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Understanding the Impact of Stress on Your Body and Mind is Critical

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is produced by the adrenal glands and plays a major role in the body's stress response. It is helpful when we have to deal with acute stress as it releases glucose into the blood for energy, enhancing physical and mental alertness. Cortisol also increases the availability of substrates that repair tissues. However, chronic elevation of cortisol is detrimental and leads to a variety of health issues.

Physical Health Effects of Sustained Elevated Cortisol:

Weight Gain and Obesity: High cortisol levels increase appetite and signal the body to shift the metabolism into storing fat, particularly in the abdominal area.

Muscle Weakness: Chronic cortisol exposure leads to muscle protein breakdown causing weakness and wasting. This further lowers metabolism and results in even more body fat accumulation.

Hypertension, Diabetes, Coronary Artery Disease, and Dementia: Elevated cortisol contributes to high blood pressure, insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as increased inflammation. These elements of high blood sugar, high insulin and inflammation in combination contribute to many of our chronic disease states, including heart disease and dementia.

Immune Suppression: When chronically stressed, we are more susceptible to infections such as colds, Covid and the flu. It also puts us at risk of more serious viral infections such as Ebstein Barr, Lyme's disease, and Shingles. Even our risk of cancer skyrockets when we are chronically in the “fight or flight" state.

Sleep Disturbances: Cortisol levels should decline throughout the day and be very low level at night. This allows for restorative sleep. Unfortunately, many of us maintain elevated cortisol levels late into the evening, leading to problems falling and staying asleep.

Mood and Cognitive Effects: It is common for stress and anxiety to negatively impact mood and cognition, leading/to depression, memory deficits,  lack of concentration, and poor decision-making.

Hormonal Effects: The "fight or flight" stress response also negatively affects our hormones and reproductive health. In women, elevated cortisol can lead to menstrual irregularities, decreased fertility, and diminished libido, due to its impact on estrogen and progesterone. In men, cortisol and testosterone have an inverse relationship. This means that when cortisol levels are high, testosterone is often low.  This can result in decreased sperm count, and sexual issues, such as erectile dysfunction and low sex drive.

Thyroid hormones are also impacted by stress, leading to chronic fatigue and often more weight gain.