Chronic Stress Needs Our Attention
Life today is stressful. What is all this stress doing to our minds and bodies? And what can we do about it?
September 1, 2023 Written by Dr Rudy Wietfeldt 0 Comments
For many if not most of us, Life is quite stressful. Work. Family. Uncertainty. The War in Ukraine. Gas Prices. Wild Fires. Hurricanes. The list goes on and on....
Let's be clear: chronic stress has a profound impact on the body and mind, affecting various systems and functions. One of the key mechanisms through which chronic stress exerts its effects is by altering the levels of certain hormones, particularly cortisol and glucose.
From my blog on Hormones from last month, you'll recall cortisol is a chemical messenger released by the adrenal glands in response to one or another types of stress. In acute stress situations, cortisol can be very beneficial. It helps the body mobilize energy and resources to respond to the stressor. In chronic stress situations, high levels of cortisol have a significant negative effect:
- Weight gain: Cortisol can lead to increased appetite, especially geared towards high-calorie, sugary sweet, and fatty foods. This contributes to potentially dangerous weight gain in the abdominal area.
- Muscle and Bone Loss: Prolonged exposure to high cortisol levels can lead to the breakdown of muscle and to bone loss. This culminates in the increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
- Immune System Suppression: Chronic elevation of cortisol can suppress our body's front line defenses, making individuals with chronic stress more susceptible to illnesses and infections.
- Memory Problems and Cognitive Impairment: Chronic stress and high cortisol can impair memory and cognitive function, leading to brain fog and difficulties in concentration and decision making.
- Mood Disorders: Everyone has ups and downs with mood, and that's normal, but elevated cortisol levels are associated with increased risk of Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder.
Chronic stress also impacts glucose regulation in the body. In response to stress, the body releases glucose in the bloodstream to provide energy for the "fight or flight" response associated with adrenal production of adrenaline. This, again, is helpful in the short term. But when acute stress gets prolonged, several problematic glucose-related effects occur:
- Insulin Resistance: Chronic stress can lead to insulin resistance, meaning the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, which is the hormone responsible for the healthy regulation of blood sugar levels. Essentially, chronic stress can result in higher long-term blood sugar levels, which is damaging.
- Weight Gain: Our old "friend" weight gain is back again. Glucose dysregulation leads to metabolism problems and abdominal girth growth.
- Increased Risk of Type-2 Diabetes: Insulin resistance and weight gain and elevated blood sugar levels increase the risk of developing Type-2 Diabetes.
- Cardiovascular Effects: Hypertension and atherosclerosis are major effects and contribute to one of the top causes of death worldwide.
Chronic stress also stimulates the release of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines. These molecules are part of the immune response and are normally released in response to detected injury or infection. Chronic stress leads to ongoing, low-grade inflammation.
Chronic inflammation in the body has various detrimental effects on health, as it can affect multiple organ systems and processes. Some of the negative consequences of chronic inflammation include:
- Digestive Issues: Chronic inflammation is often associated with digestive problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- Neurologic Effects: Inflammation in the brain is related to Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, and cognitive decline.
- Pain and Fatigue: Chronic stress and inflammation are associated with pain and fatigue, thereby reducing the individual's quality of life
- Metabolic dysfunction and Cardiovascular dysfunction, as described above
- And increased risk of Chronic Diseases, including cancers, autoimmune disorders, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
With all this said, it is never too late to decide to begin to make purposeful changes. Managing chronic stress for purposes of alleviating all the negative health effects described above can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be.
More blogs and videos will be added in the future to help deal with this highly important topic. For now, please consider the importance of getting seven to eight hours of sleep, regular movement and exercise, appropriate nutrition intake...add in mindfulness exercises, prayer, good communication and social connection, and seeking professional help to fine tune your efforts.
You cannot change what's happening in the greater world on your own, but you can change how you respond to it. Start today making a plan and initiate one change at a time, referring back weekly and monthly to the larger plan. If after three months you haven't progressed in reducing your stress, talk with your family physician or psychologist. And feel free to click the gold Schedule An Appointment button to consult with Dr Wietfeldt on a personalized stress reduction strategy proven to work.
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