Stress is something we all experience throughout life, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The stress response is a natural reaction to life experiences and can help us to cope with potentially serious situations. However, if this stress response doesn’t stop firing, then long-term stress takes a toll on your health.

Prolonged stress wreaks havoc on the mind and body. Research shows that the effects of psychological stress on the body's ability to regulate inflammation can promote the development and progression of disease.

When under stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond to hormonal control and consequently produce inflammation that promotes disease. Inflammation plays a role in many diseases such as heart disease, asthma, autoimmune disorders (like arthritis, crohn’s disease, hasimotos’s disease, Ulcerative colitis), and cancer.

Your hypothalamus, a tiny region at your brain's base, sets off an alarm system in your body in response to stress. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. In response to stress, adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and boosts energy supplies. 

Cortisol is known as the primary stress hormone. It increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose, and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. Cortisol also curbs functions in the body that would be considered as non-essential in a fight-or-flight situation. This hormone response suppresses the immune system, digestive system, reproductive system, and growth processes. 

When the natural stress response goes wild

Stress has a huge impact on your health when stressors are constantly present and you constantly feel under attack. The long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that can disrupt almost all your body's processes. The impact puts you at increased risk of many health problems, including:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Digestive problems

• Headaches

• Muscle tension and pain

• Heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke

• Sleep problems

• Weight gain

• Memory and concentration impairment

• Cancer

Stress management strategies include:

• Healthy Lifestyle - Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and getting plenty of sleep

• Practicing relaxation techniques - such as yoga, deep breathing, massage, or meditation

• Keeping a journal and writing about your thoughts or what you're grateful for

• Happiness / Laughter - Having a sense of humour and finding ways to include humour and laughter in your life, such as watching funny movies or looking at joke websites

• Time Management - Organizing and prioritizing what you need to accomplish at home and work. Remove tasks that aren't necessary and say no!

• Seeking professional counseling to develop coping strategies to manage stress

• Avoid unhealthy ways of managing your stress - caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or excess food. 

Next time you start to feel stress creeping back into your life, give these tips a try to maintain a healthy, happy, and stable body & mind.

Written By: Erin O’Hara. Erin O’Hara is the owner of Golden Yogi. She has a BSc in Physiology and BNatMed in Naturopathy. She has spent over a decade gathering knowledge and qualifications in health and wellness through; study, scientific research, personal illness, racing as a professional athlete, and an intrinsic passion for health naturally.