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Leah Neff

Professor Freeland

English 1201

1 May 2022

The Effects of Stress on Your Health

What exactly is stress? Stress is a mental and emotional feeling that occurs when

individuals are worried, uncomfortable, or nervous about something. Stress affects an

individual's mental and physical health. However, understanding what stress is, how it affects the

body, and how to handle it could drastically change the way it impacts your health. Stress not

only affects your body physically but also mentally; it can lead to mental health disorders and

can even cause changes in the way your brain functions. Stress is an issue that people face every

day. The effects of stress can be detrimental to your well-being. Understanding the effects of

stress could help individuals see why taking a deep breath and re-visiting a situation later could

be beneficial.  

Stress was not a term that was used until more recent times, long ago individuals were

stressed but didn’t have a word that describe how they were feeling. Nowadays stress results in

doctor's appointments and talking to therapists to resolve the issues that an individual is feeling.

At times, adults use stress to withdraw themselves from certain situations. For example, there are

many parents that would avoid interacting with their children as they normally would because of

a stressful day at work. This suggests that being stressed is a way for a person living in the 21st

century to excuse themselves from situations. As a society we talk about how certain situations

are stressful and now it has become a norm. Overtime individuals have always had to carry the

weight of daily responsibilities, illnesses, disappointments, and other stressors. This statement
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suggests that while people long ago didn’t understand what exactly stress was, it has always been

present and everyone faces hardships no matter what time period they live in or what someone is

going through.

The change in vocabulary regarding emotions and feelings that come from stress did not

occur until the mid-21st century, when scientists began labeling the emotional feelings as what

we know to be stress (Hutmacher). First, stress was used when describing the force applied to an

object. For example, in physics, if you were to obtain a rod and you were attempting to bend it

the stress would be what was being exerted to the rod in order to bend it. Hans Selye was the first

to coin the term stress in a psychological sense during his medical training. All of his patient’s

had one thing in common; they all looked ill, he felt this was a result of the physical stress they

were experiencing (CSHS). Selye felt that stress created so much demand on the body which

“resulted in the release of stress hormones, he called this the “General Adaptation Syndrome”

(CSHS). Selye was the first coined the term stress but later he then went on to tell others about

the impact stress has on an individual's mind and body.

Many disagreed that stress was a medical condition as Selye describe. Numerous

experiments were conducted that supported Selye's description of stress but one of the most

renowned experiments was conducted by a physician named John Mason. He divided monkeys

into two groups, both groups were deprived of food. The first group of monkeys were left in

isolation while the second group had to watch other monkeys eat. The second group had a higher

average stress hormone level than the first group because they experienced physical and

physiological stress. This proved that stress does affect an individual's body but it also showed

that psychological and physical stress produces equal stress responses (CSHS). This statement

further solidifies Selye's claim, that stress affects human's and animal's minds and bodies.
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In addition, each individual responds differently to stress based on the situational factors.

Another experiment conducted measured first-time parachutist and parachute instructor's stress

levels. First time participants' and their instructors stress hormone levels were measured a day

before they were going to jump. The instructors stress hormone levels were high on the day

before the jump and the first-time participants were normal. Conversely, on the day of the jump

the instructor’s levels were normal and the students were high. The researchers concluded the

instructor’s levels were high on the day before the jump due to the stress of the anticipation

because the instructors had experienced a jump before. The first-time jumper’s stress hormone

levels were high on the day of the jump due to the unpredictability of the situation (CSHS).

Overall, this suggests that everyone responds differently to stressful situations based on their past

experiences.

While the history of stress is interesting, the effect that stress has on the mind and body is

even more fascinating. Stress affects the brain and the stem cells in your body. A study

conducted suggests that stress disorders cause irregularities in the brain, including changes in the

ratios of gray to white matter. Gray matter, “stores and processes information, while white

matter, speeds the flow of electrical signals from cell to cell” (Sanders). This suggests that stress

not only affects your body mentally but can also cause physiological changes. Stress also affects

the brain because it can lead to a reduction in the amount of stem cells, and influences both

memory and learning. Stress weakens the connectivity between an individual's hippocampus and

amygdala. This means that because of stress the responses individuals have to certain situations

are impaired. For example, in stressful situations most people can respond appropriately but

when it involves chronic stress many have a tendency to react in a way far beyond what is

expected. Stress not only affects the amount of gray and white matter but also alters chemicals in
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your brain such as serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter tasked with balancing feelings of

well-being, and mood changes. The alteration in amounts of this chemical could lead to mental

health disorders such as depression and anxiety (Sanders).

The changes that occur in the brain can be detrimental when they are repeatedly

experienced over time. Chronic stress occurs when an individual is placed in recurrent stressful

situations. Chronic stress can lead to other mental health disorders and causes changes in the

brain. Some effects chronic stress has on an individual physically are changes to the menstrual

cycle and sleep which can also increase the impact of depression and anxiety on an individual

(Sahakian et al.). It is also found that continuous stress can result in inflammation which causes

health issues such as, diabetes and heart disease (Sahakian et al.). Over time if continuous stress

occurs issues can arise regarding your mental and physical health.

