Worried sick: how stress can affect your physical and mental health

The effect of stress on human health has been a subject of research for over 50 years. Although stress can be beneficial for performance, chronic or severe stress is detrimental to your health and wellbeing. Read on to learn more about the systems and organs affected by stress and evidence-based stress-fighting strategies.

• Stress is both a triggering and aggravating factor for several diseases and health conditions. In fact, stress suppresses the activity of various immune cells, increasing your risk of illness and even certain cancers.
• Did you know that stress can cause structural changes in the human brain? Chronic stress impairs the hippocampus, amygdala, and temporal lobe with detrimental effects on memory and other cognitive functions. These effects may be due to elevated cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
• Acute and chronic stress also affect your heart by causing changes in heart rate and blood pressure. These changes increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
• The effects of stress extend to your gastrointestinal system too. You may notice changes in your appetite and symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort. Inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and colitis, are all linked to elevated stress levels.
• Lastly, stress affects many organs associated with your endocrine system, mainly through the release of cortisol. This includes your pituitary and adrenal glands, thyroid, pancreas, hypothalamus, and gonads.

You can break the stress-health link with these 5 stress-fighting strategies:

1. Prioritise time for exercise. Increasing your physical activity levels is a great way to combat feelings of stress (you can thank your endorphins for this).
2. Laugh a little more. Laughter has a host of physiological and psychological benefits. Read our dedicated article to find out more: The best medicine.
3. Get creative. Let your imagination take control of your mental space as you make something you can be proud of, whether it’s a painting, poetry, clay item, or knitwear.
4. Cry. Contrary to popular belief, crying is good for you. In fact, it is one of the most effective ways to release stress and emotional tension. More often than not, you’ll feel a lot better afterwards, too.
5. Breathe deeply. Meditating is a great way to practise deep breathing. You’d be surprised how quickly you can calm your nerves with some deliberate deep breathing.

The effects of stress extend beyond the psychological sensation of feeling stressed. Chronic or severe stress that’s left unchecked induces harmful effects on several organs and systems in your body. While stress can be a powerful driving force in performance, it should never be an obstacle to your health and wellbeing.

Gabriella Florence | Sports Scientist