How Stress Escalates Your Cortisol Levels and Negatively Impacts Your Health

You encounter stressors every day. Troubles at work or in relationships are common stressors. If you feel persistently stressed over a long period, you have chronic stress.

Chronic stress isn't having an occasional stressful day; it's feeling persistent and unrelenting pressure day in and day out. Your body doesn't do well under chronic stress. You likely experience health issues, with fatigue among the most common.

Chronic stress and fatigue can lead to issues like anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal trouble, and a weakened immune system. Dr. Rina Kapoor, a board-certified internal and integrative medicine specialist, sees firsthand the debilitating effects of chronic stress on people’s health. 

At ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, she uses natural and holistic methods to identify and treat the root cause of stress, helping people with chronic stress regain control of their health and lives.

Here, she explains how high stress levels affect cortisol, which, in turn, negatively impacts health. She also explores how to recognize the symptoms of chronic stress. 

Chronic stress and fatigue

Experiencing acute stress, such as studying for an exam or preparing for an interview, is short-term and can even help. Chronic stress, however, is prolonged and persistent and can negatively affect your health if untreated. 

Chronic stress can result from work pressure, financial difficulties, or relationship cracks. Whatever the cause, chronic stress raises your levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. A common symptom of high cortisol levels is fatigue. 

You may be chronically stressed if you’re constantly tired or drained even after a full night's sleep. High cortisol makes it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. This lack of quality sleep makes you more tired, creating a vicious cycle that’s hard to break.

How chronic stress negatively impacts your health

Chronic stress can affect your health in many ways. Noticeable symptoms include:

Weight gain and metabolic issues

High cortisol levels cause weight gain, especially around your stomach. Cortisol makes you hungry and causes you to crave unhealthy foods, leading you to overeat and gain weight. High cortisol levels can also cause insulin resistance, which triggers Type 2 diabetes. 

Heart problems

Chronic stress and raised cortisol levels can lead to high blood pressure and other heart problems. Cortisol causes blood vessels to narrow, increasing blood pressure and forcing the heart to work harder. Over time, that can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Digestive issues

Stress can affect your digestive system. High cortisol levels can lead to gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acid reflux, and other digestive disorders. Stress can impact your digestive system functions, slowing digestion and causing discomfort.

How to manage your stress and cortisol levels

Consider making lifestyle changes to manage stress and cortisol levels. For starters, exercise regularly. Physical activity can help reduce cortisol levels and improve physical and mental health.

Adopting a healthy diet is also crucial to stress management. Your diet should contain lots of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Certain supplements, such as magnesium and B vitamins, can help reduce stress.

It can be challenging to control stress, especially when you can't avoid your stressors. That's why, at ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine, Dr. Kapoor offers services to help you manage stress and its effects on your health. 

From natural hormone therapy to weight loss support, she creates a customized plan to help you regain control over your health and life. If you struggle with chronic stress and its effects, request an appointment online or call our Philadelphia-area office at 610-358-3300 today.