While the physical effects of acute stress typically subside once the stressful situation has passed, chronic stress — the kind that continues for months or years — is more likely to lead to serious illness.
The stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline) “affect most areas of the body, interfering with sleep and increasing the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease as well as causing depression and anxiety,” says Alka Gupta, MD, chief medical officer at Bluerock Care in Washington, DC.
Here are a few key ways chronic stress can impact the body:
Inflammation Studies have shown that chronic stress is linked to increased inflammation in the body. “One of the proposed actions of stress is that it triggers inflammation in the body, which is thought to underlie many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, and even pain,” says Dr. Gupta.
One possible culprit: Chronic stress seems to be linked to an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, a type of immune cell that is typically part of the body’s defense system when you have an infection. But when these cytokines are chronically activated, as with stress, they can lead to ongoing, low-level inflammation.
“People with autoimmune conditions, in which the immune system attacks the body itself, tend to have higher levels of these cytokines,” says Michelle Dossett, MD, PhD, an assistant professor and specialist in integrative medicine at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. The good news is that stress-management techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, lowering cytokines in the body.
Digestive Disorders “The gastrointestinal tract is filled with nerve endings and immune cells, all of which are affected by stress hormones,” says Dr. Dossett. As a result, stress can cause acid reflux and exacerbate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease — not to mention that it can create butterflies in your stomach.
Lowered Immunity A number of studies have shown that stress lowers immunity, which may be why you’re likely to come down with a cold after a crunch time at school or work — right on the first day of your vacation. “Patients with autoimmune disorders often tell me they get flare-ups during or after stressful events or that their condition began after a particularly stressful event,” says Dossett.
Changes in Brain Function “Brain scans of people with post-traumatic stress disorder show more activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain associated with fear and emotion,” says Haythe. But even everyday kinds of stress can affect how the brain processes information.
“We see actual structural, functional, and connectivity-related brain changes in people who are under chronic stress,” adds Gupta. All of these can affect cognition and attention. Cognitive function depends on the interplay between multiple body systems, and increasingly researchers are examining the vital role the gut microbiome plays as it interacts with the neuroendocrine systems that respond to stress.
Chronic stress can also lead to brain fog, the sensation of reduced cognitive function.
Increased Pain Stress makes us more sensitive to pain, and it can also cause pain due to muscular tension. When muscles tighten and stay that way for long periods of time, it can lead to chronic pain. Stress has been linked to musculoskeletal pain in the lower back. Additionally, tension headaches as well as migraine are connected with chronic muscle tension in the shoulders, neck, and head. “People under stress also tend to perceive pain differently,” says Gupta.
Poor Sleep They’re also less apt to sleep well, which doesn’t help matters. “Sleep is so important in terms of helping to prevent every disease,” adds Haythe. “It helps reboot the immune system and prevents depression, irritability, and exhaustion.”
Sexual Desire and Dysfunction In women, chronic stress may reduce sexual desire. And in men, chronic stress can affect testosterone production, resulting in a decline in sex drive or libido, and can cause erectile dysfunction or impotence.
Reproductive Health High stress levels may be associated with irregular menstrual cycles, more painful periods, or changes in the length of cycles. Stress can also negatively impact not only the ability to conceive, but also health during and after pregnancy. Too much stress increases the risk of depression and anxiety during this time. In men, chronic stress can negatively impact sperm production and maturation, resulting in difficulties when trying to conceive.
Obesity Stress and obesity are interconnected in several ways. Stress can lead to poor behavioral choices when it comes to diet and increases hormones and peptides that have to do with appetite and metabolism. Research shows that psychological distress and elevated cortisol levels promote abdominal fat, a feature of the metabolic syndrome.
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