Under pressure – constantly: When we experience constant stress, it doesn’t just affect our mood. How stress affects the body. And how we can find a way out of it.
Many people dismiss stress as something bad per se. But it is not that simple, because in principle it is a natural and useful reaction of the body.
And this is what is behind it: As soon as we perceive a situation as threatening, our body goes into alert mode. “The reaction is triggered in the brain,” says physician Ralf Suhr, Chairman of the Board of the Health Knowledge Foundation. As a result, messenger substances, so-called stress hormones, are released – for example noradrenaline, adrenaline and cortisol.
This causes our body to release more energy – we become more alert and can react more quickly. This was crucial for our ancestors when a dangerous animal suddenly appeared and they had to flee from it.
From peak stress to permanent state
However, nowadays it is rarely an encounter with a wild bear that triggers a stress reaction in us. Instead, it is our everyday life: high demands, constant time pressure, sensory overload. All of this can cause permanent stress that has a negative impact on our health.
This is because the sustained stress leaves the body no time to recover. This means that processes that cause illness can accelerate in the case of chronic stress. “However, it is not so easy to prove a direct connection between stress and certain illnesses in studies,” explains Ralf Suhr.
Nevertheless, various diseases are associated with chronic stress. It can suppress the immune system, which often makes people more susceptible to infections. In addition, stressed people often develop unhealthy behaviors. For example, they sleep badly or too little, eat quickly or unhealthily, or smoke.
5 signs of stress
How can stress affect the body? An overview.
1. In the gastrointestinal area
Digestive problems can be a consequence of stress – even if you have eaten foods that you normally tolerate well. “Some people then have a tendency to get diarrhea,” says Prof. Mazda Adli, psychiatrist at the Fliedner Clinic in Berlin and stress researcher at the Charité.
However, with constant stress, the intestines can also become sluggish. Some people also lose their appetite. Stress can also contribute to heartburn or irritable bowel syndrome, as Adli explains.
2. In the cardiovascular system
When we are under acute stress, our heart beats faster and our blood pressure rises. If the stress becomes permanent, it promotes illnesses such as high blood pressure. “Cardiac arrhythmias are also possible,” says Mazda Adli.
Chronic stress is also a risk factor for heart attacks or strokes, which can be exacerbated by unhealthy behaviors such as smoking.
3. In the muscles
Stress can lead to tension. This can be the neck muscles, which are so stiff that you can hardly turn your head. Back pain can also occur. All of this often leads to incorrect strain on the musculoskeletal system. Painful, possible consequences: a slipped disc or even lumbago.
4. In metabolism
Stress may contribute to the occurrence of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels.
“When stressed, the body releases more of its energy reserves, both sugar and fat, because it feels threatened,” explains Mazda Adli. “At the same time, stress hormones promote resistance to insulin.” The result: blood sugar levels rise.
The stress hormone cortisol also ensures that the body continually replenishes its sugar and fat reserves. This can result in the body being provided with more energy than it ultimately needs. This excess of sugar and fat can lead to increased storage of belly fat, constrict the bloodstream and strain the blood vessels, and promote metabolic diseases.
5. In the psyche
“The brain and therefore the psyche react very sensitively to chronic stress,” says Mazda Adli. This is because constant stress puts the body on permanent alert. This constant activation leads to mental illnesses. “The most well-known mental illness resulting from stress is depression,” explains Adli.
The increased release of cortisol can also lead to a decrease in concentration, and constant pressure can manifest itself in the form of memory problems. Since stress is usually associated with a feeling of fear, anxiety and panic attacks can occur in the medium to long term.
What we can do against stress
If you notice that stress has become a permanent part of your life, you should try to counteract it. Conscious, regular relaxation phases in your everyday life are a good start. These can be short mindfulness exercises such as consciously breathing in and out. Regular exercise also counteracts chronic stress.
Long-term helpful: work on thought and behavior patterns that promote stress. For example, beliefs like “I have to be perfect and I can’t make any mistakes.”
What is also important to find a way out of stress: maintaining friendships, pursuing a hobby. “All of this not only leads to psychological relaxation and the promotion of positive emotions, but also directly counteracts the constant biological alarm in the body,” says Mazda Adli.
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