How Stress Affects Your Body
When we think of stress, we usually think of the overwhelming situations that lead to fear, tension, confusion, anger, and sadness. But what happens when your body is exposed to stress?
The Body’s Reaction to Physiological Stress
When we face an acute stressor (e.g., a car accident, a fire, or an aggressive argument), our body helps us to react to it. Given the evolutionary value of these reactions in protecting us, they need to be very fast and automatic. For that reason, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a direct and crucial role in the physical response to stress. The ANS is divided into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is the component that switches the “engine” on and prepares the body for the action. It contributes to the “fight or flight” response, allowing us to flee from the “threat” or fight it.
When the body reacts to stressors, it needs to support the innate physical response. Therefore, body functions, such as heart and respiration rate, blood pressure, oxygen, glucose consumption, and muscle tension, increase, thanks to adrenaline and cortisol.
After facing the acute stressor, the PNS restores the balance, decreasing the body’s activation.
The Long-Term Impact of Stress on the Body
If the stressor is persistent, the body is continually pushed to react to this protracted changing state. In that case, it can have negative long-term repercussions on a person’s well-being, particularly on other bodily systems.
Digestive Effects: Stress can cause a decrease or increase in appetite, acid reflux, diarrhea, and constipation.
Endocrine Effects: Prolonged stress can be associated with metabolic diseases like diabetes or obesity because excessive cortisol can affect insulin activity. The body can also become resistant to insulin, leading to diabetes. Moreover, chronic stress can lead to increased blood cholesterol levels. The persistently high cholesterol levels and other fatty substances in the blood may lead to heart attacks.
Cardiovascular Effects: Several studies have shown a strong association between stress and cardiovascular diseases. Both adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) affect heart health and blood pressure, which is likely why stress is associated with a higher risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and hypertension.
Immune System Effects: people under chronic stress may have increased inflammatory levels due to the impairment of immune system regulation. That makes people with high levels of prolonged stress more susceptible to viral illnesses like flu, the common cold, and other infections.
Reproductive System Effects: Chronic stress may decrease libido, cause erectile dysfunction in men, and cause or worsen infertility.
Lifestyle impact: When people are stressed, they’re more likely to turn to smoking and excessive drinking, which can cause further health concerns. Moreover, it is a common experience to decrease sleep quality under stressful conditions, resulting in difficulty falling asleep or increasing the number of nocturnal awakenings.
“Stress affects our body’s physiology by impacting many physiological systems other than our minds,” says Archie Defillo, Chief Medical Officer at Medibio. “LUCA biometrics can help you monitor many of the critical functions connected to a person’s well-being, such as your heart rate, sleep, and level of physical activity.” LUCA fosters your awareness of the physiological reaction of your body to stress. Awareness is the first step toward taking action in stress management!
LUCA tracks your body’s stress responses and helps you learn innovative ways to minimize stressors’ effects on you over time.
