Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH The Effects of Stress on Physical Health Lauren Greenwood AU ID : 3419794 PSYC 290 Research Paper Shelley Sikora January 31, 2021 1 Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH 2 The Effects of Stress on Physical Health Despite our best efforts, stress is an inevitable part of life, but how does stress effect our physical health? Stress is defined as “an interaction between the individual and his or her environment, shaped by past and unfolding evolutionary determinants” (Soufer, 2004, p. 1710). Stress can be caused by both external and internal factors. For example, external stressors are events or situations that happen to us, such as living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Internal stressors are thoughts and feelings that cause unease, such as uncertainty and lack of control, or fear of public speaking. If one does not have tools to manage stress, it can lead to chronic stress which can disrupt one’s physiological homeostasis (Soufer, 2004). Hapuarachchi et al. (2003) determined that events perceived as stressful, can negatively impact one’s psychological and physiological health. This paper seeks to explore the ramifications of stress physical health, and its effects on cardiac functioning and the immune system. Stress Related to Cardiac Implications Stress is perceived as a major predisposing factor to health-related issues especially when stress is chronic (Soufer, 2004). Soufer (2004) believed that emotions, such as fear, anger, sadness, and anxiety are a response to stressful environmental factors. High levels of increased cortisol from long-term stress can lead to high blood pressure and increased blood cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) (Dimsdale, 2008). CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the arterial walls, causing the inside of the arteries to narrow over time. Acute and chronic stress can cause changes in the body that promote the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries (Dimsdale, 2008). Research has also shown that CAD is commonly found in individuals with type A behaviour patterns (Soufer, 2004). Type A individuals are described as outgoing, ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status-conscious, impatient, anxious, proactive, Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH 3 and overly concerned with time management. People with Type A behaviour patterns are often high achieving "workaholics", which can lead to self-imposed stress and intense reactions to stress, thus increasing the chances of CAD. According to Hapuarachchi et al. (2003), psychological stress is associated with increased oxidative stress, a pro-inflammatory state, increased rate of infection, and cardiovascular disease. This study explored the various markers of stress and how they correlate to immunity and cardiovascular disease. Hapuarachchi et al. (2003) concluded that psychological well-being and stress are both positively and negatively related to cardiovascular disease. High levels of stress can cause a negative impact on physical health, whereas low levels of stress may improve physical health. Conflicting results were found in the Macleod et al. (2002) study. This study concluded that while acute stress leads to symptoms that resembled symptoms of heart disease, such as chest pain, perceived stress was ultimately not reflective of physical disease. “Individuals who perceived and reported their lives to be stressful also tended to perceive and report more symptoms attributable to cardiovascular disease, leading to an association between heightened stress and angina” (Macleod et al., 2002, p. 1249). These results suggest that there is a strong and significant relationship between self-reported stress and self-reported symptoms of coronary heart disease. Stress Related to Immunological Disease Stress itself does not appear to be a direct cause of disease or infection, however the side effects of stress can negatively impact the immune system. Studies have shown that stress has immunosuppressive effects, meaning the immune system is compromised when an individual experiences stress. Individuals that are exposed to daily stressors demonstrate increased risks of Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH 4 clinical disease episodes, in comparison to individuals who are not exposed to the same levels of stress (Niess et al. 2012, p. 134). According to Niess et al. (2002), stress is linked to the onset, progression and occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Niess et al. (2002) found that acute and long-term stress affects the physiological function of the epithelium and causes mucosal inflammation, which is associated with disturbances in epithelial functioning and in the intestines. Niess et al. (2002) continues to say that increased permeability of the epithelium, in response to stress, may induce an elevated transepithelial migration of intestinal microbes. Finally, Niess et al. (2002) concluded that the mucosal immune system could be activated by these enhanced levels, and therefore increasing the severity of IBD. Niess et al. (2002) also mentioned that further research is needed to gain more understanding of how stress is related to IBD. Conclusion This paper sought to review the effects of stress on physical health. The studies reviewed in this paper concluded that chronic stress could increase our chances of developing risk factors associated with heart disease, such as high blood pressure and angina. Research also found that stress can cause our immune system to become compromised. Additionally, type A individuals have been found to have higher stress levels, which can lead to “stress-reducing” activities, such as alcohol consumption, drug use, and tobacco use, which can be harmful to one’s health and increase one’s vulnerability to infection and disease. In conclusion, stress increases one’s vulnerability to psychological and physiological conditions, and therefore it is important that we manage stress with the help of positive coping strategies and distress tolerance skills. Running Head: THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH 5 References Dimsdale J. E. (2008). Psychological stress and cardiovascular disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 51(13), 1237–1246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2007.12.024 Hapuarachchi, J., Chalmers, A., Winefield, A., & Blake-Mortimer, J. (2003). Changes in clinically relevant metabolites with psychological stress parameters. Behavioral Medicine, 29(2), 52-59. Retrieved from http://0-eds.a.ebscohost.com.aupac.lib. athabascau.ca/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=cbf5039e-5fb6-4d93-a6d062bbf9d6e48e%40sessionmgr4010&hid=4113 Macleod, J., Smith, G. D., Heslop, P., Metcalfe, C., Carroll, D., & Hart, C. (2002). Psychological stress and cardiovascular disease: empirical demonstration of bias in a prospective observational study of scottish men. British Medical Journal, 324(7348), 1247-1251. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC113276/ Niess, J. H., Mönnikes, H., Dignass, A. U, Klapp, B. F., & Arch, P. C. (2002). Review on the influence of stress on immune mediators, neuropeptides and hormones with relevance for inflammatory bowel disease. Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers, 65(3), 131-140. Retrieved from https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/64933 Soufer, R. (2004). Neurocardiac interaction during stress-induced myocardial ischemia: how does the brain cope? Circulation, 110(13), 1710-1713. Retrieved from http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/110/13/1710.long