Stress can trigger many other disorders, and those disorders can be triggered by life

events or life trauma. According to a study conducted, heart disease is more prevalent in

individuals with stress disorders (New York Times). In many situations stress is caused by

natural events such as meeting a deadline or presenting in front of your peers. However, many

other sources of stress could be divorce or a death in the family. While conducting this study

researchers also found that “stress-related disorders were strongly associated with several types

of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, heart rhythm problems, and major blood clots''

(New York Times). Thus, further supporting the theory that stress affects individuals' bodies

negatively. This statement also suggests that those who have been diagnosed with diseases

related to stress should be monitored closely by a medical professional. 

Robert Sapolsky, the author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers was interviewed to discuss

his findings. In the interview, many questions were asked about why this author feels that zebras
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and other animals don’t get ulcers. The author goes on to say that he feels they don’t get diseases

such as ulcers because the life of an animal is much different than that of a human. The daily

stresses of life as a human are the reasons why humans get ulcers and other diseases from stress.

Zebras don’t have to worry about the next paycheck and taxes as humans do. The author then

goes on to make a statement that humans “have a psychologically very stressful world”

(Sapolsky). This statement further solidifies the reason that animals don’t develop certain

diseases as humans do. After touching on the book, the interviewer goes on to ask why some

people thrive on stress and others don’t. Dr. Sapolsky answers this question by stating that

humans work in different ways and everyone responds differently to certain situations. The

response has to do with the way your brain is composed, the chemical known as dopamine which

is responsible for pleasure is much higher in individuals who could be seen as, “risk-taking,

impulsive, sensation-seeking” (Sapolsky). The reason why many love the feeling of short-term

stress such as when you're on a rollercoaster is that the brain releases dopamine which gives off

the feeling of pleasure. This is why the right amount of stress can benefit individuals.

While in many situations stress is bad, stress can also motivate individuals to push

through events such as an interview or presentation. This is a good type of stress because it’s

something that can make you a well-rounded person. In your body there is a response known as

the fight or flight response. This occurs during stressful situations and when this response is

activated it releases hormones such as adrenaline. What occurs in many situations is excess stress

causes the fight or flight response to pause; this is an issue because it can cause many health

problems. The fight or flight response “elevates your heart rate, increases your blood pressure,

and boosts your energy” (Krantz, David, et al.). It’s not a good sign when your blood pressure

continues to increase so being stuck in this response affects the body negatively. Many studies
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have been conducted showing chronic stress also leads to chronic headaches. Continuous stress

can lead to issues in the future. For example, if you were to get a common cold “stress can also

make it harder to recover” (Krantz, David, et al.). Whereas someone who was not experiencing

significant stress may recover more quickly.

Living in the 21st century is completely different than living in the 1800s. For example,

there is more technology such as smartphones. The world’s inventions have grown and continue

to grow and create things that many can’t even imagine. While technology is amazing, does it

benefit the world? Individuals use technology as entertainment, communication, and in case of

an emergency but society is now addicted. This is one of the leading causes of stress disorders in

the world today. It has been found to be common for individuals to rise in the morning & quickly

check their mobile device, emails, and social sites. This is an issue because when people check

their emails and their phones they immediately stress about their day and worry about all of the

things they have to do. If the phone is out of the picture that person wouldn’t know what to stress

about because their phone wouldn’t be reminding them of everything, they had to do that day.

Another reason stress occurs is because of the lack of knowledge. Society doesn’t have enough

knowledge about the prevalence, effects or potential damages stress can inflict (O’Connor). This

is why the world needs to learn about how stress can impact someone's life. 

While in most situations stress can be seen as something negative, it can also be positive.

Many studies have shown that stress experienced in controlled doses can lead to increased

feelings of strength, intelligence and overall well-being. It is also shown that stress can “make

your brain grow” and “improve your memory” (Dontivo). In a study conducted on rats, the small

rodents were put in a short but stressful situation and after being tested the rats had double the

amount of brain cells. Another benefit stress has is that it has been associated with the
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development of new neural pathways and the stimulation of endorphins. This can lead to an

increase in energy and be beneficial in doing well in sports or other activities. Stress can also aid

individuals in the prevention of illness, as controlled stress increases your immune system

(Dontivo).

Pros and Cons of Stress

Pros Cons

Productivity Motivation Weight Loss/weight Gain

Increases Performance Decreased motivation

Increase in Stem Cells Decreases the amount of gray and while matter in your body.

Can improve memory Problems sleeping

Increases resilience Could lead to other stress related disorders

Can Help Build Could lead to heart disease

Relationships

Many researchers classify stress into two different categories, one being “distress, which

refers to negative stress” and the other being “eustress, which refers to positive stress” (Selna).

