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3 SUBSCRIBE
4 Everything You Need to Know About Stress
5 Definition
6 Hormones
7 Cortisol
8 Types
9 Causes
10 Symptoms
11 Headache
12 Ulcer
13 Eating
14 Work stress
15 Anxiety
16 Management
17 Takeaway
18 What is stress?
19 Stress is a situation that triggers a particular biological response. When you
perceive a threat or a major challenge, chemicals and hormones surge throughout your
body.
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21 Stress triggers your fight-or-flight response in order to fight the stressor or run
away from it. Typically, after the response occurs, your body should relax. Too much
constant stress can have negative effects on your long-term health.
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23 Is all stress bad?
24 Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s what helped our hunter-gatherer ancestors
survive, and it’s just as important in today’s world. It can be healthy when it
helps you avoid an accident, meet a tight deadline, or keep your wits about you amid
chaos.
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26 We all feel stressed at times, but what one person finds stressful may be very
different from what another finds stressful. An example of this would be public
speaking. Some love the thrill of it and others become paralyzed at the very thought.
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28 Stress isn’t always a bad thing, either. Your wedding day, for example, may be
considered a good form of stress.
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30 But stress should be temporary. Once you’ve passed the fight-or-flight moment, your
heart rate and breathing should slow down and your muscles should relax. In a short
time, your body should return to its natural state without any lasting negative
effects.
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32 On the other hand, severe, frequent, or prolonged stress can be mentally and
physically harmful.
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34 And it’s fairly common. When asked, 80 percent of Americans reported they’d had at
least one symptom of stress in the past month. Twenty percent reported being under
extreme stress.
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36 Life being what it is, it’s not possible to eliminate stress completely. But we can
learn to avoid it when possible and manage it when it’s unavoidable.
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38 Defining stress
39 Stress is a normal biological reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. When
you encounter sudden stress, your brain floods your body with chemicals and hormones
such as adrenaline and cortisol.
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41 That gets your heart beating faster and sends blood to muscles and important organs.
You feel energized and have heightened awareness so you can focus on your immediate
needs. These are the different stages of stress and how people adapt.
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43 Stress hormones
44 When you sense danger, the hypothalamus at the base of your brain reacts. It sends
nerve and hormone signals to your adrenal glands, which release an abundance of
hormones.
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46 These hormones are nature’s way of preparing you to face danger and increase your
chances of survival.
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48 One of these hormones is adrenaline. You might also know it as epinephrine, or the
fight-or-flight hormone. In rapid fashion, adrenaline works to:
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50 increase your heartbeat
51 increase your breathing rate
52 make it easier for your muscles to use glucose
53 contract blood vessels so blood is directed to the muscles
54 stimulate perspiration
55 inhibit insulin production
56 While this is helpful in the moment, frequent adrenaline surges can lead to:
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58 damaged blood vessels
59 high blood pressure, or hypertension
60 higher risk of heart attack and stroke
61 headaches
62 anxiety
63 insomnia
64 weight gain
65 Here’s what else you should know about an adrenaline rush.
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67 Although adrenaline is important, it isn’t the primary stress hormone. That’s
cortisol.
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69 Stress and cortisol
70 As the main stress hormone, cortisol plays an essential role in stressful
situations. Among its functions are:
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72 raising the amount of glucose in your bloodstream
73 helping the brain use glucose more effectively
74 raising the accessibility of substances that help with tissue repair
75 restraining functions that are nonessential in a life-threatening situation
76 altering immune system response
77 dampening the reproductive system and growth process
78 affecting parts of the brain that control fear, motivation, and mood
79 All this helps you deal more effectively with a high-stress situation. It’s a normal
process and crucial to human survival.
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81 But if your cortisol levels stay high for too long, it has a negative impact on your
health. It can contribute to:
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83 weight gain
84 high blood pressure
85 sleep problems
86 lack of energy
87 type 2 diabetes
88 osteoporosis
89 mental cloudiness (brain fog) and memory problems
90 a weakened immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to infections
91 It can also have a negative impact on your mood. You can lower your cortisol levels
naturally: Here’s how.
