The science of stress
Chronic stress can be kept in check with a bit of know-how.
If you’re like me, you came to the end of 2017 feeling slightly overwhelmed and a little exhausted. Our modern lives have many amazing benefits but with these benefits can come day-to-day stressors.
Cortisol, aka the stress hormone, is what is released during times of stress. To better understand how an overload of cortisol can negatively impact your health, it helps to understand what happens in the body when cortisol is released.
When we encounter a perceived threat, your brain sets off an alarm system. Your adrenal glands release a surge of hormones. These include adrenaline and cortisol. The body is built to quickly return hormone levels to normal once the perceived threat is gone. But in the modern age, for many of us, the perceived threat is always present. This can mean cortisol can start to build up in unhealthy amounts and can lead to negative impacts on our general wellbeing.
Too much cortisol impacts our bodies in numerous ways; it can affect our hearts, sleep patterns, digestion, immune function, muscle tone and is a factor in general ageing.
Experts say that coping with stress starts with our inner world – our self-talk and the perception of the external world will determine how our body responds. Hormonal balance, physical wellbeing, diet and nutrition are also contributors towards how we feel and think.
There are many ways to help manage stress. Feeding your body well is extremely important. There are also products to help support the body during stressful times.
At times it can seem life just throws a little too much at you, but if we add some coping strategies and ensure we have a good diet, good sleep and the nutrients to support us, chronic stress doesn’t have to control and damage our health.