Stress — does it help or make you sick?
The word stress has become something of a "curse word" these days — in most cases you probably think of something negative. Yet the original purpose of stress is self-protection. To quickly resolve a dangerous situation, it activates your body with explosive speed. Because of it you can exert forces and perform movements you otherwise couldn't — which can be very useful in certain situations. However, if you're exposed to chronic stress, your body constantly feels threatened and this constant emergency readiness has negative effects on your system. A range of unexplained and treatment-resistant complaints can be traced back to stress.
You are exposed to countless stimuli every day that you must process. Your brain sorts these stimuli into two groups: pleasant and threatening. The former activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible, among other things, for feeding, sleep and reproduction; the latter trigger activation of the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla.
As a result of stress caused by a threatening stimulus:
- blood sugar and blood pressure rise,
- adrenaline and noradrenaline are "dumped" into the bloodstream, which dilates the arteries of vital organs (heart, lungs, skeletal muscles) while constricting vessels that are "non‑vital" in an emergency,
- your pulse increases and your pupils dilate for better vision,
- stress "switches off" sexual desire (sex often "doesn't work" under stress).
Essentially, your body uses stress to prepare itself to fight for its life or to flee. But it can also be stressful simply to meet expectations and perform accordingly.
Mobilizing vs. debilitative stress
People cope with stress in different ways. For some, tension prompts them to "soar," while the same situation can "paralyze" others.
During mobilizing stress, the body's hidden reserves (both physical and mental) are released; in contrast, debilitative stress "dumbs down" and "paralyzes."
Whether a given stressor mobilizes or restrains a person varies individually. Think, for example, of stage fright: some people are terrified of the spotlight, while others can almost be said to "bathe" in it.
What is stress?
Stress is the non‑specific response of the organism to any stimulus that knocks it out of equilibrium and forces adaptation. This adaptation can be triggered by positive or negative life events. For example, a new job or a move can also cause stress, but their effects may differ.
The effects of stress are almost always the same because the hypothalamus‑pituitary‑adrenal axis is involved.
Good stress (eustress) motivates, stimulates and energizes, while negative stress (distress) forces the body into constant defense, weakening its resistance and potentially causing health damage in the long run.
Stress causes the body to produce adrenaline and cortisol, which help in the short term to handle situations, but persistently high levels can be harmful.
Types of stress
Stress is part of everyday life and played a fundamental role in the survival of the human species — we wouldn't survive if we couldn't adapt to constantly changing situations. Both the absence of stress and chronic, persistent stress are harmful.
The ideal is a moderate level of nervous system arousal, which is beneficial for physical and mental health.
We must distinguish between good and bad stress: positive or eustress has a motivating effect, increases energy and improves performance. Negative distress causes anxiety, reduces performance and can lead to health problems.
The degree of health‑damaging effect also depends on the intensity and duration of the stress.
The boundary between positive and negative stress is the state in which our body functions normally.
Based on duration, stress can be acute or chronic (persistent).
We call stress acute when symptoms last less than a month after the precipitating event. It is chronic when they persist for more than a month.
If symptoms continue beyond one month after the trauma, we call it post‑traumatic stress disorder.
Effects of chronic stress
“Good” stress (eustress) includes the physical and mental excitement felt at a wedding, at graduation, or climbers' “peak experiences.”
The stress type considered negative (distress) is particularly harmful to your body. It can lead to increased adrenaline and, in addition, elevated levels of the hormone cortisol.
Chronic stress can cause long‑term physical problems such as muscle tension, digestive and reproductive dysfunctions, and cardiovascular problems. After a while, the adrenal glands may be unable to produce sufficient cortisol.
Prolonged stress may underlie dozens of illnesses.
- constant fatigue, weakness, low mood,
- weakened immune system – worsened allergies, reduced defenses against illnesses,
- heart disease, arrhythmia, high blood pressure,
- headache,
- diabetes,
- hormonal problems, hypothyroidism,
- reflux, ulcers,
- anxiety, depression,
- panic disorder,
- sleep disorders,
- sexual problems, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction,
- and/or depression.
Read my article “The relationship between chronic stress and diseases.”
Stress management
Stress needs to be managed, and there are many methods for doing so. These can help reduce stress in various ways.
Applying coping strategies is key because they help manage stress and increase the body's resilience.
Problem‑focused coping tries to solve the source of the stress, while emotion‑focused coping concentrates on handling the emotions caused by the stress. Social support, such as talking with friends or family, can also be effective.
To preserve physical and mental health, regular exercise, relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga, and biofeedback methods are important.
These techniques help reduce the tension and symptoms caused by stress and increase the body's resistance.
Sick but they can't find the cause? Symptoms to watch for
Stress‑related problems are often characterized by clear symptoms and strong subjective complaints while all test results come back “negative,” meaning nothing is found and there appears to be no explanation for your complaints.
A doctor may prescribe a mild sedative… but this does not eliminate the cause of the stress; it only makes you "zombie‑like." A sedative is not causal therapy and cannot lead to a resolution of your complaints.
If you suffer from an unexplained illness, sit down in a quiet corner as soon as possible and carefully consider what stress factors you are exposed to.
If you find them, get rid of them. Put your social (including partner, family and workplace) relationships in order.
Definitely move more. Use relaxation techniques. Eat healthier, get rid of any excess weight, reduce alcohol consumption and avoid smoking.
