Stress is part of being human. It helps us respond, adapt and stay alert. It is meant to pass.
What is stress?
Stress is the body's response to a change or demand, from inside or outside us. A healthy stress response helps us adapt to our surroundings and respond to perceived threats, and it is usually short-lived.
What happens in the body?
When we meet a stressor, the body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar shift to help us respond.
When stress is ongoing, it can affect both body and mind. Research links chronic stress with heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive and immune changes, anxiety and depression.
Some signs are physical: headaches, shoulder tension, aches, changes in weight or frequent illness. Others are quieter: changes in mood, difficulty concentrating, or disrupted sleep.
If stress is affecting your daily life, please speak with your GP or healthcare provider.
Simple ways to support yourself
Move your body. Regular movement supports healthy blood pressure and helps the body process stress.
Spend time in nature. Studies link time in green spaces with lower markers of stress.
Practise mindfulness and gratitude. Journal, reflect, or tell someone you appreciate them. Research associates regular mindfulness practice with lower perceived stress.
Stay connected. Spend time with people who make you feel respected, supported and able to laugh.
Create small pauses. A few moments through the day to notice how you feel, slow your breath and reset.
Pause. Breathe. Reconnect.
This article is general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice.
References
American Journal of Medicine 2023 Abbott et.al. 10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100056
Frontiersin.org doi:10.3389/frym.2017.00055
Sciencedirect.com doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103886
Sciencedirect.com doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2015.08.007
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