The Biology of Stress
Everybody feels stressed at times. Whether it is due to work or relationship issues, financial worries, or something as simple as getting stuck in traffic, most of us experience a certain degree of stress daily. And this is not necessarily a negative thing. Stress can help us recognise the areas in life that are not serving us and act as a driving force for change.
However, when we are stressed more often than not, we become susceptible to a host of other physical and emotional issues. Moreover, chronic stress is linked with anxiety and depression and all of their associated symptoms, including low mood, fatigue, and insomnia. These make it harder to function optimally, potentially leading to even more stress.
This article explains what happens to the body when it is stuck in the stress cycle and explores how to prevent lasting issues.
What Is Stress?
In simple terms, stress is a physiological reaction to a high-pressure situation. And regardless of whether that situation is genuinely life-threatening or simply inconvenient, our bodies react in a similar way.
In an ideal world, the stress response would be short-lived, and we would quickly return to a state of balance and calm. However, many of us face a variety of stressors daily, leading us to live in a more constant state of stress.
Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
Difficulty falling asleep
Waking up during the night
Daytime tiredness
Feeling worried or anxious
Low mood
Headaches
Muscular aches and pains
Digestive issues
Palpitations
Menstrual irregularities
Many people experience these symptoms regularly. However, many of us are so used to living with such high baseline stress levels that we do not realise this is the cause.
How Stress Affects the Body
Stress activates our sympathetic nervous system, causing our adrenal glands, which sit just above the kidneys, to release two hormones: adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones elevate heart rate and direct blood to the muscles, increasing physical capacity in case we need to fight or flee. We become more mentally alert, and cells release glucose to provide additional energy. Meanwhile, non-urgent functions such as digestion, immunity, and reproduction are suppressed.
This cascade of reactions is potentially life-saving in a dangerous situation, but if it happens consistently and regularly, it can negatively impact health. The main culprit of these long-term effects is cortisol.
Cortisol and Stress
Many of the adverse effects of chronic stress are due to continuously raised levels of cortisol. However, cortisol does have many essential functions in the body.
Firstly, it is one of the hormones involved in our sleep-wake cycle, alongside melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that makes us feel sleepy and is produced in response to darkness in the evening.
Meanwhile, cortisol is responsible for wakefulness, and its levels should peak in the morning, waking us from sleep and keeping us alert throughout the day. Cortisol also plays a role in cognitive function, including learning and memory.
Secondly, cortisol plays a crucial role in homeostasis, that is, keeping the body in a constant state of equilibrium. It helps to regulate fluid levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Through its involvement in regulating blood sugar, cortisol also affects other metabolic hormones, such as insulin, and has a role in controlling body weight.
Finally, cortisol helps to regulate the inflammatory response, which is part of the immune system's protective function. When it is functioning correctly, cortisol acts as an anti-inflammatory hormone. Its role is to “switch off” the inflammatory response once it has done its work and prevent inflammation from becoming chronic and harmful.
The Impact of Stress on Health and Wellbeing
Chronic stress can have a detrimental long-term impact on our health. High cortisol levels have been linked to insulin resistance, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, to name just a few.
Stress also increases our risk of developing chronic inflammation, which is associated with a whole host of serious conditions, including those listed above, as well as autoimmune disorders and depression.
Furthermore, stressful events can lower immunity, making us more susceptible to viral infections like colds and flu and slowing wound healing. There is even some evidence that stress-induced immune changes could increase the spread of cancer throughout the body.
How to Support Your Body in Times of Stress
We may not be able to completely remove stress from our lives, but there are steps we can take to support our bodies and reduce its impact on our wellbeing. Here are a few techniques to try:
Breathe Into Relaxation
As I mentioned earlier, stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for what is known as the “fight, flight, freeze, fawn” stress response. Opposing this is the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation. Its function is sometimes referred to as “rest and digest.”
One simple way to activate the parasympathetic nervous system is through slow, deep breathing, with an emphasis on extending the out-breath. This contrasts with the rapid, shallow breathing that activates the sympathetic nervous system.
You do not necessarily need to time your breaths, but some people find it useful to do so, at least at first. This helps ensure that the out-breath is longer than the in-breath, which is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Many people find that breathing in for a count of four and out for a count of six is comfortable, but feel free to experiment and find what works for you. You will find some guided exercises on the Relaxation and Breathing page of this website.
Reduce Caffeine Intake
Stress can affect sleep and leave us feeling tired and lacking concentration during the day. Under these circumstances, many of us reach for the tea, coffee, or chocolate to help us push through.
All of these contain caffeine, which is a natural stimulant. It works by blocking the activity of adenosine (a neurotransmitter that causes drowsiness), making us feel more focused and alert.
However, one side effect of caffeine is that it increases cortisol production, the last thing we need if we are already in a state of stress. So, try to wean yourself off caffeine and replace it with alternatives like calming herbal teas.
Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
Stress impacts our ability to regulate blood sugar and increases the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to what we eat and how often to counteract these deleterious effects.
Eating regularly and eating enough are both key, as dieting has been linked with increased cortisol levels. However, it is important to eat the right things and choose foods that release their energy slowly rather than spiking blood sugar.
This means avoiding refined sugars and carbohydrates and consuming plenty of protein and fibre to increase feelings of fullness. Making simple switches, such as swapping white bread and pasta for wholemeal versions, is an excellent place to start.
Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Ongoing stress increases the risk of chronic inflammation and its associated diseases. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet will go some way towards countering this.
First, increase your consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, herbs, and spices. Healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds, and oily fish, are also vital components of an anti-inflammatory diet, alongside plenty of lean protein and whole grains.
Meanwhile, avoid pro-inflammatory foods, like refined sugars and grains, processed meat, and trans fats. This will mean cooking from scratch as much as possible. It can be really helpful to batch-cook stews, curries, and sauces and freeze the extra portions for when you are short on time.
Consider Adaptogenic Herbs
Adaptogenic herbs are plants that support the central nervous system and increase our resistance to stress. Their reported benefits include reducing fatigue, improving mood, and boosting cognitive function.
There are many different options available, and choosing the right one for you can be a complex process. Furthermore, some of them can interact with other medicines or health conditions. Therefore, it is best to speak to a healthcare professional before using adaptogenic herbs to ensure they are safe and suitable for you.