If you’re worried about your finances, chances are you’re also feeling the physical effects of money stress. A dwindling bank account and rising debt can not only cause you to feel stress, it can lead to an increased risk of disease and other health problems.
Some stress is a good thing. It helps you to prepare for an important event like studying for an exam, preparing for a big presentation, or handling an emergency. But the body isn’t made to sustain that stress over a long period of time. And when the stress continues for more than a day or two, it begins to take its toll on your system.
Recently, researchers discovered that the more financial debt you have the more stressed you become. This makes sense, doesn’t it? There’s almost nothing worse than opening your mailbox and finding another bill that you really can’t afford to pay. This is especially true for people with chronic illness that have mountains of medical bills. That constant feeling of dread and stress can make you feel physically and emotionally unwell.
Signs That Money Worries Are Making You Sick
For example, you may be feeling tired, depressed, and fatigued. You may be suffering from headaches, indigestion, and even have problems with high blood pressure. Some people have difficulty sleeping because of stress or suffer from nightmares when they finally do fall asleep.
The more you worry, the more out of control things may seem. It helps to tackle the problem head on so that you can eliminate the symptoms that are causing your body to feel stress. There are several ways you can tackle the problem of having too much debt and not enough income.
Ways To Handle Money Stress
To begin with, it may help to write things down on paper. Keeping a journal can help you to deal with the feelings you’re experiencing as well as come up with solutions. And writing something down gives your brain the permission it needs to stop worrying about a problem constantly. You can come back to your worries another time. Make sure that every time you write down a worry, you also come up with possible solutions – at least one for every problem. This will help you to stop feeling helpless and start taking charge of your life.
Another way to deal with stress is through a daily meditation practice. Meditation can lower anxiety and even reduce levels of stress hormones in your body, helping to calm your brain so you don’t make poverty-brain decisions.
In addition, it’s time to take a good look at your financial predicament. If you’re continuing to spend money you don’t really have, you may need to get outside help. If you’ve got medical bills that are getting larger and larger, it’s time to do some financial planning and determine a way to get out of debt.
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