The Dangers of Chronic Stress
For a long time, I assumed that stress was a natural by-product of being a high achiever. If asked how I was, I would tell people that I was “just stressed” assuming that it was normal and/or that I had earned the right of being stressed because of how busy I was. I assumed it was no big deal. Everyone is stressed, right? We’re told to just deal with it.
I honestly thought that stress was something to be proud of. However, in my well-being from the inside out class, I learned that being chronically stressed is not only detrimental to our health but will also have side effects that will make us less capable of doing the high achieving things that may be causing our stress in the first place. (For instance, did you know that regular chronic stress decreases the size of your hippocampus?! Literally, being too stressed can literally shrink your brain!!)
So, for the remainder of this newsletter, I’m sharing the side-effects of stress. I learned these from Dr. Beth Frates, the professor of my well-being class. She’s an adjunct faculty at Harvard Medical School and the most recent past president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (among many other impressive accolades.)
General Stats
43% of all adults suffer adverse effects of stress.
75%-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints
Stress can play a part in headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression and anxiety
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace.
Stress costs American Industry more than $300 billion annually.
References: Quote from Ashworth M.
How does stress affect us? Psych Central.
https://psychcentral.com/lib/how-does-stress-affect-us/. Published 2019.
National Institute of Mental Health: "Fact Sheet on Stress."
American Heart Association: "How Does Stress Affect You."
Mayo Clinic: "Stress: Constant stress puts your health at risk."
Prolonged levels of High Cortisol in the Body
When we’re in a high stress situation, our bodies release cortisol. When we are overly flooded with cortisol, these are the possible side effects:
Blood sugar imbalances, high blood pressure, loss of muscle tissue and bone density, lower immunity, and inflammatory responses.
Cause damage to the brain and block the formation of new connections in the hippocampus
Decrease size of hippocampus (YOUR BRAIN LITERALLY SHRINKS)
Impaired cognitive performance
Dampened thyroid function
Blood sugar imbalances, such as hyperglycemia
Decreased bone density
Decreased muscle mass
Elevated blood pressure
Lowered immune function
Slow wound healing
Sleep disruption
Increased abdominal fat, which has a stronger correlation to certain health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body--
Heart attacks
Strokes
Higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL)
Lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL)
All of these things can lead to other health problems
Reference: http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/cortisol-adrenal-function
But We’re Not Done Yet… More Symptoms of Too Much Stress
Physiologic symptoms-Increased HR, hypertension, sexual problems, GI problems, frequent illnesses, increased RR, disruption of glucose regulation, headaches, insomnia
Behavioral symptoms-Crying, disrupted eating habits, grinding teeth, hostility, increased use of substances, difficulty with communicating with others, social isolation
Emotional symptoms-Crying, fatigue, anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, impulsiveness, irritability, difficulty remembering things, and inability to concentrate
Reference: Health and Wellness for Life. Human Kinetics. 2009.
Behavioral Ramifications of Being Too Stressed
You may be too upset to sleep.
You may eat to relieve stress.
You may stop exercising because there is “no time.”
You may avoid social gatherings
You may find it hard to appreciate humorous situations.
You may focus on the negative.
You may start finding relief with alcohol or drugs.
Reference: Health and Wellness for Life. Human Kinetics. 2009.
And Finally, a Little Chart to Sum up How Stress Affects Your Body:
Used with Permission from the American Institute of Stress
Turns out, too much stress is a pretty big deal. It’s not something to ignore or to brush off. I’m grateful that Dr. Frates took the time to show us how the pillars of well-being affect your mind, body, and heart. Her dedication to the science of well-being has helped me rethink my attitude towards stress and to better attune myself to the need to care for my own well-being. I no longer walk around holding my stress as a badge of honor. Now, I notice when I’m going overboard and employ my arsenal of stress busters to help myself find balance again. I’m also better at noticing and supporting those who are actively working to reduce their stress as well. It is, after all, a community level effort.
Thanks for reading with me today. I hope that you’ve had a moment to reflect on how detrimental chronic stress can be. I know that it took me realizing that it was a big deal before I was willing to take steps to reduce its impact in my life. I hope you’re able to find ways to lessen your stress this week.