What does stress do to your health? Learn about the relationship between the immune system and cortisol

Do you constantly feel exhausted and more susceptible to getting sick? Chronic stress could be the hidden culprit.

If you don't know what causes stress to affect your health, the answer could be in a hormone: cortisol, which affects your defenses in ways you never imagined.

Find out how stress impacts your wellbeing and what you can do to strengthen your body against stress.

What does stress cause to your health? Effects of high cortisol on your body

Cortisol, the stress hormone, is like a bodyguard that protects you in times of tension, but when stress becomes chronic, this protector turns against you, keeping you in a constant state of alert that exhausts your body and weakens your immune system.

In high and sustained amounts, it can cause:

• Weakened immune system: Imagine you're preparing a big project at work, the deadlines are piling up and your sleep hours are dwindling. You feel exhausted and, to top it off, you get the flu. It's no coincidence. High cortisol weakens your defenses, leaving you vulnerable to viruses, bacteria, infections and allergies.
• Digestive problems : Do you feel a knot in your stomach when you are stressed and anxious? Cortisol directly affects your digestive system, causing problems such as indigestion, intestinal irritation, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome. This is because cortisol reduces blood flow and activity in the digestive system.
• Racing heart and sky-high blood pressure : You're stuck in a traffic jam, late for an important appointment, and your heart feels like it's beating out of your chest. Excess cortisol increases blood pressure and puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attack.
• Difficulty falling asleep : You toss and turn in bed, unable to sleep, rehashing the day's worries. High cortisol interferes with your rest, causing insomnia and affecting your ability to concentrate the next day. It also makes you more prone to illness and the flu, because antibodies and infection-fighting cells are diminished when you don't get enough sleep.
• It affects your metabolism: Cortisol can cause insulin resistance and promote fat storage (especially in the abdominal area), heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer.
• Chronic inflammation: Cortisol, in the right amount, helps control inflammation. But when it's constantly elevated, it can have the opposite effect, increasing the risk of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis and asthma.
• Hormonal imbalance : Cortisol also plays a crucial role in hormonal balance. Imagine you're in the week leading up to your period and you're feeling more irritable and sensitive than usual. Stress can make premenstrual symptoms worse by interfering with the production of other hormones.

Serena: the supplement to combat stress in women

Since chronic stress can affect your health in many ways, I want to introduce you to Serena , the supplement designed for women who, like you, are looking to regain balance. Its formula contains all the benefits of Aswagandha Sensoril ® , magnesium glycinate (300 mg), B vitamins and other ingredients, it will help you:

• Regulate cortisol and calm the mind.
• Improve your mood and the quality of your sleep.
• Control cravings and keep your energy stable.

Combine Serena with meditation, exercise and moments of relaxation to enhance its effects. Recover the energy and serenity you deserve.

Important: This content is for educational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice. If you have any health conditions, please consult your doctor.

Sources:

• 5 ways stress affects women's health
• Wagemans, Wibe. *Cortisol: The Master Hormone*. Published in 2019, page 25.
• Sims, Stacy T. *Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass*. Published in 2022, page 112.