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93 Types of stress
94 There are several types of stress, including:
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96 acute stress
97 episodic acute stress
98 chronic stress
99 Acute stress
100 Acute stress happens to everyone. It’s the body’s immediate reaction to a new and
challenging situation. It’s the kind of stress you might feel when you narrowly
escape a car accident.
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102 Acute stress can also come out of something that you actually enjoy. It’s the
somewhat-frightening, yet thrilling feeling you get on a roller coaster or when
skiing down a steep mountain slope.
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104 These incidents of acute stress don’t normally do you any harm. They might even be
good for you. Stressful situations give your body and brain practice in developing
the best response to future stressful situations.
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106 Once the danger passes, your body systems should return to normal.
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108 Severe acute stress is a different story. This kind of stress, such as when you’ve
faced a life-threatening situation, can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) or other mental health problems.
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110 Episodic acute stress
111 Episodic acute stress is when you have frequent episodes of acute stress.
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113 This might happen if you’re often anxious and worried about things you suspect may
happen. You might feel that your life is chaotic and you seemingly go from one
crisis to the next.
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115 Certain professions, such as law enforcement or firefighters, might also lead to
frequent high-stress situations.
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117 As with severe acute stress, episodic acute stress can affect your physical health
and mental well-being.
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119 Chronic stress
120 When you have high-stress levels for an extended period of time, you have chronic
stress. Long-term stress like this can have a negative impact on your health. It may
contribute to:
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122 anxiety
123 cardiovascular disease
124 depression
125 high blood pressure
126 a weakened immune system
127 Chronic stress can also lead to frequent ailments such as headaches, an upset
stomach, and sleep difficulties. Gaining insights into the different types of stress
and how to recognize them may help.
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129 Causes of stress
130 Some typical causes of acute or chronic stress include:
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132 living through a natural or manmade disaster
133 living with chronic illness
134 surviving a life-threatening accident or illness
135 being the victim of a crime
136 experiencing familial stressors such as:
137 an abusive relationship
138 an unhappy marriage
139 prolonged divorce proceedings
140 child custody issues
141 caregiving for a loved one with a chronic illness like dementia
142 living in poverty or being homeless
143 working in a dangerous profession
144 having little work-life balance, working long hours, or having a job you hate
145 military deployment
146 There’s no end to the things that can cause a person stress because they’re as
varied as people are.
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148 Whatever the cause, the effect on the body can be serious if left unmanaged. Explore
other personal, emotional, and traumatic causes of stress.
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150 Symptoms of stress
151 Just as we each have different things that stress us out, our symptoms can also be
different.
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153 Although you’re unlikely to have them all, here are some things you may experience
if you’re under stress:
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155 chronic pain
156 insomnia and other sleep problems
157 lower sex drive
158 digestive problems
159 eating too much or too little
160 difficulty concentrating and making decisions
161 fatigue
162 You might feel overwhelmed, irritable, or fearful. Whether you’re aware of it or
not, you may be drinking or smoking more than you used to. Get a better
understanding of the signs and symptoms of too much stress.
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164 Stress headache
165 Stress headaches, also known as tension headaches, are due to tense muscles in the
head, face, and neck. Some of the symptoms of a stress headache are:
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167 mild to moderate dull head pain
168 a band of pressure around your forehead
169 tenderness of the scalp and forehead
170 Many things can trigger a tension headache. But those tight muscles could be due to
emotional stress or anxiety. Learn more about the triggers and remedies for stress
headaches.
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172 Stress ulcer
173 A stomach ulcer — a type of peptic ulcer — is a sore on the lining of your stomach
that’s caused by:
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175 infection with helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)
176 long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
177 rare cancers and tumors
178 Research into how physical stress interacts with the immune system is ongoing. It’s
thought that physical stress may affect how you heal from an ulcer. Physical stress
can be due to:
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180 trauma or injury to the brain or central nervous system
181 serious long-term illness or injury
182 a surgical procedure
183 In turn, the heartburn and pain of a stomach ulcer can lead to emotional stress.
Find out more about the relationship between stress and ulcers.
