Stress Harms Your Body from Head to Toe

April is Stress Awareness Month. At Goldsmith Podiatry, we want to offer our Manhattan patients some insight on why it’s essential to keep stress in check and some tips to help. You may not see an immediate connection between stress and the health of your feet but there is. Stress increases your risk for high blood pressure which can have serious medical consequences for your feet as well as the rest of your body. High blood pressure is associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) which results in poor circulation. When the supply of oxygen-rich blood to your lower extremities is decreased it’s harder for cuts and wounds on your feet to heal. This can lead to dangerous infections and, in the worst-case scenario, amputation. Stress can also trigger or worsen the symptoms of several other conditions that affect your feet including:

• Raynaud’s syndrome

• Psoriasis

• Rheumatoid arthritis

Stress Busters

Fortunately, there are many ways to combat stress. The first step is recognizing when you’re stressed. Stress is usually related to a particular situation—once the situation is resolved, the stress goes away. Signs of stress can be physical—headaches, difficulty sleeping, muscle tension—or emotional—feeling uneasy, excessively worried, on edge. When you notice these symptoms, it’s time to take action:

• Take a deep breath—literally. Scientific research shows the taking deep breaths slows your heart rate and sends signals to your brain to slow down and rest.

• Phone a friend—talking to someone we care about and who cares about us can help bring perspective and reassurance and maybe helpful suggestions for dealing with your stressful situation.

• Exercise—even a brief walk at lunch hour can help diffuse office-related stress. Better, however, is regular exercise—this helps release stress and increases “feel-good” hormones in the body.

• Get some sleep—getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night is essential for fighting stress and overall health. Develop a sleep routine that signals to your body it’s wide-down time. Avoid screens, exercise and anything that is mentally disturbing in the hour leading up to bedtime.

Stress can often manifest in your feet. Tight muscles, cramping, skin discoloration and changes in toenail appearance can be signs of stress or another podiatric problem. It’s important that you contact our Upper West Side office by calling 212-877-1002 for an appointment to get unusual symptoms evaluated by our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina T. Ruff as soon as possible.