Many, if not most, people in Mansfield struggle with stress
on a daily basis. Whether it’s a deadline at work, a car breaking down, bills,
or relationship problems, the number of factors that cause stress in modern
life are too numerous to list or count. A 2012 study by the American
Psychological Association (APA) reported that 20%, or one fifth, of Americans
self-rated their day-to-day stress levels as an 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1-10.
Some researchers go so far as to classify stress as a nationwide public health
epidemic.
What is stress?
Stress is an organism’s reaction to environmental conditions or stimuli that
the body interprets as dangerous or threatening. The human body responds to
such “stressors” by engaging the sympathetic nervous system in what is
sometimes called a “fight-or-flight response.” The stress response is mediated
in the brain; mostly in the midbrain areas associated with emotion. Stressors
are associated with the release of certain hormones. One of the best-known of
these is a hormone called cortisol, a glucocorticoid steroid. Stress is a
natural reaction that evolved in order to prepare us for threats to our health
and safety. Nowadays, this reaction is triggered by work, relationships, and
other more modern concerns.
If you’re like most people in Mansfield, you experience some
level of stress on a fairly regular basis. Maybe you deal with a lot of stress.
Maybe it’s rare that you don’t feel
stressed out. You’re probably well aware that being stressed out is highly
unpleasant and psychologically damaging, but you may not be aware of the many physical health risks associated with
stress.
Health Risk #1:
Stress makes you more likely to get sick.
The steroid hormone cortisol is released as part of the
body’s “stress response”. The main function of cortisol is to redistribute
energy, in the form of the sugar glucose, to parts of the body where it is
needed in order to fight or flee from a threat. Cortisol also inhibits the
immune system by inhibiting the proliferation of T-cells, a type of white blood
cell instrumental in fighting off disease. The effects of cortisol on the
immune system mean that chronic stress makes you more likely to come down with
something. It is also part of why shingles most often occurs as a result of
stress.
Health Risk #2:
Stress Increases Your Risk of Developing Anxiety or Depression
People who have depression or anxiety in Mansfield tend to
produce less serotonin and more cortisol in their brains. Elevated cortisol
levels from chronic stress can also impede the synthesis of serotonin, due to
its effects on tryptophan, a precursor molecule for serotonin. People who are
chronically stressed are more likely to develop a mental health issue, such as depression
or anxiety.
Health Risk #3:
Stress Increases Your Risk of Heart Disease
In excess, such as when it is secreted in a stress response,
cortisol raises blood pressure, meaning chronic stress in Mansfield is a risk
factor for hypertension. Over time, stress increases a person’s susceptibility
to cardiovascular problems.
Health Risk #4:
Stress Impairs Your Memory
Chronic stress has a detrimental effect on your ability to
learn and remember information. This is even truer for individuals who have, or
are at greater risk for, mild cognitive impairment. In senior citizens, cortisol
associated with chronic stress is associated with the development of dementia.
Health Risk #5:
Stress Makes You More Likely to Gain Weight
Excess cortisol due to chronic stress may make people more
likely to gain weight. One reason for this is that stressed people are more
likely to overeat for a number of reasons. Being stressed makes it harder to
stick to disciplined eating habits, as well as causing people to be more likely
to indulge in “comfort food” that may temporarily alleviate the stress. Not
only is this associated with weight gain, but cortisol is also associated with
weight gain specifically in the abdominal area. Excess abdominal fat is known
to be more of a health risk than fat stored in other areas of the body.
No comments:
Post a Comment