Summary
- The stress response activates changes throughout the body.
- A prolonged stress response can alter or impair body systems in ways that increase risk of health problems.
Early humans relied on the body’s “flight or fight” stress response to survive. This response sets in motion body changes to help protect us from harm. Today, many daily strains can set off the stress response. While some is helpful, ongoing stress causes the response to stay “turned on,” which puts your health at risk.
Your body’s normal stress response
When the brain senses a threat to its well-being, a surge of hormones is released throughout the body. Adrenaline makes your heart beat faster and prepares your body to act right away. Cortisol, the stress hormone, boosts energy for your brain, heart and muscles by increasing blood sugar levels. It also slows down digestion, the immune system and other body systems that you don’t need in a crisis. The stress response alters feeling, judgment, mood and memory so that you can act fast. Once the stressor is gone, stress hormones return to normal. This is called the relaxation response.
Too much cortisol for too long
The stress response is meant to handle short-term stress. If your body’s stress response is active for a long time, cortisol and other stress hormones do not go back to normal levels. Many experts believe that this prolonged response can change or harm body systems in ways that speed up aging and increase the chance of health problems.
For instance, cortisol’s suppressing action on the immune system likely explains why people under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viruses, like the common cold or flu. The flu shot also does not work as well in people under chronic stress.
The link between cortisol and inflammation in the body is also a topic of research interest. Some experts think that prolonged stress makes immune cells less sensitive to cortisol, enabling inflammation to get out of control. Chronic inflammation plays a role in many serious illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Stress-related health risks
We don’t yet know exactly how and to what degree a prolonged stress response might affect specific health risks. But research has shown a link between mental stress and many health problems, including:
- Heart disease. Chronic stress can worsen high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Studies also suggest that stress can trigger spasms in the arteries that bring blood to the heart. Such spasms can block blood flow to part of the heart, leading to chest pain and possibly heart attack.
- Digestive problems. Ongoing stress can increase stomach acid and worsen stomach ulcer symptoms. Stress may also make it harder for ulcers to heal. Stress can worsen symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
- Asthma. Stress often triggers attacks in some people with asthma.
- Anxiety or depression. Stress can trigger or worsen anxiety or depression.
- Diabetes. Cortisol can raise blood sugar levels, possibly increasing type 2 diabetes risk.
- Obesity. Eating patterns often change in times of stress. Overeating due to stress can lead to weight gain. Some evidence also suggests a biologic piece to stress-related weight gain.
- Memory problems. Memory problems and forgetfulness can be warning signs of too much stress.
- Fertility. For men, stress can lower sperm production and make it hard to have an erection. For women, physical stress can stop ovulation. The effects of emotional stress on fertility are not clear. Feeling stressed also can decrease desire for sex.
- Skin problems. Stress can make the skin more sensitive and reactive, worsening psoriasis, rosacea and acne flare-ups.
Also, stress can lead to habits that raise risk of disease, as well as undermine your willpower to make changes needed to improve health.
Summary
- The stress response activates changes throughout the body.
- A prolonged stress response can alter or impair body systems in ways that increase risk of health problems.
Early humans relied on the body’s “flight or fight” stress response to survive. This response sets in motion body changes to help protect us from harm. Today, many daily strains can set off the stress response. While some is helpful, ongoing stress causes the response to stay “turned on,” which puts your health at risk.
Your body’s normal stress response
When the brain senses a threat to its well-being, a surge of hormones is released throughout the body. Adrenaline makes your heart beat faster and prepares your body to act right away. Cortisol, the stress hormone, boosts energy for your brain, heart and muscles by increasing blood sugar levels. It also slows down digestion, the immune system and other body systems that you don’t need in a crisis. The stress response alters feeling, judgment, mood and memory so that you can act fast. Once the stressor is gone, stress hormones return to normal. This is called the relaxation response.
Too much cortisol for too long
The stress response is meant to handle short-term stress. If your body’s stress response is active for a long time, cortisol and other stress hormones do not go back to normal levels. Many experts believe that this prolonged response can change or harm body systems in ways that speed up aging and increase the chance of health problems.
For instance, cortisol’s suppressing action on the immune system likely explains why people under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viruses, like the common cold or flu. The flu shot also does not work as well in people under chronic stress.
