40 Interesting Facts About Stress and Anxiety 

The short-and long-

term effects

Interesting facts about stress and anxiety:

1. Stress has been called “the silent killer” and can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain, and an irregular
heartbeat.
2. While it is a myth that stress can turn hair gray, it can cause hair loss. In fact, hair loss can begin up to three months
after a stressful event.
3. In recent studies, the top most stressful jobs are a surgeon, commercial airline pilot, photojournalist, advertising
account executive, and real estate agent. The least stressful jobs were actuary, dietitian, astronomer, systems analyst, and
software engineer.
4. The top three stressful cities in America are Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and New York, New York.
5. Stress alters the neurochemical makeup of the body, which can affect the maturation and release of the human egg. It
can also cause the fallopian tubes and uterus to spasm, which can affect implantation. In men, it can affect sperm count and
motility and can cause erectile dysfunction. In fact, it may account for 30% of all infertility problems.
6. Stress can make acne worse. Researchers say stress-related inflammation rather than a rise is sebum (the oily substance
in skin) is to blame.
7. Laughing lowers stress hormones (like cortisol, epinephrine, and adrenaline) and strengthens the immune system by
releasing health-enhancing hormones.
8. The stress hormone cortisol not only causes abdominal fat to accumulate, but it also enlarges individual fat cells,
leading to what researchers call “diseased” fat.
9. Stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis, and
suicide.
10. The stress of caring for a disabled spouse increases the risk of stroke substantially.
11. Chronic stress can impair the developmental growth in children by lowering the production of growth hormone from
the pituitary gland.
12. A CNN poll reveals that the number one reason for stress in most countries is money. The countries most stressed
about money are Malaysia, China, Singapore, and the United States. The countries least stressed about money are Russia,
France, and Italy.
13. The term “stress” derives from the Latin stringere (to draw tight).
14. Stress causes capillaries to close, which restricts bleeding if a flesh wound should occur.
15. Pupils dilate (mydriasis) during stress much the same way they dilate in response to attraction: to gather more visual
information about a situation.
16. Chronic stress floods the brain with powerful hormones that are meant for short-term emergency situations. Chronic
exposure can damage, shrink, and kill brain cells.
17. Studies find that women with moderate levels of stress were at lower risk for suicide than those women who had very
high or very low levels of stress.
18. Scientists suggest that stress is part of the evolutionary drive because it has enabled humans to survive. Specifically, it
temporarily increases awareness and improves physical performance.
19. Stress makes the blood “stickier,” in preparation for an injury. Such a reaction, however, also increases the probability
of developing a blood clot.
20. Research has shown that dark chocolate reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and other fight-flight hormones.
Additionally, cocoa is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids.
21. Chronic stress increases cytokines, which produce inflammation. Exposure to constant inflammation can damage
arteries and other organs.
22. Stress can alter blood sugar levels, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia, and metabolic syndrome, a
major risk factor for heart attack and diabetes.
23. Chronic stress worsens irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that irritates the large intestine and causes
constipation, cramping, and bloating.
24. Peptic ulcers are caused by the H.pylori bacteria or the use of NSAIDS—not stress. However, stress can exacerbate
ulcers and keep them from healing.
25. Chronic stress decreases the body’s immune system’s response to infection and can affect a person’s response to
immunizations.
26. Stress can increase the ability of chemicals to pass the blood-brain barrier, which shields neurons from some poisons,
viruses, toxins, and other fluctuations in normal blood chemistry.
27. Acoustic stress (caused by loud noises) can trigger an episode of Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), a disorder of the heart’s
electrical system. LGTS is estimated to cause as many as 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
28. Young people from military families who have a deployed parent report higher levels of stress and emotional problems
than other adolescents and teens.
29. Stress increases the risk of pre-term labor and intrauterine infection. Additionally, chronic levels of stress place a fetus
at greater risk for developing stress-related disorders and affect the fetus’s temperament and neurobehavioral development.
30. Post-traumatic stress physically changes children’s brains; specifically, stress shrinks the hippocampus, a part of the
brain that stores and retrieves memories.
31. Chinese stress balls (Baoding balls) were created during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) in Baoding, China. Originally
made of iron, the balls are thought to relieve stress because they touch pressure or acupuncture points on the hand.
32. Stress can result in more headaches as a result of the body rerouting blood flow to other parts of the body.
33. The hyper-arousal of the body’s stress response system can lead to chronic insomnia.
34. An early record of post-traumatic stress syndrome dates from the eighth century B.C. in Homer’s Iliad when Achilles
suffers severe battle stress in the Trojan War. Achilles complains of feeling emotionally “numb” or “dead” and expresses
suicidal thoughts and rage.
35. In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Lady Percy’s description of her battle-worn husband, Harry Hotspur, is surprisingly similar
to the symptoms of actual post-traumatic syndrome, such as feeling estranged from others, difficulty sleeping, exhibiting
an exaggerated startle, dysphoria, and strong anxiety.
36. When cells shrink due to exposure to stress hormones, they disconnect from each other, which contributes to
depression.
37. Men are more likely than women to develop certain stress-related disorders, including hypertension, aggressive
behavior, and abuse of alcohol and drugs.
38. Chronic low-level noise and low-frequency noise below the threshold of human hearing provoke stress hormones that
can interfere with learning and can also elevate blood pressure, degrade the immune system, and increase aggression.
39. Stress creates hormonal changes in the human body that can decrease libido and sex response. However, the BBC
reports that penetrative sex (as opposed to other types of sex, such as masturbation) decreased stress hormones while those
who had no sex had the highest blood pressure.
40. Extreme or sudden emotional trauma can lead to “broken heart syndrome” (BHS), or stress cardiomyopathy (severe
heart muscle weakness). This condition occurs rapidly and usually in women. In Japan, BHS is called “octopus trap
cardiomyopathy” because the left ventricle balloons out in a peculiar shape.
41. Stress can kill.