The Nuance
The Health Risks of Evening Stress
Nighttime worrying may affect health more than morning nerves
If the last two decades of research have taught doctors anything, it’s that persistent and high levels of stress are harmful to human health.
Psychological stress contributes to a range of heart problems, from structural abnormalities to heart attacks. Studies have also found that chronic stress can disrupt the body’s immune and endocrine systems as well as its metabolic processes, and that these disruptions are associated with diabetes, irritable bowel disease, cancer, and other medical conditions.
Experts are focusing their attention on cortisol and hormonal changes in the body. Cortisol is often referred to as a “stress hormone” because its levels rise during periods of duress or anxiety. Along with helping the body prepare to meet a potential threat, cortisol also plays a role in settling down inflammation, says Darlene Kertes, a stress specialist and associate professor of psychology at the University of Florida. One of cortisol’s roles is to shift the activation of certain immune cells in ways that prevent inflammation from raging out of control. But when cortisol levels are chronically elevated, the hormone and immune systems that normally hold inflammation in check can get out of…
