In a word, yes.
Read on to see how.
Stress comes in many different forms from poor nutrition, emotional turmoil, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation and exposure to harmful chemicals.
In this blog I’ll be focussing on emotional stress and it’s long term effects on our physical health. In this current climate, uncertainty and lack of control over our daily lives is widespread and stress couldn’t be more relevant to discuss.
In the short term, our emotional stress response is perfectly designed to deal with the situation at hand. For example if you’re frightened suddenly by a banging door, the rush of hormones and neurotransmitters can be felt almost instantly as your body prepares for fight or flight. These rushing sensations in our arms, legs, heart and tummy quickly disappear and return to normality once the ‘threat’ has passed and you realise it was just a banging door and not an exploding firework in your living room!
The fight or flight response is healthy and life saving, especially if the threat is real. Take a quick look back at our ancestors where real life threatening events occurred. They needed to fight for their life or flee the scene to escape deadly predators or even each other.
So what physically happens during fight or flight? Adrenaline, other hormones and neuropeptides are triggered by the brain to be released into your circulatory system. This increases heart rate, shuttles blood to your limbs, slows digestion, dilates pupils, quickens breathing and releases glucose into your blood for a quick energy hit.
The difficulty with our modern day lives however is that our emotional stressors aren’t over in 10 minutes. Sometimes they can last for days, weeks, months or even years. So rather than our body returning to a heathy equilibrium after a stressful event, the effects are prolonged. This is where symptoms of poor health can creep in.
If a stressor persists, it becomes chronic.
Chronic Stress Causes Chaos In The Body
Unmanaged chronic stress leads to the following:
- Increased levels of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone meaning it breaks stuff down in your body so it can be used during stressful periods. In the long term this leads to insulin resistance, memory loss, slow healing and even osteoporosis.
- The brain can change its structure. Now don’t be alarmed, this is totally reversible! But studies have shown that the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus reduce in volume with long term chronic stress. This results in a reduced ability to concentrate, brain fog, emotional outbursts and even slight changes in behaviour and personality. But before you reside yourself to a mental asylum please know that with removal of the stressor you can reverse these changes and bring about a healthier brain, not to mention wiser.
- Disruption of reproductive function. Let’s face it, in times of stress the last thing your body wants to do is bring more humans into the world. Women can experience menstrual cycle changes and libido can take a hit for both genders.
- Weight loss or weight gain might occur. Stress changes our behaviour and often leads to different eating habits. You might find yourself with a lack of appetite or you could be rushing to the biscuit tin multiple times a day for comfort. Each of us deals with the stress in our own unique way.
- Immune system flare ups. Our immune cells have receptors to stress hormones and chemicals meaning it becomes activated by psychological stress the same as it would with physical damage or infection. This means your body is subjected to chronic inflammation and explains why you may experience physical symptoms including headaches, tummy aches or IBS. This is the reason for disease susceptibility and mental disorders.
- Changes in behaviour including decreased physical activity, tiredness and reduction in social activities. There’s a really simple reason for this. Your body wants to conserve energy for repair and so you’re less likely to spend it by exercising or going out for high energy social events.
- Nutritional depletion of magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin A and tryptophan. These are all in high demand during stressful times and become used up over time.
- Gut bacteria dysbiosis. Chronic stress alters the diversity of your gut bacteria hindering digestion and increasing sensitivities to certain foods. Do you find that some foods suddenly don’t agree with you? It could be stress related.
Hush And Heal
If you’re susceptible to chronic stress, please don’t fear. There’re ways you can support your body during these hard times. Take a step back, hush your mind and begin the healing process:
Eat
- Eat a whole food diet including a wide variety of vegetables, plant foods, healthy fats and good quality proteins to maintain blood sugar balance.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Eat anti-inflammatory omega 3 foods and antioxidants every day.
- Avoid processed foods particularly sugar, flours and bad fats which are all pro inflammatory.
- Avoid alcohol and take it easy on the caffeine if it increases your anxiety.
Exercise
- Exercise. It not only improves your mood but it also reverses inflammation and increases the volume of your hippocampus and pre frontal cortex.
- Take part in yoga or meditation classes where you can relax the mind and body and spend time with like minded people.
Rest
- Allow at least 7 hours for good quality sleep.
- Turn off social media if it adds to your stress.
- Schedule time to do things you truly love.
- Journal your thoughts, brainstorm your hobbies and list the things you’re grateful for.
Make no exceptions for spending time on yourself. It’s of prime importance that you care for your wellbeing and find ways to bring happiness into each and every day. Is there anything you hold off because you haven’t ‘earned’ it, or there’s no ‘occasion’ for it. Well guess what, you’ve earned it!! Book that massage, open up to someone you trust, arrange a therapy session, take a weekend away, read your favourite book and include your hobbies into each day.
On a final note. Ask yourself if you really need to have the stressor in your life. Is it really worth trading in your health for this job, this person or this situation you’re in? Set some self reflective time aside for quiet contemplation.
