Every year in April, we celebrate National Stress Awareness Month. Stress is your body’s built-in response to any demand or challenge, physical, emotional, or mental. Not all stress is bad, and there are different kinds of stress. Psychologists distinguish between eustress (positive, motivating stress) and distress (negative, overwhelming stress).
- Eustress feels challenging but manageable. It energizes you, improves performance, and leads to growth or achievement. Examples include preparing for a big presentation, training for a race, starting a new job, or even planning a wedding. You feel excited, focused, and confident that you can handle it. Eustress boosts motivation, resilience, and a sense of accomplishment.
- Distress occurs when demands feel too great or when you lack the resources to cope. It triggers anxiety, frustration, or helplessness. When this type of stress becomes prolonged, it turns into chronic stress, the kind that drains your body and mind over time.
Stress is your body’s built-in response to any challenge or demand, like your ‘fight-or-flight’ response. When this is triggered is releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol in the body. These hormones may increase heart rate, sharpen focus, and redirect energy to different parts of the body. Though these are good for you to rise to the occasion if you will, when this stress response stays switched on for weeks, months, or years, it can become chronic, and that’s when the problems begin.
Chronic stress keeps stress hormones like cortisol elevated. Over time, this can disrupt almost every bodily process.
Short-term effects
- Racing thoughts or trouble sleeping
- Tense muscles and aches
- Elevated blood pressure or heart palpitations
- Digestion issues like diarrhea and nausea
Long-term physical damage:
- Immune system: Cortisol suppresses immune function, making you more susceptible to infections, slower to heal, and potentially worsening autoimmune conditions.
- Metabolic and hormonal effects: Weight gain (especially abdominal fat), insulin resistance, disrupted sleep, reduced libido, irregular menstrual cycles, and higher diabetes risk.
- Cardiovascular system: Persistent high blood pressure and a faster heart rate raise the risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and irregular rhythms. Chronic stress also promotes inflammation in the arteries.
Left unchecked, chronic stress may lead to a slow erosion of health. The good news? Recognizing the pattern early can prevent or reverse much of the damage. You should seek help or talk to a healthcare professional if stress is interfering with your daily life. Stress is inevitable, but chronic stress doesn’t have to control your health. By recognizing the difference between helpful eustress and harmful distress, listening to your body’s signals, and reaching out for support when needed, you can protect your heart, mind, and overall well-being.
If stress feels unmanageable right now, take one small step today: see a healthcare professional, text 988, or talk to a trusted friend. Your future self will thank you.
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