HORMONES & YOU

Patient Information Page

www.hormone.org
Stress and Your Health
What is stress? How does chronic stress affect your stress level increases or lasts for a
your health? longer time, you might experience other
Generally speaking, stress means
physical or emotional effects:
pressure or strain. Life constantly The bodily changes that happen
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subjects us to pressures. In people, stress during moments of stress can be very • Fatigue, depression
can be physical (e.g., disease), emotional helpful when they happen for a short • Chest pain or pressure, fast
(e.g., grief), or psychological (e.g., time. But when this happens for a long heartbeat
fear). period of time, producing too many • Dizziness, shakiness, difficulty

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Individuals vary in their ability to stress hormones can affect your health. breathing
cope with stress. How you see a situa- The long-term effect of chronic stress • Irregular menstrual periods,
tion and your general physical health are (called allostatic load) causes wear and erectile dysfunction (impotence),
the two major factors that determine tear on the body. Health problems can loss of libido (sex drive)
how you will respond to a stressful event include:
or to repeated stress. These symptoms may also lead to

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/2/E2/2843213
• Digestive system: Stomach ache is loss of appetite, overeating and poor
Genes and things that happen to you

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common due to a slow down in the sleep, all of which can have serious
early in life (e.g., child abuse or neglect),
emptying of the stomach; also consequences for your health.
even when in the womb, can affect how
diarrhea due to more activity in the Usually these symptoms are minor
you handle stressful situations, possibly
colon. and may be relieved through coping
making you more likely to over-react.
Overeating, smoking, drinking, and not • Obesity: Increase in appetite, which skills such as learning to relax, removing
exercising, which can often result from can lead to weight gain. (Being yourself for a time from the things that
being under stress, can also add to the overweight or obese puts you at stress you out, and exercising. If the
negative effects of stress. risk for diabetes and cardiovascular symptoms are severe, however, you
disease.) may need medical help to find the
What is the stress response? • Immune system: Weakening of the source of your stress and the best way to
immune system so that you are manage it.
Allostasis is the process of how the more likely to have colds or other
body responds to stress, whether it is infections. What should you do with this
acute (short-term) or chronic (long- information?
• Nervous system: Anxiety,
term).
depression, loss of sleep and lack of There are practical steps you can take
The best-known acute stress
interest in physical activity. Memory to cut back on stress. Regular, moderate
response is the “fight or flight” reaction
and decision making can also be exercise improves thought process and
that happens when you feel threatened.
affected. mood. So are relaxing, getting a good
In this case, the stress response causes

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the body to release several stress • Cardiovascular system: Increase night’s sleep, and seeking emotional
hormones (e.g., cortisol and adrenalin) in blood pressure, heart rate and support from family and friends. You
into the bloodstream. These hormones the level of fats in your blood can also reduce the long-term effects of
intensify your concentration, ability to (cholesterol and triglycerides). chronic stress by eating a healthy, low-
react, and strength. Also, your heart rate Also, increase in blood sugar fat diet and avoiding smoking and
and blood pressure increase, and your levels (especially in the evening) drinking too much alcohol. However, if
immune system and memory are and appetite (which contributes your symptoms continue or get worse,
sharper. After you have dealt with the to weight gain). All of these are you should see your doctor.
short-term stress, your body returns to risk factors for heart disease,
atherosclerosis (hardening of Resources
normal.
Chronic or long-term stress, the arteries), stroke, obesity and
Find-an-Endocrinologist (physician
however, poses a problem. If you diabetes.
referral): www.hormone.org or
repeatedly face challenges and your call 1-800-467-6663
How do you know you’re
body is constantly producing higher Medline Plus (NIH): www.nlm.nih.gov/
stressed out?
levels of stress hormones, it does not medlineplus/stress.html
have time to recover. These hormones When you experience short-term U.S. Dept. of Health and Human
build up in the blood and, over time, stress you may feel anxious, nervous, Services: www.4woman.gov/faq/
can cause serious health problems. distracted, worried and pressured. If stress.htm

EDITORS: For more information on how to find an endocrinologist, download free publications, translate this fact sheet into other languages, or make
Bruce McEwen, PhD
a contribution to The Hormone Foundation, visit www.hormone.org/bilingual or call 1-800-HORMONE. The Hormone Foundation, the
Robert Sapolsky, PhD public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society (www.endo-society.org), serves as a resource for the public by promoting the prevention,
treatment, and cure of hormone-related conditions. This page may be reproduced non-commercially by health care professionals and health
February 2006 educators to share with patients and students. © The Hormone Foundation 2006