adrenaline, resulting in an increased heart rate, possible insomnia and anxiety.

The state of shock can even change the structure of the brain by affecting the frontal cortex.

On a physical level, shock can cause:

• lack of energy;
• pale skin;
• breathing problems;
• cardiopalmus;
• insomnia;
• decreased libido;

The impact of impatience and hatred on health

A person prone to hatred and/or impatience often has bowel and heart problems.

Such emotions also affect the body, as they activate the production of stress hormones, which in turn increase blood pressure and heart rate, as well as:

• accelerate aging at the cellular level;
• harm the liver and bladder.

Envy and jealousy: how these emotions affect the body

Jealousy impairs attention, makes it difficult to concentrate on important things. In addition, the feeling of jealousy leads to the appearance of symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, which is fraught with increased production of adrenaline and norepinephrine in the body.

Envy, jealousy and frustration are the enemies of the brain, bladder and liver.

Jealousy, due to the increased production of certain hormones, leads to stagnation of blood in the liver, which disrupts the production of bile in the gallbladder. As a result, the body can not cope with the elimination of toxins and observed:

• weakening of the immune system;
• insomnia;
• increased blood pressure;
• cardiopalmus;
• increased level of adrenaline;
• high cholesterol;
• digestive problems.

How frequent anxiety affects health

Anxiety is a part of everyone's life. When we experience this feeling, blood pressure and heart rate rise, blood rushes to the brain - this is quite normal.

However, constant anxiety, like other negative emotions, affects the physical and mental health of a person negatively.

Physically, anxiety can lead to:

• the appearance of pain;
• nausea;
• difficult breathing;
• weakness and dizziness;
• indigestion;
• problems with the spleen and pancreas;
• indigestion.

In general, often experienced negative emotions, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research (“Journal of Psychosomatic Research”) in 2000, disrupt the functioning of the whole organism. At the same time, anxiety is the most common factor associated with heart disease. In this regard, the site advises you to learn how to control negative emotions in order to neutralize the negative impact of this factor on your health and well-being.

Loneliness or difficult relationships in the family negatively affect emotional state and human health. Neurosis, depression and psychosomatic diseases develop, suicide attempts are possible.
Children are especially dependent on family relationships. normal mental and physical health depends on how much children are loved and taken care of, whether they are provided with everything necessary.

The well-being of a child largely depends on the love and mutual respect between parents. Quarrels of older members, domestic violence form a chronic psycho-traumatic situation in a child, which is manifested by neurological diseases and developmental disabilities (enuresis, stuttering, nervous tics, hyperactivity, decreased academic performance), as well as a significant decrease in immunity, frequent viral and bacterial diseases.

How effective are meditation and psychotraining in overcoming stress?

Psychotraining or psychotherapeutic training

Depending on the number of people in the group, psychotraining can be individual and group.

The essence of the method: a training psychologist selects exercises that simulate a situation that worries a person. These may not be direct analogies, but situations that cause associations with the problem, presenting it in a comic form. Next, the person is invited to beat the situation - how, in his opinion, it is worth behaving in this case. Then the psychologist analyzes the behavior of the client, points out victories and mistakes. Ideally, psychotraining should be complemented by psychological counseling and psychotherapy.

In practice, a small percentage of people turn to a psychologist and psychotherapist. Therefore, it is necessary to master various self-help techniques and use them as needed.

1. Autotraining(autogenic training) - increases the possibility of self-regulation of emotions. It includes consecutive exercises:

1. Breathing exercises- deep slow breathing with pauses after inhalation and exhalation.
2. Muscle relaxation- you need to feel the tension of the muscles on the inhale and sharply relax them on the exhale;
3. Creating positive mental images- imagine yourself in a safe place - on the seashore, on the edge of the forest. Imagine the image of the "Ideal Self", which has all the qualities that you would like to have;
4. Self-hypnosis in the form of self-orders- “Calm down!”, “Relax!”, “Do not succumb to provocation!”;
5. Self programming- “Today I will be happy!”, “I am healthy!”, “I am confident in myself!”, “I am beautiful and successful!”, “I am relaxed and calm!”.
6. self promotion- “I'm doing great!”, “I'm the best!”, “I'm doing a great job!”.

The result of auto-training is the activation of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system and the weakening of excitation in the limbic system of the brain. Negative emotions are weakened or blocked, a positive attitude appears, self-esteem increases.

