Stress can make you sick!

Stress is a normal psychological and physiological reaction to demands. In small amounts it can be motivational, but consistent and prolonged stress can push the body’s ability to cope. Evolutionarily, our bodies come with a hard-wired alarm system that protects us when we perceive a threat. This system activates with a release of hormones that can increase blood pressure and heart rate and trigger the fight or flight response that fuels our response to deal with the threat.  And once a threat has subsided, our body returns to a normal relaxed state.  Unfortunately, the demands of modern life can complicate the return to normal homeostasis. Demanding careers, health crisis’, interpersonal relationships, financial hardships, or social expectations can all become sources of stress for many. Stress management tools can help reset or recalibrate your stress or help adapt to managing higher than normal levels. But when your body is always on high alert, over-time, chronic stress can lead to serious health problems that manifest in different ways.

When natural stress responses go wild

Cortisol is popularly known as the stress hormone, a steroid that is made in our adrenal glands. Our body produces this naturally to help maintain consistent blood pressure and healthy glucose levels, regulate immune functions and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, regulate sleep cycles, boost energy levels and triggering our flight-or-fight response. Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day in response to daily tasks or challenges. High levels are often correlated to specific stressors people encounter during the day. When under stress, the sympathetic nervous system is activated by the hypothalamus after receiving stress signals from the amygdala –the part of the brain that processes fear, arousal, and emotional stimuli. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to the release of catecholamines, like epinephrine, from the adrenal glands. With continued stress, the hypothalamus activates the HPA (Hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal) axis, which leads to the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex and enables the body to stay on high alert.

Prolonged cortisol release from chronic stress can have significant impacts on various bodily systems. It can lead to anxiety, depression, headaches, heart disease and increased cardiovascular risk, memory and concentration problems, muscle tension and pain, problems with digestion, trouble sleeping, and weight gain. If symptoms of stress begin to manifest physiologically or begin to impact daily life, learning ways to reduce stressors or healthy ways to cope is essential. It’s also important to recognize and remember that people respond to stress in different ways, so challenges to reducing stress or coping techniques that work are different for everyone. How the body reacts and responds to stress can also be tied to genetics and life experiences. Always consider speaking to a healthcare professional if you feel stressed and find it impacting your daily life or overall health. They can help provide insights or options on coping mechanisms that may include lifestyle changes, speaking with other healthcare providers, or provide therapeutic options to manage symptoms of stress.

Learning to manage stress in a healthy way

Some stressors are a fact of life or unavoidable and you may not be able to change the situation. Identifying the source of stress or stressors are key to managing stress and learning how to take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Some stress management tips to consider are eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and increasing sleep. Relaxation exercises like yoga, mediation, or deep breathing techniques, as well as journaling can also help reflect and evaluate stressors. Taking time to engage in hobbies, organizing tasks, fostering healthy friendships, speaking to family and friends, and finding ways to include more laughter and humor in your life can also help reduce or manage stress. It’s important to consider professional counseling if stress management is beyond your ability due to other underlying mental or physical health concerns.

Being aware of how stress can affect the body and managing it appropriately can aid in improving quality of life.

References:

1.        Jeremy Deutchman, Cortisol: What is it and when to worry, Cedar-Sinai Blog 2024 https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/what-is-cortisol.html

2.        Jones C, Gwenin C. Cortisol level dysregulation and its prevalence—Is it nature's alarm clock? Physiological Reports. 2020;8(24). doi:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14644

3.        Rogerson O, Wilding S, Prudenzi A, O'Connor DB. Effectiveness of stress management interventions to change cortisol levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2023;159(159):106415-106415. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106415

4.        How to Reduce Cortisol and Turn Down the Dial on Stress. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-reduce-cortisol-and-turn-down-the-dial-on-stress

5.        Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyle: Stress Management, © Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board