How Chronic Stress Affects Your Body
I don’t think it would be a surprise to anyone to say that excessive amounts of stress can negatively affect your health. Yet, everywhere you go, people are stressed out. We’re stressed about work, money, politics, not having enough time to do what we need to do, you name it. A recent Gallup poll reports almost half of all Americans feel stressed out, and many say they aren’t getting enough sleep (1). Chronic stress can have a detrimental effect on pretty much every system of your body, so it’s not a stretch to say that our stress levels are a major contributor to the epidemic of chronic disease. The American Institute of Stress (yes, that’s apparently a real thing) lists 50 different signs and symptoms of chronic stress and describes how stress can affect different systems of your body (2).
It’s important to note that we’re talking about chronic stress here, which means a long-term feeling of being stressed out. Some stress, such as exercise in the right amounts, is good for your body and mind. This helps you adapt to your environment, get stronger and more resilient. However, when the stress hangs on for too long or too intensely, things start to go wrong.
So how does chronic stress actually cause health problems? One reason is the effect it has on the autonomic nervous system. Your autonomic nervous system controls unconscious (think “automatic”) body functions like breathing, digestion, and heartbeat, and maintains balance in the cells, tissues, and organs of your body (3). Two components of the autonomic nervous system are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic, often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” system, controls your body’s response to stress and danger. When this system is activated, the results include (4):
· Increased blood pressure
· Increased blood flow to lungs and muscles and decreased blood flow to digestion and reproductive organs
· Increased blood sugar
· Increased stress hormones (such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine)
The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is often referred to as the “rest-and-digest” system. This system is activated during relaxation, after a meal, or in response to pleasure, and the results include:
· Decreased blood pressure
· Decreased heart rate and respiratory rate
· Increased intestinal activity and blood flow to digestion
· Decreased stress hormones
These two systems are designed to be in balance with each other. When facing a stressful event, the sympathetic nervous system will kick in and cause a release of stress hormones, leading to the effects mentioned before such as increased blood pressure, increased blood sugar, more blood flow to muscles, etc. Once the stressful event is over, the parasympathetic nervous system should bring everything back into balance. However, if stress becomes chronic or too intense it starts to cause imbalances and harmful effects in the body (5). Chronic stress and overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system are linked to many adverse health conditions, including:
· Cardiovascular disease
· Weight gain
· Weakened immune system
· Digestive dysfunction
· Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
· Endocrine (hormone) problems
· Muscle pain
· Kidney problems
· Sleep disruption
Excessive stress is clearly not good for your health, but what are some effective ways to reduce stress levels and promote nervous system balance? Here are some strategies that may help:
· Deep breathing. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to activate your parasympathetic nervous system when you are feeling stressed. One simple way is to take a deep breath in through your nose, then make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. For example, breathe in for 4 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds. Other deep breathing techniques include 4-7-8 breathing, box breathing, and physiological sigh.
· Prayer and meditation. These are powerful ways to practice mindfulness, which means bringing your thoughts into the present moment. Meditation can include meditating on a Bible verse, focusing on things you have to be thankful for, or becoming aware of your current thoughts and bodily sensations. Apps like Calm and Headspace usually offer free trials and have some free sessions on YouTube. Some other mindfulness resources include this non-sleep deep rest protocol (check out the linked video) and HeartMath, which offers biofeedback devices and breathing techniques to help reduce stress.
· Gratitude. Practicing gratitude has been shown in research to improve overall well-being and can help shift your mind away from stress (6). This can include writing in a gratitude journal or simply taking time each day to remember what you have to be thankful for.
· Exercise. Exercise is another great way to reduce stress, whether it is something relaxing like a walk or yoga session, playing a sport you love, or getting a good weight training or HIIT workout in. Just make sure not to overdo it, since overtraining can make stress related health issues worse.
· Get a dog. Petting a dog actually lowers cortisol levels and increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (7). If you’re a cat person, I’m sorry (kidding). Cat ownership can have health benefits as well.
· Supplements. Supplements such as ashwagandha (8) and rhodiola (9) have been shown in research to improve stress levels and balance stress hormones.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully these will give you some ideas and resources to reduce stress levels. Simply spending a few minutes in nature or taking some time to do something you enjoy can also be great ways to redirect your nervous system to a more relaxed state. If you’re struggling with stress-related health problems and still feel stuck, we can help! Schedule your free discovery call or initial consultation with us today.
References
1. Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed. https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx#:~:text=Women%20Have%20Become%20More%20Stressed%20Than%20Men&text=Line%20chart.-,The%20percent%20of%20Americans%20who%20report%20frequently%20feeling%20stress%20in,of%20men%20said%20the%20same.
2. Stress Affects Your Body and Mind. https://www.stress.org/stress-effects/
3. Wehrwein EA, Orer HS, Barman SM. Overview of the Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology of the Autonomic Nervous System. Compr Physiol. 2016 Jun 13;6(3):1239-78. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c150037. PMID: 27347892.
4. Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic State: How Stress Affects Your Health. https://chriskresser.com/sympathetic-vs-parasympathetic-state-how-stress-affects-your-health/
5. Dhabhar FS. The short-term stress response - Mother nature's mechanism for enhancing protection and performance under conditions of threat, challenge, and opportunity. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2018 Apr;49:175-192. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.03.004. Epub 2018 Mar 26. PMID: 29596867; PMCID: PMC5964013.
6. Wood AM, Froh JJ, Geraghty AW. Gratitude and well-being: a review and theoretical integration. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Nov;30(7):890-905. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005. Epub 2010 Mar 20. PMID: 20451313.
7. The Friend Who Keeps You Young. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-friend-who-keeps-you-young#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20simply,that%20bonds%20mothers%20to%20babies).
8. Akhgarjand C, Asoudeh F, Bagheri A, Kalantar Z, Vahabi Z, Shab-Bidar S, Rezvani H, Djafarian K. Does Ashwagandha supplementation have a beneficial effect on the management of anxiety and stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2022 Nov;36(11):4115-4124. doi: 10.1002/ptr.7598. Epub 2022 Aug 25. PMID: 36017529.
9. Anghelescu IG, Edwards D, Seifritz E, Kasper S. Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. 2018 Nov;22(4):242-252. doi: 10.1080/13651501.2017.1417442. Epub 2018 Jan 11. PMID: 29325481.