Contraindications to the use of psychotraining: acute psychosis, impaired consciousness, hysteria.

1. Meditation – effective technique, which allows you to develop concentration by focusing on one subject: breathing, mental images, heartbeat, muscle sensations. During meditation, a person is completely disconnected from the outside world, immersed in himself so much that the surrounding reality with its problems, as it were, ceases to exist. Its components are breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.

By practicing meditative techniques, it is possible to reduce the level of excitation in the limbic system and the cerebral cortex. This is manifested by the absence of emotions and unwanted, intrusive thoughts. Meditation changes the attitude to the problem that caused stress, makes it less significant, helps to intuitively find a way out of the current situation or accept it.

Meditation technique:

1. Comfortable posture- the back is straight, you can sit in the lotus position or on a chair in the coachman position. helps to relax muscle blocks and relieve tension in the body.
2. Slow diaphragmatic breathing. On inhalation, the abdomen inflates, on exhalation it retracts. Inhalation is shorter than exhalation. After inhalation and exhalation, hold your breath for 2-4 seconds.
3. Focusing on one object. It can be a candle flame, a heartbeat, sensations in the body, a luminous point, etc.
4. Feeling warm and relaxed that extends to the entire body. With it comes peace and self-confidence.

What are psychosomatic illnesses?

The mechanism of development of psychosomatic diseases:

• Strong experiences activate the endocrine system, disrupting the hormonal balance;
• The work of the vegetative part of the nervous system, which is responsible for the work of internal organs, is disrupted;
• The work of blood vessels is disrupted and the blood circulation of these organs worsens;
• Deterioration of nervous regulation, lack of oxygen and nutrients leads to disruption of the organ;
• The repetition of such situations causes disease.

The main method of treatment of psychosomatic diseases is psychotherapy, hypnosis, the appointment of tranquilizers and sedatives. In parallel, the symptoms of the disease are treated.

How to eat right when stressed?

You can reduce your risk of developing stress-related illnesses by: proper nutrition. Be sure to consume:

• Protein products - to strengthen the immune system;
• Sources of vitamin B - to protect the nervous system;
• Carbohydrates - to improve the functioning of the brain;
• Products containing magnesium and serotonin - to combat stress.

B vitamins found in green vegetables different types cabbage and lettuce, beans and spinach, nuts, dairy and seafood. They improve mood, increase resistance to stress.

Carbohydrates necessary to cover the increased energy expenditure caused by stress. The brain especially needs carbohydrates. In this regard, with nervous stress, cravings for sweets increase. A little dark chocolate, honey, marshmallows or gozinaki will urgently replenish glucose reserves, but it is advisable to cover the need for carbohydrates due to complex carbohydrates - cereals and cereals.

Magnesium provides protection against stress, improves the transmission of nerve signals and increases the efficiency of the nervous system. Sources of magnesium are cocoa, wheat bran, buckwheat, soy, almonds and cashew nuts, chicken eggs, spinach.
Serotonin or the hormone of happiness elevates mood. For its synthesis in the body, an amino acid is needed - tryptophan, which is abundant in fatty fish, nuts, oatmeal, bananas and cheese.

Phytotherapy for stress

Output: Repetitive stress and negative emotions impair health. Displacing negative emotions and ignoring them, a person exacerbates the situation, creates the basis for the development of diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to express your emotions, constructively solve the problems that caused stress and take measures to reduce emotional stress.

Emotions not only make life brighter, help or, conversely, interfere in business and relationships, but also directly affect our health and beauty. How this affects your skin, hair, your anger or joy - read the article.

Our skin is directly connected to the nervous system. Moreover, if everything is more or less clear with the outer side of the emotions reflected on the skin (redness with anger or embarrassment, pallor with fear, “goosebumps” with fear), then what happens inside the body?

During a period of severe emotional stress, blood flow is directed mainly to those organs that the body considers most important for survival, and blood outflows from all others. TO last group also applies to the skin, which immediately feels an acute lack of oxygen, which is why it acquires an unhealthy yellowish tint. Therefore, prolonged stress can greatly disrupt the mechanism of the whole organism, and this will be especially noticeable on the skin of the face. Dermatologists believe that stress provokes eczema, psoriasis, warts and papillomas. However, the most common skin reactions to negative emotions are rashes, irritations, and acne. Due to strong feelings and worries, the sebaceous glands of a person begin to work much harder than usual, and the products of this activity accumulate and clog the pores, which leads to all of the above.

