You wake up later than planned, rush through the morning routine, check your phone to find a social media firestorm, and discover a fine for driving in a bus lane. You are undeniably stressed, and your body responds by activating ancient survival systems. But what happens when stress becomes chronic?
Immediate Effects of Stress
According to Prof Kavita Vedhara, a specialist in stress and behavioural medicine at Cardiff University, the most immediate effect of a stressful situation is a surge of adrenaline, causing increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. This fight-or-flight response prepares you to face a challenge. Within about 30 minutes, cortisol levels rise, regulating blood pressure, suppressing inflammation, and increasing blood sugar for energy.
When Stress Becomes Chronic
While these responses were useful for physical threats, modern stressors like work pressure or online arguments rarely require physical action. Chronic stress diverts resources from digestion, repair, and immunity, leading to health issues. Vedhara notes that chronic stress is linked to poorer immune function, increased infection risk, impaired wound healing, obesity, depressive illness, and progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Dr Jo Daniels, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Bath, explains that stress creates a feedback loop: physical changes like a fast heartbeat can become alarming, triggering hypervigilance and impaired decision-making. This can lead to avoidance behaviours, such as not going out due to feeling on edge.
How Much Stress Is Too Much?
Vedhara describes the stress response as an elastic system designed to recover. Long-term and enduring stressors take a real toll on health. A landmark 1990s study found that stressed volunteers were more likely to catch a cold. Older adults and those with trauma may be more vulnerable, while resilience varies. The Covid-19 pandemic showed that everyone has a limit.
Managing Stress
Evidence-backed strategies include slow, regulated breathing to signal safety, and exercise to reduce adrenaline buildup. For prolonged stress, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps challenge unhelpful thoughts like 'I can't cope'. Mindfulness-based stress reduction teaches stepping back from thoughts rather than challenging them. Avoiding stress entirely is unrealistic; the key is to identify causes and intervene early. Daniels advises seeking help when stress is constant or concerning.
Remember: while you can't always control stressors, you can control your response. Check NHS resources for dealing with stress.
