Once activated, the stress response switches off the hormonal systems regulating growth, reproduction, metabolism, and immunity. Short term, the response is helpful, allowing us to divert biochemical resources to dealing with the threat.
Stress affects all systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems.
It all begins in the sympathetic nervous system activating the stress response, and while the parasympathetic tries to smooth things out, the endocrine system gets the memo and releases cortisol into the body. Then the immune system hears about the stress from the cortisol and it gets inflamed, lowering immunity.
ACTH travels through the bloodstream from the pituitary gland and signals the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which you might know as “the stress hormone.” Cortisol helps give the body the energy it needs to stay on high alert for a bit longer by signaling several organs in the body to make changes impacting blood ...
"When the body cannot handle emotional overload, it simply begins to shut down. And that is often manifested by a sense of extreme tiredness and fatigue," says Kalayjian.
Respiratory system – Stress can make you breathe harder, which can cause problems for people with asthma or a lung disease, such as emphysema. In addition, stress can lead to hyperventilation (rapid breathing) and panic attacks in individuals prone to panic attacks.
Long term: Consistently elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones can increase your odds of heart attack, stroke, and hypertension. These can also affect cholesterol levels and cause inflammation in your circulatory system.
Physical stress stimulates the HPA and sympathetic nervous system.
As previously noted, physiologic responses to stress include activation of the HPA axis, activation of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine-sympathetic nervous system pathway, the parasympathetic system, immune system, and genes [29, 31-35].
Short-term, acute stress increases our heart rate, and repeated acute stress can damage or inflame your coronary arteries and lead to heart issues. But chronic stress is more likely to cause long-term heart problems, leading to increased risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and other forms of heart disease.
Your respiratory and cardiovascular system work harder
The hormones that your body releases when you're under stress can cause you to breathe faster, your heart to beat faster, and your blood vessels to constrict. All of those reactions place additional pressure on your respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
Inflammation and Cardiovascular Health
High stress can also affect the heart and cardiovascular system by spurring inflammation in the arteries, a risk factor for atherosclerosis/hardening of the arteries. As stress hormone levels rise in the bloodstream, blood sugar levels increase, too.
Key components of the stress system are the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which interact with other vital centers in the central nervous system (CNS) and tissues/organs in the periphery to mobilize a successful adaptive response against the imposed stressor(s).
If the situation is judged as being stressful, the hypothalamus (at the base of the brain) is activated. The hypothalamus in the brain is in charge of the stress response. When a stress response is triggered, it sends signals to two other structures: the pituitary gland, and the adrenal medulla.
If you're suffering from chronic stress, your body spends too much time in “fight or flight” mode, carried out by the sympathetic nervous system, and not enough time in “rest and digest” mode, facilitated by the parasympathetic nervous system.
Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
The stress response tells the brains to send a signal to the adrenal glands they should release adrenaline. This release can cause high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, or increased heart rate. Cortisol damages the brain as well, as it can kill cells in the hippocampus and age the brain.
If the stress response is triggered too often, the body has a harder time recovering. This impedes the flow of digestion and can cause stomach upset. It can also contribute to the development of irritable bowel syndrome and/or ulcers. The digestive system cannot function properly with too much stress or stimulation.
Stress can cause your muscles to tense up — and over time, that can lead to pain and soreness in virtually any part of the body. The most common stress-related aches and pains are in the neck, back, and shoulders.
Can Stress Cause Low Oxygen Levels? Stress can affect all systems of the body — even leading to lower oxygen levels in the blood and body. If you sometimes feel short of breath when you're stressed or anxious, you are not alone. This is a common symptom of anxiety.
However once the stressful period is over, our immune system eases on its heightened state, and viral/bacterial invaders are often likely to take hold. As a result, people often come down with a cold, a cold sore outbreak, or a flare up of autoimmune issues.
Stress itself does not cause physical damage to your muscles and joints. However, prolonged and uncontrolled stress can lead to a range of unpleasant and painful side effects that seem to camp in specific places throughout the body. When your body (and brain) experience stress, your muscles tense up.
Stress causes your muscles to contract, restricting blood flow. With chronic stress, your musculoskeletal system is in a more permanent state of constriction. Over time, constant muscle tension can cause injury and chronic pain, including back and neck pain, and may even lead to secondary disorders like migraines.
Once the threat is over, cortisol levels decline and the parasympathetic nervous system slows the stress response by releasing hormones that relax the mind and body while inhibiting, or slowing, many of the high energy functions of the body.