Stress is everywhere, but do we realise what it is really doing to our bodies? Stress can affect our heart, digestion, and mental health so how we manage our stress is important.
The science of stress
- What happens when our bodies are under stress?
- Cortisol & its impact on energy, sleep, and cravings.
- Why short-term stress is okay but chronic stress is harmful.
Short-term stress is beneficial because it triggers our “fight or flight” response, which boosts our focus, energy, and resilience. It also helps improve our alertness, enhances our memory, and strengthens our immune system. In small doses, stress can also motivate action and problem-solving. The stress we need to be concerned about is chronic stress.
Cortisol is our body’s primary stress hormone and is released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. While it helps with short-term “fight or flight” situations, chronic stress leads to excessive cortisol, which has widespread negative effects including:
- Weight gain and fat storage → High cortisol increases our appetite and promotes fat storage, especially in the belly area (visceral fat), which is linked to metabolic disorders.
- Blood sugar imbalances → Cortisol increases the production of blood glucose for energy, but long-term elevation can lead to insulin resistance, increasing our risk of diabetes.
- Immune suppression → Chronic stress reduces our immune function, making us more prone to infections and slower healing.
- Muscle breakdown → Cortisol can break down muscle protein for energy, leading to muscle weakness and fatigue.
- Hormonal disruptions → High cortisol can reduce our testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone levels, leading to menstrual irregularities, low libido, and fertility issues.
Stress and the heart
- Stress raises blood pressure and increases our risk for heart attacks.
- Chronic stress makes your body “run on high alert.”
As discussed earlier, stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering a “fight-or-flight” response that raises our heart rate and blood pressure. If stress remains persistent, our bodies remain in a state of high alert which over time can lead to:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure) → Chronic stress causes persistent constriction of blood vessels, increasing our risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Increased risk of heart attacks → Stress-related inflammation and arterial damage can lead to plaque buildup in our arteries (atherosclerosis).
- Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) → Stress can cause palpitations, skipped heart beats, or even more serious heart rhythm disorders.
A great way to help regulate the nervous system is through deep-breathing exercises. Box breathing (in for 5, hold for 5, out for 5, hold for 5) or using the 4-6-8 breathing technique (in for 4, hold for 6, out for 8) are two of the techniques that are helpful to reduce an over-active stress response.
Listen to my interview with Brad Kirsten from Radio Cape Pulpit on 3 April 2025 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am.