Effects of Stress on the Body and Overall Health

It is well known that the effects of stress are felt by many of us at some point in our lives. Even young children are not immune to stress. Stress comes in different sizes and levels, and the effects of stress can impact several aspects of your life. Various types of stress, such as emotional, mental, or physical, are part of our daily lives, and coping with them effectively will help you gain control of your life and maintain good health.

Sadly, dealing with stress daily is now part of our lives. Stress can be caused by mundane things such as searching for a lost key or being stuck in traffic. It can also be a deeper stress level, such as losing a job or facing a dangerous situation. The effects of stress have various implications on an emotional or mental level and on our overall physical health.

Over 43% of all adult individuals are suffering from some form of stress, and more astonishing is that 75 to 90% of consultations with physicians are attributed to stress, which is the cause of various ailments and conditions. It is projected that more than 300 million sufferers worldwide are losing productivity each year due to some form of stress.

Background on the term “Stress.”

As a matter of record, the term “stress” is not generally accepted in science, as it is highly subjective and lacks a clear definition. The term “stress” was first attributed to Hans Selye, who, in 1936, defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”. He conducted many experiments that subjected lab animals to different stimuli that would affect them emotionally and physically. Through his studies, he concluded that stress can affect one’s overall health. In his experiments, the animals developed various types of illnesses that were very similar to what humans may experience. These illnesses included heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, and even stroke when the animals were plagued with lingering stress. Selye’s research challenged the prevailing view of the usual causes of disease during his time.

What Is Stress? A Medical Definition

What Happens to the Body During Stress?

Stress is a natural reaction to a stimulus that triggers specific changes in the body when subjected to it. Each organ in the body reacts differently to stress because each area has its natural response when coping with stressful situations.

The effects of stress are described below, and various body systems are affected when one faces threatening adversity or is on the verge of harm. What is so interesting is that no matter whether the threat is perceived or the threat is causing harm, the response from our body is the same. So, whether you are running from a lion, are nervous and upset while driving in traffic, or watching a horror movie, many of these stress responses occur. Our bodies and minds cannot tell the difference between the cause of the stress, perceived or actual, triggering our reactions to stress.

Many people find that the effects of stress on the body include a feeling of increased pain and muscle tension, sluggish digestive issues, headaches, increased blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and weakened immunity.

How Chronic Stress Affects the Nervous System

Brain: The brain releases hormones that activate the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal system. Naturally, the brain releases certain stress hormones such as cortisol. Cortisol regulates many bodily systems, including the lungs, circulatory, heart, immune, skin, and metabolism, to quickly enable the body to deal with stress. Neurotransmitters called “Catecholamines” are also released, including adrenaline, to trigger an emotional response. Effects on short- and long-term memory are evident during stress, including the body’s ability to concentrate and reason. In several recent studies, it was concluded that the brain can misinterpret a chemical signal. This causes the brain to switch on instead of off when something is wrongly perceived. This is referred to as the overdrive position and is characterized by the brain failing to address and correct the stress response. When stress becomes chronic, adrenaline and cortisol can trigger more inflammation.

Heart, Circulation, and Lungs: In stressful events, the major organs in the body, such as the heart, circulatory system, and lungs, are also affected. In a highly stressful situation, when fear sets in, our heart rate as well as blood pressure rapidly increase. Breathing also becomes faster as the lungs take in more oxygen. Red and white blood cells are rapidly released from the spleen to deliver more oxygenated blood. Blood circulation will significantly increase by 300 to 400 percent, preparing the brain, lungs, and muscles for the added pressures and demands of stress.

Stress, Inflammation, and Chronic Pain

Immune System: When confronted with a fight-or-flight scenario, the immune system works similarly with a military tactic, deploying more soldiers to critical locations. Certain areas of the immune system have decreased steroid hormone production to pave the way for the immune system to strategically position and prepare infection-fighting molecules, which include white blood cells. These immune defenses are being sent all over the body, especially to the skin and lymph nodes, where infection or injury will likely occur. This is one way your body copes with stressful and dangerous situations by providing additional defenses. When the body is under continual stress, the fight-or-flight response can weaken your immune system.

The Mouth and Throat: When a person is in a dangerous situation or in harm’s way of a life-threatening event, the mouth and throat area will become dry since fluids are diverted to other areas of the body. This may cause difficulty with speech, especially if the throat muscles are in spasm.

Metabolic Reactions: During a stressful event, the metabolism slows down, reducing the digestive system’s activities. This also helps the body conserve energy. Under prolonged stress, this can have a harmful impact on gut health.

The Relaxation Response: This is the final phase of the body’s response in an acute stressful situation. Once the imminent danger or harm has passed and the body is found to be unharmed, the level of stress hormones returns to normal. This is the “relaxation response,” allowing the body to return to normal while regulating its systems.

Tips for Handling the Effects of Stress

If you are under constant stress, it is best to try to figure out what is causing it. I know this is easier said than done. Most experts recommend keeping a journal to record when stress increases. This allows you to record conversations, weather, activities, or other things that occurred that may have contributed to your stress. I kept a journal in the beginning when I began to learn how to manage my chronic pain, and found it helpful to identify some of my triggers.

Healthy Habits That Help Manage Stress

Many people find the following habits helpful for managing stress:

• exercising
• meditation
• yoga or pilates
• staying hydrated
• eating whole foods, avoiding processed and sugary foods

If you feel you need more help, you may want to look into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps individuals identify triggers and their responses to them.

Many supplements may help support the body during times of stress. You can view some of my favorite Nature’s Sunshine products here.

Stress isn’t something to take lightly, as you can see from the list above, it can dramatically impact your overall gut health, metabolism, and pain. Learning how to manage the effects of stress on your body is important. If you need more help balancing the nervous system, learn more about our 8 Week Nervous System Reset.

Sources: The American Institute of Stress, What is Stress, https://www.stress.org/what-is-stress/
The Free Dictionary – Definition of Stress, https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/stress
American Psychological Association, How Stress Affects Your Health, https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress.aspx
Stress | University of Maryland Medical Center, https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/stress#ixzz2gF0Bkn00