Chronic Stress Research Paper

As an adult, we will face uncountable instances of stress or frustration. While certain amounts of stress are considered normal, excessive stressful situations can take a toll on our overall health. Extensive research has been done to show the detrimental effects that stress can have on the body. It can affect sleep habits, the digestive system, heart rate, blood pressure, and can even exacerbate preexisting health problems. Numerous medical and psychological research studies show significant health problems that are either caused or worsened by chronic stress. Stress can affect almost every part of the human body. Even the smallest contributors to our overall health, such as enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and proteins can be influenced by chronic stress. Researchers have found that telomerase, an enzyme that effects cell health can be lower in individuals with chronic stress. Researchers at the University of California have shown that stress reduces the telomere lengths in mothers who care for chronically ill children. This reduction in the length can cause cells to age at a faster rate. This premature aging in …show more content…
Stress can cause mental health issues, and mental health issues can exacerbate problems with chronic stress. It can also deteriorate the function of our cells to cause other mental deficiencies such as dementia. It plays a pivotal role in the function of our nervous system, hormones, and metabolism. Stress can lead to problems with the liver, the pancreas and our insulin levels. It can contribute to obesity, which in turn exacerbate problems with our other processes already affected by stress. It increases the risk for deadly problems such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. With this evidence, we can conclude that chronic stress is absolutely detrimental to our overall