Doctors who deal with the causes of skin cell aging generally believe that pimples are anger and anger that come out. This, of course, does not mean that your pimply classmate is the devil in the flesh, maybe he is just a very insecure person, as this also affects the appearance of skin problems.

It turns out that by taking care of the nervous system, we help the skin get rid of various problems, and vice versa - by putting the face and body in order, we have a positive effect on nervous system. That is, you can get rid of stress with the help of various cosmetic procedures for the skin, for example, with the help of a body wrap (chocolate, with essential oils, with algae) or massage, soothing and nourishing face masks, and indeed any procedures that cheer up and positively affect the condition of the skin.

Psychologists have identified several ways to express emotions that will help get rid of skin problems.

First, learn to express your emotions out loud. Of course, your boss doesn't need to know what you really think about him, so it's better to just say what has accumulated out loud, but in a way that no one else hears.

Secondly, you can start a diary where you will write everything down, but in this case, make sure that no one reads it. Alternatively, you can keep an online diary or, by joining a community of interest, discuss what has accumulated with strangers- a sort of modernized "fellow traveler syndrome".

Third, use the experience of King Solomon. He always wore a ring that had an engraving on the inside. In the most difficult periods, the king turned the ring over and read: "This too shall pass."

Extra stress - extra weight

It is believed that with prolonged depression or stress, a person loses weight. This is due to loss of appetite. However, with age, everything happens exactly the opposite: metabolism slows down, hormones of joy are not produced during depression, so when you start to “seize stress”, then chocolates and almond croissants send greetings from rounded hips. Of course, this further aggravates the situation and spoils the mood, so nutritionists recommend not to attack food even in the most terrible mood, so that the habit of “seizing stress” does not develop. Instead, go, for example, to the pool or the gym. Physical exercise they cope well with a depressed state, allow you to throw out negative energy, relax and tone up, and also, of course, have a positive effect on the figure, which in itself improves mood.

OPTIMISM AND EASY ATTITUDE TO TROUBLES IS THE KEY TO A HEALTHY AND HAPPY LIFE

Optimism against the flu

Experts conducted a study and found that balanced and cheerful people are much less susceptible to viral infections and flu. If they do become infected, then the disease proceeds much easier and without consequences. Therefore, try to see something positive in any, even very unpleasant situation. Broken heels on your favorite shoes? This is an occasion to finally get up the courage to meet the handsome guy from the shoe shop across from your office, or just buy those cute little blue sandals that you spotted in your favorite store last week. Then there will be more joy in life, and immunity will become stronger.

Payback for sins

negative emotions have a negative effect on all organs of your body. Austrian scientists studied the effect of envy on health for five years and found that, for example, envious people are two and a half times more likely than others to become victims of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular diseases. Even if you don’t say out loud that you envy Katya’s career or Masha’s apartment on Stoleshnikov, this does not mean that Masha, Katya and everyone around them do not feel it. After all, you can feel when someone is jealous of you. If you cannot cope with envy yourself, psychologists advise you to act on the contrary - give yourself a mindset that the objects of envy will never become yours if you wish harm to those who have them. Harsh, but effective.

But jealousy is especially dangerous for men, as it can easily cause impotence, which you should unobtrusively inform your young man about when he once again expresses dissatisfaction with the fact that you are going to a long-planned bachelorette party.

Guilt eats a person in the most literal sense, as it provokes the development of oncological diseases, and the habit of feeling sorry for oneself can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, gastritis or an ulcer. Greedy beefs also need to closely monitor their health - they often suffer from constipation and other diseases of the digestive tract.

If you suppress feelings of anger, then you have an increased risk of earning cardiovascular disease. Helplessness, despair and depression can seriously weaken the immune system.

Way of thinking

The body is influenced not so much by emotions as by the way of thinking of a person as a whole. Constructive, that is, positive thinking and an easy attitude to life lead to the fact that a person does not get hung up on his health. According to statistics, such people go to the hospital much less often and suffer less from infections, overweight, stomach and back pain, and migraines. Nutritionists have noticed that they are in control of their eating and are better able to cope with the habit of overeating, if any.

Therefore, it is important to learn to think differently, to ignore the bad and let in more good things, to start taking care of yourself not only externally, but also internally.

Anna Golenko
Photo by Michael Omm/ACP