The link between cortisol and inflammation in the body is also a topic of research interest. Some experts think that prolonged stress makes immune cells less sensitive to cortisol, enabling inflammation to get out of control. Chronic inflammation plays a role in many serious illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Stress-related health risks
We don’t yet know exactly how and to what degree a prolonged stress response might affect specific health risks. But research has shown a link between mental stress and many health problems, including:
- Heart disease. Chronic stress can worsen high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Studies also suggest that stress can trigger spasms in the arteries that bring blood to the heart. Such spasms can block blood flow to part of the heart, leading to chest pain and possibly heart attack.
- Digestive problems. Ongoing stress can increase stomach acid and worsen stomach ulcer symptoms. Stress may also make it harder for ulcers to heal. Stress can worsen symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
- Asthma. Stress often triggers attacks in some people with asthma.
- Anxiety or depression. Stress can trigger or worsen anxiety or depression.
- Diabetes. Cortisol can raise blood sugar levels, possibly increasing type 2 diabetes risk.
- Obesity. Eating patterns often change in times of stress. Overeating due to stress can lead to weight gain. Some evidence also suggests a biologic piece to stress-related weight gain.
- Memory problems. Memory problems and forgetfulness can be warning signs of too much stress.
- Fertility. For men, stress can lower sperm production and make it hard to have an erection. For women, physical stress can stop ovulation. The effects of emotional stress on fertility are not clear. Feeling stressed also can decrease desire for sex.
- Skin problems. Stress can make the skin more sensitive and reactive, worsening psoriasis, rosacea and acne flare-ups.
Also, stress can lead to habits that raise risk of disease, as well as undermine your willpower to make changes needed to improve health.
Summary
- The stress response activates changes throughout the body.
- A prolonged stress response can alter or impair body systems in ways that increase risk of health problems.
Early humans relied on the body’s “flight or fight” stress response to survive. This response sets in motion body changes to help protect us from harm. Today, many daily strains can set off the stress response. While some is helpful, ongoing stress causes the response to stay “turned on,” which puts your health at risk.
Your body’s normal stress response
When the brain senses a threat to its well-being, a surge of hormones is released throughout the body. Adrenaline makes your heart beat faster and prepares your body to act right away. Cortisol, the stress hormone, boosts energy for your brain, heart and muscles by increasing blood sugar levels. It also slows down digestion, the immune system and other body systems that you don’t need in a crisis. The stress response alters feeling, judgment, mood and memory so that you can act fast. Once the stressor is gone, stress hormones return to normal. This is called the relaxation response.
Too much cortisol for too long
The stress response is meant to handle short-term stress. If your body’s stress response is active for a long time, cortisol and other stress hormones do not go back to normal levels. Many experts believe that this prolonged response can change or harm body systems in ways that speed up aging and increase the chance of health problems.
For instance, cortisol’s suppressing action on the immune system likely explains why people under chronic stress are prone to more frequent and severe viruses, like the common cold or flu. The flu shot also does not work as well in people under chronic stress.
The link between cortisol and inflammation in the body is also a topic of research interest. Some experts think that prolonged stress makes immune cells less sensitive to cortisol, enabling inflammation to get out of control. Chronic inflammation plays a role in many serious illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Stress-related health risks
We don’t yet know exactly how and to what degree a prolonged stress response might affect specific health risks. But research has shown a link between mental stress and many health problems, including:
- Heart disease. Chronic stress can worsen high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Studies also suggest that stress can trigger spasms in the arteries that bring blood to the heart. Such spasms can block blood flow to part of the heart, leading to chest pain and possibly heart attack.
- Digestive problems. Ongoing stress can increase stomach acid and worsen stomach ulcer symptoms. Stress may also make it harder for ulcers to heal. Stress can worsen symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
- Asthma. Stress often triggers attacks in some people with asthma.
- Anxiety or depression. Stress can trigger or worsen anxiety or depression.
- Diabetes. Cortisol can raise blood sugar levels, possibly increasing type 2 diabetes risk.
- Obesity. Eating patterns often change in times of stress. Overeating due to stress can lead to weight gain. Some evidence also suggests a biologic piece to stress-related weight gain.
- Memory problems. Memory problems and forgetfulness can be warning signs of too much stress.
- Fertility. For men, stress can lower sperm production and make it hard to have an erection. For women, physical stress can stop ovulation. The effects of emotional stress on fertility are not clear. Feeling stressed also can decrease desire for sex.
- Skin problems. Stress can make the skin more sensitive and reactive, worsening psoriasis, rosacea and acne flare-ups.
Also, stress can lead to habits that raise risk of disease, as well as undermine your willpower to make changes needed to improve health.