How Stress Makes You Sick

We have often heard that stress is harmful to health or that anger can lead to illness, but what does science say about the connection between stress and becoming ill? According to Sharon Bergquist, a pharmacology professor at Emory University in the U.S., during stress, hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine are released in the body. Adrenaline increases heart rate and can also raise blood pressure. Cortisol causes changes in blood vessels that can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes in the long term. Simultaneously, the brain stops its usual functions to send messages to the body's organs about stress and its source. The result of this message is the feeling of 'butterflies in the stomach' that we sometimes experience during stress. This feeling can disrupt the functioning of the digestive system and affect the work of beneficial gut bacteria. On the other hand, cortisol can increase appetite and lead to overeating, resulting in fat stored around the abdomen; this fat increases the risk of chronic diseases. When stress becomes chronic, it also affects the immune system's activity: the healing time for injuries and damages becomes longer, and the body becomes weaker against infectious diseases. The greatest risk, however, is for those who are constantly exposed to stress. Long working hours with various deadlines, worrying about rent and household expenses, and excessive thinking about children's situations all contribute to increased stress. Dr. Bergquist recommends viewing stressors as challenges that can be overcome and controlled before they control the body and health.