As the pace of modern life increase, so do our stress levels – and that could spell big trouble.
The human stress hormones that flood our bodies are handy when we’re in physical danger, but it turns out the body has the exact same reaction to non-physical threats that makes us stressed – stuff like life mortgage repayments, work pressures, relationship problems and all the rest.
And unlike animals, which usually experience lowering levels of these hormones, humans have trouble turning them off, according to YouTube channel AsapSCIENCE.
In Japan, sudden heart attacks and strokes occurring in young and healthy people have been linked to stress. They even have a word for it – karoshi: death from overwork.
How does it happen?
Scientists now know that chronic stress can lead to an oversupply of a stress hormone called cortisol, which can do all kinds of damage.
Excessive cortisol can shut down the immune system, inhibit inflammation, reduce white blood cells and increase our susceptibility to disease. Some evidence also suggests prolonged stress can be involved in the development of cancer.
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Studies of monkeys have shown that those under significant stress have more clogged arteries, which prevents blood getting to the heart quickly and can lead to heart attacks.
The brain also takes a hit when we get stressed.
Stressed mice have dramatically smaller brain cells with fewer branch extensions than normal mice, which impacts memory and learning.
But the biggest impact could be on our DNA.
Image | tasciences.com
Telomeres at the end of our chromosomes decrease in size with age, and eventually run out, causing the cell to stop duplicating and die. This means telomeres are directly related to ageing and length of life…
And guess what.
Yep. Stress can accelerate their disappearance.
But the situation isn’t hopeless.
A hormone called oxytocin can help reduce our body’s response to stress, scientists say. It relaxes blood vessels and can help the heart regenerate.
So how do we get it?
Oxytocin is also known as the “cuddle hormone” because it’s released during positive social interactions and while we’re caring for others.
It seems people who spend more time with others create a resilience to stress.
So there it is – the bad news, and the good news.
Do you have any stress-busting tips?
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