Stress kicks in your body’s built-in alarm system: a natural reaction to perceived threats. Designed to save your ancestors from lions, tigers, and angry villagers —it keeps you sharp, alert, and on your toes. So why is stress such a big deal?
Science is clear: chronic stress (“chronic” being the operating word) is doing a lot more than just giving you a bad mood; it’s affecting your body in sneaky, destructive ways.
The good, the bad and the evil
Stress triggers a survival mechanism that dates back to caveman days—the fight-or-flight response. When life throws a curveball, your body prepares for action. The autonomic nervous and endocrine systems kick into high gear, churning out epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. This hormone cocktail triggers a series of physiological reactions known as the stress response: your body’s way of saying, “Game on!”
You’ll experience a boost in β-endorphin (your body’s own painkiller), and heightened senses, all primed to tackle the challenge. If you “perceive” the stressor as more of a threat than a challenge, cortisol levels spike to give you the energy to either confront or escape danger.
Your body doesn’t know the difference between an actual lion and your boss breathing down your neck. The same hormones that once helped you outrun predators are now wreaking havoc because our stressful busy lives don’t exactly allow for a healthy cooldown period, and “danger” pops up like you were playing Whac-A-Mole: work emails, financial strain, unachievable deadlines, traffic-jammed school runs, or a social media-frenzy.
The way you respond to stress can vary based on how familiar you are with the stressor and how much control you feel you have over it. So, whether you’re facing a lion or a looming deadline, your body’s got a plan—albeit a slightly dramatic one!
If you take it on the chin and even see the stressor as a fun little challenge, your body’s response is “adaptive”, boosting your performance and resilience. But if you perceive the stressor as a menacing threat, your body goes into overdrive, flooding your system with cortisol.
Stress is Not just in your Mind
What’s wrong with having a little cortisol around every now and then? Well, nothing if you can turn the stress response on and off. But if your cortisol levels are perpetually elevated, that’s where the problems start, and they can affect your whole body.
Metabolism: Chronic stress can affect appetite and energy storage, and lead to metabolic dysregulation, obesity and diabetes.
Cardiovascular System: Chronic stress contributes to high blood pressure and promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Digestive System: It affects digestion and the microbiome, leading to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other disorders.
Neurobiological Changes: It can cause structural and functional changes in the brain, affecting memory and emotional regulation, leading to anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.
Immune System: Cortisol suppresses immunity, making you more susceptible to infections and autoimmune conditions
Outsmarting Stress: 8 Tools to Tame the Beast Within
Let’s get practical. Hearing “just stop stressing” is about as helpful as “just stop breathing.” Stress is inevitable, but here are some world-class tips for your life-toolbox so you can manage it like a pro. Give them a try, mix and match, and come up with a combo that works for you:
Remove your shades, literally and figuratively: Natural light is like a magic potion; it helps regulate your body’s internal clock and lower pesky cortisol levels. Since it also boosts the feel-good chemicals serotonin and dopamine, removing your shades will help you “see the world in a new light”. Changing your perspective will enable you to perceive everyday stressors in a different, hopefully less-threatening way, so that you can have “the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.
Breathe Like You Mean It: Deep breathing (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) is one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system. By breathing deeply into your belly, you signal your body that it’s time to chill out, lowering your cortisol levels.
Move It to Lose It (Stress, That Is): Exercise is hands down one of the best stress relievers. Aerobic activities like walking, running, or dancing not only reduce cortisol but also increase your production of endorphins, those feel-good hormones that keep you smiling. A recent study even suggests that exercise can help reverse some of the brain damage caused by chronic stress by promoting neurogenesis—aka the growth of new brain cells.
Practice Mindfulness, Meditation & Prayer: Just five to ten minutes a day of these powerful stress-busters can significantly help you to stay calm and promote a sound mind. They can change your brain structure, making you more resilient to stress over time.
Invest in your beauty sleep: Sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels and makes you more prone to gaining belly fat and losing mental clarity. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night, and avoid caffeine or screens in the hour before bed to ensure you get quality rest.
Mind Your Diet: If you’re feeling stressed, reaching for a sugary snack might feel comforting, but it's actually making things worse. High-sugar foods raise insulin, which interacts with cortisol to promote belly fat storage. Instead, opt for a diet rich in antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and cortisol levels. A Mediterranean diet is particularly stress-resistant… Or was it a trip to the Mediterranean?! I’ll settle for both.
Try Adaptogens: These are herbs that help your body adapt to stress (hence the name). Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and holy basil are popular options that can help lower cortisol and boost resilience
Declutter: Get rid of unnecessary sources of stress, whether it’s meetings, events, or just stuff sitting around causing extra work. Prioritize and focus on what matters.
In a world where stress is inescapable, you don’t have to let it take over your life. By understanding how it affects your body, you can start to take action to manage it better, breaking the cycle of chronic stress and improving your health in meaningful, lasting ways. Whether it's taking a daily walk, practicing mindfulness, or just getting a good night’s sleep, small changes can make a big difference.
So, next time you feel stress creeping in—whether it’s because of a demanding boss, traffic, or yet another email at 7 p.m.—take a deep breath. You’ve got tools. And while you can’t escape stressors entirely, you can definitely outsmart it.
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