Nowadays stress is all around us. We humans work jobs that seem to demand more and more of our time and effort. When we’re not working those dreadful hours, or crippling under the pressure of a University deadline, we’re bombarded with reels and TikToks of people much more successful than us. We can’t catch a break!
The purpose of this article is to bring to light some common and well-researched ways that stress is affecting your body right now.
1. Increased Risk of Cancer
Tough one to start on but it’s true and perhaps one of the most important considerations to think about. Chronic stress has been linked to promoting cancers of the prostate, breast, stomach, lung, and skin.
To avoid going into too much depth, the links suggest that chronic stress induces a process called tumorigenesis. This is the process of the normal cells in your body transforming into a cancerous state.
2. Affects on The Baby
A very recent study has actually indicated that chronic stress in mothers during pregnancy is associated with a low-birth-weight (LBW) baby. According to WHO, this is a baby that weights less than 2500 grams (5.5 pounds) at birth. This contributes to a range of poor health outcomes, including inhibited growth, inhibited cognitive development, and early neonatal mortality.
3. Increased Risk of Depression
Multiple studies have suggested a link between chronic stress and depression. These include animal models as well as human observational studies. Of course, as with any illness, there is a multifactorial component however we should always try to modify the risk factors that we are able to in order to give ourselves a fighting chance.
4. Changes to Brain Structure
Chronic exposure to uncontrollable stress has actually been seen to cause a loss of certain neuronal cells in your brain. Specifically, in the prefrontal cortex which is an area that has recently evolved in our brains and this controls higher functions such as regulating our thoughts, actions, and emotions. Research has shown that being exposed to stress that you are unable to predict over long periods of time actually causes you to lose certain important cells in your brain tissue, thereby potentially affecting things such as working memory and abstract thought.
5. Increased Risk of Obesity
Healthcare workers around the world deal with the complications of obesity every single day. It is a disease that has spread to every corner of the world and has its roots in multiple socioeconomic and pathological factors. One of these being stress, which has been shown to be linked to the presence of stress. Chronic stress in your day to day is causing biological changes that lead to a higher prevalence of obesity.
Phew! Take a breather, we’re going to end on a good note.
Although these are all things we should considering when we’re reflecting on our lives, it should be noted that stress isn’t all that bad. In fact, acute stress and our body’s reaction to it is the very reason we’re alive! I will write an article on that later but just note, not all stress is bad.
Just limit it where you can and live a long, healthy life.
Thanks for reading!