By Eilidh McNaughton By Eilidh mcnaughtonStress is a natural response to any demand placed on us. It can be described as when a person experiences or perceives physical or emotional challenges that exceed their coping abilities. Many factors including pressure at work, financial instability, family dynamics and social problems can trigger stress. Multiple biological processes are involved when we are stressed: Our heart rate and hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, otherwise known as the ‘stress hormone’, are released. This ‘fight or flight’ response is supposed to be a short-term process that helps us escape or conquer a threat. However, nowadays, we often have to cope with prolonged stress without relief and so the biological response does not stop as it should. This can have damaging effects on the human body (Hooley et al., 2016) In 2018, the Word Health Organisation dubbed stress as the “health epidemic of the 21st century” (Meyers, 2018). Recently, this has been overshadowed by COVID-19 pandemic, with over 110 million people having been infected by COVID-19 globally, including over 2 million deaths (World Health Organization, 2021). However, it is still important that we understand the impact that stress is having on people across the world. Stress is becoming part of the “new normal” for people. 91% of Australian adults say that at least one aspect of their lives makes them stressed (Lifeline Australia, 2014) and 44% of Americans say that their levels of stress have risen in the last 5 years (Clay, 2011). There has also been a 28% increase in the number of anxiety or stress-related hospital admissions in the UK over the last decade (Barr, 2018). Stress is a normal part of life, however, when a person faces repeated stressors without relief, this can have serious impacts on physical, as well as mental, wellbeing. This is at an especially dangerous point in modern society, as chronic stress has been normalised, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to this. Whilst stress can have a negative impact on our mental health, I want to explain a few ways in which it can also impact our physical health. Stress raises blood pressure and cholesterol levels and therefore increases the risk of many different heart conditions (McLeod, 2010). The American Heart Association (2016) lists an “individual’s response to stress” as a contributing factor in both heart diseases and heart attacks. People with prolonged stress at home or work are at a 2.1x more likely to have a heart attack than people without chronic stress (Rosengren, 2004). Work-related stress is one of the most common sources of stress in people’s lives, with 1 in 3 people globally stating that their work life is stressful (Mind, 2013). Pressure at work is unavoidable today, and worryingly, stress at work has been linked to a 50% increased risk of developing coronary heart diseases (Kivimäki, 2006). Whilst stress itself can lead to heart problems, it also prompts people to engage in other behaviours like smoking of excessive drinking, which make them more vulnerable to developing heart problems (McLeod, 2010). As well as impacting our heart, stress also affects the functioning of our gut and can provoke or worsen the symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders (Konturek et al., 2011). Chronic stress exacerbates the symptoms of people with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS), a disease affecting around 10-15% of the population. A person’s stress level is a factors in how intense IBS symptoms are and intense symptoms as a result of stress do not seem to improve over time (Bennet et al, 1998). Researchers have also shown that higher daily life stress can cause gastrointestinal problems in previously healthy people without a gastrointestinal disorder (Levy et al., 1997). The hormone cortisol is released when we are stressed and has many functions, including helping us store and retain fatty substances. Whilst cortisol is useful in the short-term, long term exposure to high cortisol levels may be a factor in obesity (Jackson et al., 2017). Stressful life events, such as a family bereavement, miscarriage, change of job or major surgery, can come with a very sudden onset of obesity (Vicennati et al., 2009). Overweight and obese students have also reported feeling higher levels of stress and anxiety. This suggests that stress may have contributed to their weight, however, there may also be alternative explanations for this link (Wahed, & Hassan, 2017). People also report eating more junk food when stressed. Carbohydrates which are high in fat increase serotonin levels in the body, which makes us feel happier and provides a short-term escape from feeling stressed (Thompson Jr., 2009). As you can see, chronic and high levels of stress can lead to a range of different health problems. As a society, we need to address these issues and find ways to reduce chronic stress. References
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