A new study out of Michigan has found that stress can have the effect of greatly worsening the symptoms of asthma in teenagers. Researchers from Henry Ford Hospital found that incidences of shortness of breath and waking up in the middle the night were more common among teenagers who are under a great deal of stress than those who were not. Scientists noted this issue is especially problematic as in many cases, teenagers don’t have the emotional maturity to understand when their stress level has reached the point when it is negatively affecting their health. As asthma currently affects 7 million American children, parents should do whatever they can to make sure that their children aren’t stressed out.

As stress affects everyone differently, it can be difficult to pick up on the signs that your child is stressed out. For some, stress may manifest itself in the form of chronic insomnia. Oftentimes, children who are feeling anxious will find it difficult to fall and stay asleep at night. If a child is afflicted with asthma, frequent breathing related sleep interruptions may also cause them to miss out on sleep. Seeing as teenagers need 9 to 10 hours of sleep a night in order to ensure their proper psychological and physical development, parents should make sure their kids are relaxing on a regular basis.

Read the full article here: Asthma symptoms linked to increased stress, anxiety levels in teens