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185 Stress eating
186 Some people react to stress by eating, even if they’re not hungry. If you find
yourself eating without thinking, binging in the middle of the night, or generally
eating way more than you used to, you might be stress eating.
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188 When you stress eat, you take in a lot more calories than you need and you’re
probably not choosing the healthiest foods. This can lead to rapid weight gain and a
host of health problems. And it does nothing to resolve your stress.
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190 If you’re eating to relieve stress, it’s time to find other coping mechanisms. Check
out some tips to help you stop eating late at night.
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192 Stress at work
193 Work can be a source of great stress for any number of reasons. This kind of stress
can be occasional or chronic.
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195 Stress at work can come in the form of:
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197 feeling you lack power or control over what happens
198 feeling stuck in a job you dislike and seeing no alternatives
199 being made to do things you don’t think you should do
200 experiencing a conflict with a co-worker
201 having too much asked of you, or being overworked
202 If you’re in a job you hate or are always responding to others’ demands without any
control, stress seems unavoidable. Sometimes, quitting or fighting for more
work-life balance is the right thing to do. This is how to know you’re headed for
burnout at work.
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204 Of course, some jobs are just more dangerous than others. Some, such as emergency
first-responders, call for you to put your life on the line. Then, there are
professions — such as ones in the medical field, like a doctor or nurse — where you
hold someone else’s life in your hands. Finding balance and managing your stress is
important to maintain your mental health.
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206 Stress and anxiety
207 Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand. Stress comes from the demands placed on
your brain and body. Anxiety is when you feel high levels of worry, unease, or fear.
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209 Anxiety can certainly be an offshoot of episodic or chronic stress.
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211 Having both stress and anxiety can have a severe negative impact on your health,
making you more likely to develop:
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213 high blood pressure
214 heart disease
215 diabetes
216 panic disorder
217 depression
218 Stress and anxiety can be treated. In fact, there are many strategies and resources
 that can help for both.
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220 Start by seeing your primary doctor, who can check your overall health and refer you
for counseling. If you’ve thought about harming yourself or others, get help
immediately.
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222 Stress management
223 The goal of stress management isn’t to get rid of it completely. It’s not only
impossible, but as we mentioned, stress can be healthy in some situations.
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225 In order to manage your stress, first you have to identify the things that cause you
stress — or your triggers. Figure out which of these things can be avoided. Then,
find ways to cope with those negative stressors that can’t be avoided.
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227 Over time, managing your stress levels may help lower your risk for stress-related
diseases. And it’ll help you feel better on a daily basis, too.
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229 Here are some basic ways to start managing stress:
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231 maintain a healthy diet
232 aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night
233 exercise regularly
234 minimize your use of caffeine and alcohol
235 stay socially connected so you can get and give support
236 make time for rest and relaxation, or self-care
237 learn meditation techniques such as deep breathing
238 If you can’t manage your stress, or if it’s accompanied by anxiety or depression,
see your doctor right away. These conditions can be managed with treatment, as long
as you seek help. You might also consider consulting with a therapist or other
mental health professional. Learn stress management tips you can try right now.
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240 Takeaway
241 While stress is a normal part of life, too much stress is clearly harmful to your
physical and mental well-being.
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243 Fortunately, there are many ways to manage stress, and there are effective
treatments for both anxiety and depression that may be connected with it. See more
ways stress can affect your body.
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245 Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD on June 1, 2018 — Written by the
Healthline Editorial Team
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269 Acute Stress Disorder
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272
273 READ MORE
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277
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292 Stress Made Me Lose My Appetite and Weight, But No One Understood How Dangerous It Was
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297 Stress and Weight Gain: Understanding the Connection
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