Stress Reduction 

Too much stress increases disease symptoms of chronic illnesses and sometimes adds to the disease itself. 

But what is stress exactly, and what can we do about it? 

Stress is often called the “fight or flight response.” It’s our bodies’ way of responding to a threat or challenge, like when a deer senses a mountain lion hunting for game. When we feel stressed, our bodies produce about 30 different chemicals that raise blood pressure, cause muscles to tense up, and pour more sugar into our blood. They do this so our muscles will have plenty of fuel for running away from or fighting that lion. Stress “turns off” parts of our body that aren’t used for fight or flight, including the digestive system and the immune systems that protect against disease and heal damage. 

It’s a great system for escaping a predator. And in small doses, stress feels good. It makes us feel more alive, more energetic. But it doesn’t work well at all for the kinds of threats we face in modern society. When we have economic problems, job stresses, or family issues, there’s no way to fight or flee. We just sit there and worry. 

And modern stresses don’t go away in a few minutes, like that hungry lion. They stay with us 24/7, often for months at a time. Over time, too much stress makes symptoms worse and causes our bodies to break down. 

Strangely, our bodies can react to good things, like a child’s wedding or a job promotion, with the same reaction as to bad things. That’s because good stresses put demands on our bodies, too. Learning to reduce and cope with stress is a major part of managing a chronic condition. 

Read more about reducing stress.  

Read more about coping with stress.