Chronic Stress Is the Most Under-Rated Illness We Are Exposed To

Written by Samantha Mainland, Naturopath

Chronic stress is the most under-rated illness we are exposed to, in my opinion. Stress has the power to stop you eating, make you gain weight, interrupt your sleep or stop you from getting to sleep in the first place, break your relationships, reduce your work quality, make you depressed, make you paranoid, reduce your energy and reduce your quality of life. Excessive stress has the power to change your whole life, yet we are constantly exposing ourselves to this powerful emotion and we often don’t even realise we are doing it.

It is very important to realise that stress itself is not a horrible thing. Our bodies are well adapted to be able to see us through that stress (near car accident, facing a lion etc.). It is the constant, regular or significant stressors that wear the body down.

What some people do not realise is that ‘stress’ is a perceived event. Whether you are facing a life-threatening situation, doing a public speech or worrying about next week, your body will respond with the same amount of energy, in the exact same fashion, in order to survive another day. This is an important point to take home – stressing or worrying about something that you are unable to alter is significantly draining on your body, and it will create a stress response capable of coping in near car accident. Not only can this interfere with your sleep, energy, moods, relationships, appetite etc., but it can also add up and affect the body in the years to come.

Stress is something that, in the 21st century, we all face.

Reassess your stress levels and your stress response. Find a stress release.

If you cannot change the stress, Change the way you respond to the stress.