Eustress benefits many parts of an individual's mental and physical health such as increasing

motivation; whether that motivation is working out or finishing a paper. The stress that an

individual feels helps motivate that person. Stress not only creates motivation but also makes

individuals grow as a person. For instance, if someone was playing in a volleyball game and they

missed several serves during the match this would cause increased stress. In response to this

stress, after the game the player practices serves until her technique is improved. The next game,

the player misses far fewer serves. This is a benefit to the stress that a person was feeling

because it allowed them to solve their issues and grow not only as a person but as a player. Stress

also can promote relationships. This is because in many situations people are normally nervous
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about the same thing whether it be a talent show or a game, people can bond over the feelings

that they are feeling. No one wants to mess up so it makes it a little bit easier when your stressed

to have someone to connect with. There are many ways stress can be beneficial but one of the

most important benefits is that “stress brings meaning in our lives'' (Selna). 

While there are many positive effects to stress, the negatives outweigh the positives

greatly. To help combat this issue many strategies and techniques can be used to lessen the

effects stress has on the body. One strategy is meditation, which has been known to help reduce

stress and improve cognitive functioning including memory (Gupta and Arora). Stress is

something that can increase blood pressure and meditation is a technique that can calm someone

down and allow that person to take a breath. Various studies have shown that meditation helps

most within the body's nervous system. This is beneficial because the nervous system is

responsible for actions such as breathing and walking. So, while stress interferes with the

nervous system, meditation can help to get back on track. Overall, meditation can be beneficial

for combatting stress and helping improve the body's nervous system which is responsible for

life-sustaining functions (Gupta and Arora).

While meditation can help combat the impact stress has on an individual's body there are

also many other techniques. “Diaphragmatic Breathing, Hatha Yoga, Mental Imagery and

Visualization, Music Therapy, and Massage Therapy” (Seaward 8). Diaphragmatic breathing is

just taking a second and taking a few deep breaths. Many describe diaphragmatic breathing as a

sigh. For instance, when the teacher gives her students an assignment and they don’t want to do

it, a lot of times students’ sigh. Diaphragmatic breathing is used to gain energy or release stress

by breathing in and expanding the chest on the way out. Hatha Yoga is also used in many

instances as a way to lessen stress. Hatha Yoga also involves deep breathing but the difference is
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the movements that are used. One of the most renowned positions in yoga is known as the corpse

pose because it is a position where an individual is relaxing every muscle in the body. Yoga is

known as the “union of the mind, body, and soul” (Seaward 350). Another technique used is

mental imagery and visualization. Mental imagery and visualization is a technique that involves

imagination. While using this technique the idea is to imagine some situation that could be

calming and therapeutic. The last two techniques are music therapy and massage therapy. Music

therapy is helpful because it allows an individual to listen to the “tones and rhythm of the

melody” which helps with getting your mind off of a certain subject and relaxing (Seaward 357).

Massage therapy is beneficial in relaxation and relieving soreness throughout the body which is

helpful when dealing with the daily stresses of life. Individuals can find which techniques best

work for them and incorporate those techniques into their daily lives.

There are other helpful tips in addition to the techniques above that can be utilized when

faced with stressful situations. Some tips include “counting to ten before speaking” this can help

because stressed individuals often say things they don’t mean and hurt others because they don’t

think before speaking (Editorial Staff). Normally, in high tense situations it is difficult to respond

appropriately so to combat this problem sometimes “sleeping on it…taking a walk… and

exercising” would be beneficial to respond to a situation appropriately (Editorial Staff). Many

times, people find themselves in situations where they don’t believe in themselves so they talk

down to themselves and say things like, I’m not good enough, I can’t do it. Many say things like

this because they are stressed and scared of not being good enough. To help with this issue,

positive self-talk is important. Positive thoughts help motivate an individual to do things they

didn’t think they could do. Positive self-talk is what many use when they are in high tense

situations. 
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In one study, the US ranked fourth for the most stressed population amongst 143

countries surveyed in 2019 (Anxiety and Stress Management). This proves that Americans need

to work on solutions to positively impact this issue. Creating “to do” lists can be a helpful way of

decreasing stress. Other strategies include creating habits which foster healthful nutrition,

consistent exercise and whole food nutrition practices. Establishing good nutrition could help

reduce stress. A healthy body helps create a healthy mind. Stress affects every aspect of your

body so nutrition would be a good source to help fight off the effects of stress. Also, when

individuals are stressed, they are more likely to eat comfort food because it tastes so good and it

could make someone feel better. However, this isn’t a great practice, as comfort food, in the end,

will make you more stressed than that individual was prior. Exercising is also beneficial in

decreasing stress because exercising can, improve mood and self-perception (Anxiety and Stress

Management). Lastly, sleeping and staying on a consistent schedule is one of the most beneficial

stress management strategies.

In conclusion, stress is an issue that many face every day all over the world. Stress is a

normal feeling but continuous stress can become an issue over time. While there are many

benefits to stress like motivation, perseverance, and confidence the negative effects outweigh the

positive effects. Stress impacts an individual's mental and physical health in negative ways.

However, understanding what stress is, different strategies to manage stress, and how it affects

the body could lessen the impact it has on your overall well-being. There are many different

ways to handle stress but if the stress continues to impact an individual's life, they should

consider contacting a medical professional for help. Overall, stress is something that can benefit

your health while also being life threating. The effects of stress should be discussed now more

than ever if we are going to make a change that change starts with you.
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