Stress and Cortisol - What is it?

Who hasn’t experienced a stressful situation? Of course, the answer is nobody.

Stress is experienced starting from the moment we are born - leaving Mom’s safe uterus, and throughout life until the last breath.

In this blog post, we will explore how stress affects human health (supported by recent science).

In the future blog, I will suggest some practical tips to reduce stress levels and share my own favorite ways that I adopted myself.

Meet the main player: Cortisol

Stress - it is measured mostly by a hormone named

CORTISOL (AKA = "stress hormone") - a hormone released from the adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands, which are small endocrine glands located on top of both kidneys).

There are receptors for cortisol all over the body and brain (yes, it crosses the blood-brain barrier).

In the brain, It can bind to the amygdala, also called the fear center - one of the threat detection centers.

Cortisol activates the sympathetic system (part of the Automatic Nervous System = ANS) and prepares the body for action - the well-known “fight or flight response”.

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How does Cortisol affect the body?

First, let’s break the first myth - Cortisol is indeed essential for our health.

Cortisol is crucial for being alert and functioning in different daily life situations, such as waking up in the morning, giving a presentation at work, running to the departing train, and exercising.

Cortisol promotes wakefulness - the levels tend to rise very close to waking up in the morning and will reach their peak shortly after waking - That's a healthy increase in cortisol and will be enhanced if viewing sunlight shortly after waking up.

Among the benefits of healthy cortisol levels when occurring early in the day -

• enhanced immune function to combat inflammation

• enhanced alertness and the ability to focus

• stimulates metabolism

• Increase your resilience to future stressors

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But unfortunately, the reality is not always so bright.

Chronically elevated cortisol levels are harmful to all our systems -

If cortisol peaks later in the day and high levels of cortisol for a prolonged period (more than 1-2 days), it may become chronic and will have a cumulative effect that will lead to numerous health problems and will affect almost all of our systems:

• Musculoskeletal system - Stress causes muscles to tense up, which is a reflex reaction to protect against injury and pain. Chronic stress can cause constant muscle tension, leading to stress-related disorders such as tension and migraine headaches, and musculoskeletal pain in the low back and upper extremities.

• Respiratory system - Stress and strong emotions can lead to respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath and rapid breathing, which can exacerbate breathing problems for people with pre-existing respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. Acute stress can trigger asthma attacks, and hyperventilation caused by stress can bring on a panic attack.

• Cardiovascular system - Acute stress causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and chronic stress can lead to long-term problems for the heart and blood vessels, including hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. Inflammation in the circulatory system is a pathway that connects stress to heart disease.

• Endocrine system - Cortisol mobilizes glucose and fatty acids from the liver to provide energy during a stressful event. While glucocorticoids are important for regulating the immune system and reducing inflammation, chronic stress can impair communication between the immune system and HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, leading to numerous physical and mental health conditions. This impaired communication has been linked to the future development of numerous physical and mental health conditions, including chronic fatigue, metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes, obesity), depression, and immune disorders. The cortisol also increases insulin levels, which can lead to a decrease in blood sugar levels and subsequent cravings for sugary foods - another acceleration for diabetes.

• Nervous system - Chronic stress can cause a long-term drain on the body and wear down other bodily systems. Causing sleep problems due to its arising affect, prevents decent quality and depth of the normal sleep cycles. This will later lead to exhaustion of the body and the mind.

• Immune system - wears down and weakens over time, enabling frequent infections, digestive disorders, and even cancer

• Reproductive system - The male and female reproductive systems are both affected by stress.

  • In males, chronic stress can lead to reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, and decreased sperm production.

  • In females, stress can cause irregular menstrual cycles, reduced sexual desire, difficulty conceiving, and worsened premenstrual symptoms. High-stress levels can also exacerbate reproductive diseases and cancer.

• Gastrointestinal System - Early life stress is found to increase the risk for gut diseases or dysfunction. The cortisol has an effect the esophagus, stomach, and bowels, causing pain, discomfort, increased appetite, and digestion, leading to excess and unbalanced eating, which, of course, will result in weight gain and Stress can also weaken the intestinal barrier, leading to mild chronic symptoms of the bowel.

• Mental, cognition, and emotional - Chronic stress can lead to cognitive impairment and decreased neurogenesis, contributing to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. Stress can also change the structure and function of the brain, specifically in frontal areas related to emotion regulation and cognitive processing.
  

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So,

Is it convincing enough that stress has a substantial effect on our bodies, and it will me very beneficial for us to reduce it as much as possible?!

I'm sure the answer is - YES!

Let's minimize our stress and live a healthier life.

HERE you can find the practical guide to managing stress.