How stress messes with your health

Photo by Kevin Grieve on Unsplash

We’re all experiencing some level of stress, aren’t we? Whether it’s temporary (acute), or long-term (chronic), stress seems to be an inevitable side-effect of 21st-century living.

We become stressed when the events in our lives become too much for us to handle, whether that sense of overwhelm is real or perceived. Our bodies respond by creating more cortisol, the stress hormone.

The circumstances and events that elicit a response are called stressors. Although stressors can be seen as a disadvantage (think lack of sleep due to caring for a sick child), they can include more pleasant situations, such as beginning a new relationship, starting a new job, or being able to retire.

Acute stress normally won’t mess with your health for too long. It’s your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and it can even be life-saving. Think of what happens when you see a car heading toward you and you swerve to avoid a collision. Once the threat (the near-accident) is gone, the body’s reaction subsides and all is well.

Chronic stress, however, is the source of many of our health problems. If our bodies’ stress reactions are triggered every day or many times a day, they begin to seriously mess with our health

Let’s dive into the “stress mess.”

Mess #1 – Increased risk of heart disease and diabetes

Anything that increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes (both serious, chronic conditions) needs to be given your closest attention. Stress increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes by promoting chronic inflammation, which affects the thickness of your blood as well as how well your cells respond to insulin.

Chronic stress leaves your body vulnerable to constantly high levels of cortisol and adrenaline. Research has shown that stress impacts how your blood clots, which in turn can ramp up your risk of having a coronary event.

Both mental and physical stress can affect your blood sugar levels. Persons with type II diabetes in particular can experience high levels of stress hormone when overly stressed, and that will send your blood sugar levels way up.

Mess #2 – Weakened immune system

The more the stress response is triggered via chronic stress, the less efficient the immune system becomes.

Do you notice that you get sick–colds, cold sores, or even the flu–more often when you’re stressed? Well, that’s because stress hormones affect the chemical messengers (cytokines) secreted by immune cells. As a result, your immune cells become less efficient in warding off illnesses.

Of particular concern is the fact that stress diminishes the white blood cells that help the body fight off infection. When the level of these lymphocytes is lowered by stress, your risk of developing viruses increases.

Mess #3 – Leaky gut

Most people aren’t aware of the connection between the brain and the digestive system. The state of our gut affects our mental and emotional state, and vice versa.

The digestive system relies on stable hormone levels to operate efficiently, so if there are any imbalances in our hormones due to chronic stress, leaky gut–among other digestive issues–can be a result. When leaky gut (also known as intestinal permeability) occurs, the lining of the small intestine develops leaks that permit partially digested food, toxic waste, and bacteria to escape via the gut wall and enter the blood stream.

So, stress can contribute to leaky gut and make you more vulnerable to a variety of conditions and illnesses.

Mess #4 – Sleep disruption

Stress and sleep have a sort of adversarial relationship. I mean, who can sleep when stressful scenarios are playing on the screen of your mind when you desperately want to fall asleep? It’s a bit of a catch-22, in that if you don’t get enough sleep, your energy level, memory, ability to think clearly, and mood are all compromised.

More and more research is showing just how important sleep is for your health.  A lack of sleep due to stress can contribute to insomnia, insufficient deep sleep, depression, anxiety, and inability to function properly during the day. Sleep disruption combined with too much stress is a lethal cocktail for your health.

Stress-busting tips

Reducing stressors in your life is an obvious first step in the journey to a healthier life.

Can you:

• Put less pressure on yourself?
• Ask for help?
• Say “no”?
• Delegate to someone else?
• Finally, make that decision?

No matter how hard you try, you won’t eliminate stress altogether. So, here are a few things you can try to help reduce its effects on you:

• Deep breathing
• Meditating
• Walking in nature
• Unplugging (read a book, take a bath)
• Exercising (yoga, tai chi, etc.)
• Connecting with loved ones

Stress is a huge and often underappreciated factor in our health. It can impact your body, mind, and emotions far more than you might realize.

Here’s a stress-reducing recipe that you’re bound to enjoy!

Recipe: Relaxing Chamomile Peach Iced Tea

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steeped chamomile tea, cooled
• 1 peach, diced

Directions:

1. Place both ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired.
2. Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can use either fresh or frozen peaches.

Which of the four stress messes is most concerning to you, and why?