I’m a GP – seven ways your body reacts to stress without you realising

Detailed summary

Sometimes we have very clear evidence that we are stressed – it might be triggered by an obviously traumatic life event, or so severe that we have become physically unwell. But,…

Sometimes we have very clear evidence that we are stressed – it might be triggered by an obviously traumatic life event, or so severe that we have become physically unwell. But, more often than not, we don’t even realise that we are stressed.

Contrary to popular belief, stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, stress is necessary. Without it, we would find it difficult to survive. Our bodies have a natural stress response system, called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

Our adrenal glands release cortisol, which raises our blood sugar and energy levels so that we can respond to any threat, as well as suppressing what it considers “non-essential” processes, such as digestion, so that we can respond more efficiently.

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