The Role Stress Management Plays in Preventing Chronic Disease

Unlike smoking, alcohol consumption, or poor diet, stress is an invisible enemy. It negatively impacts our body often without us knowing. What physiological changes occur when we feel stress, how can that cause disease, and how can we manage stress to prevent illness?

The Physiology of Stress

According to Helpguide.org, “When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper.” This series of body changes is known as the “fight or flight” response, which is a temporary body condition to prepare us for impending physical and mental demands. On the most fundamental level, humans use this system to ensure our survival by fighting or running from danger to preserve our life. However, our “fight or flight” response will fire during the stressful demands of daily life. For example, if we are about to compete in a game or deliver a presentation at work, our body responds accordingly to prepare us for the challenge. So how could this response negatively affect our health? Elderly woman looking out the window

Too Much of a Good Thing: How Stress Contributes to Disease

So, if humans are born with this system for self-preservation, how could it be “bad”? Although the physiological changes with stress can be temporarily productive, ultimately, these stress reactions alter the typical functioning of the body systems in the following ways:

Stress suppresses the immune system resulting in the increased likelihood of viral infection and other illnesses.
Stress alters heart rate, which can result in an abnormal rhythm or high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a risk factor for stroke.
Stress hormones lower insulin levels and cause insulin resistance, resulting in higher blood sugar levels. Prolonged stress will continue the build-up of sugar in the blood. This unbalanced level of blood sugar and insulin can set the stage for weight gain.
Prolonged stress causes thinking and memory problems due to the effect on the brain. Stress causes structural changes in the brain, including shrinkage in some areas and malfunction of the communication channels. Depression is another common condition as a result.
Stress causes gastrointestinal and digestive upset because the physiological impact of stress can alter stomach acid levels, reduce the absorption of nutrients and exacerbate inflammation.

Stress Management is the Best Medicine

We can reap many health benefits from properly managing our stress. When we execute strategies to manage and reduce our stress correctly, we may experience the following quality of life improvements:

Better overall health with fewer illnesses due to our more robust immune systems
Well-controlled blood pressure
A waist-line we can feel proud of with healthy blood sugar levels
Improved sleep
Reduced anxiety and depression with better overall cognitive functioning, such as enhanced memory and focus

Real-life Strategies for Stress Management

Now that we know the pros and cons of stress, how do we go about implementing actual real-world, practical strategies to lower our stress? Here are a few nuggets to consider incorporating into your day:

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Get organized. Disorganization is a big time-waster and stress-inducer. If you need to call in reinforcements to help you get organized, consider hiring a productivity and organizational professional.
Plan, so there is no last-minute stress.
Hone your problem-solving skills so that you can complete more complex tasks hanging over your head.
Be Flexible. Go with the flow!
Set boundaries to ensure balance in your life. Close the laptop and shut the office door for the entire weekend, especially during these times of work-from-home mandates due to COVID-19.
Eat right, exercise, and get a proper amount of sleep.
Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
Celebrate your successes!

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