While universally demonized, stress is an inevitable part of life. Stressors, stress-causing situations or events, commonly appear due to relationships, deadlines, jobs, or school. Stress responses are our bodies’ reactions to environmental or psychological stimuli. These responses can result in diverse physical, mental, or behavioral effects on the body [2]. Stress causes irregularities in heart rate, breathing, and perspiration [4]. Human bodies are designed to process stress; people are expected to encounter stressors regularly. However, we have to differentiate between the two main types of stress to manage stress better.
Acute stress
Acute stress is short-term and causes adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol–stress hormones–to signal increased heart rate and cardiac contractions. In short, the fight or flight response is activated once the body is in this state of heightened heart function. Additionally, people with preexisting respiratory diseases are especially susceptible to asthma and panic attacks because “the airway between the nose and the lungs constricts” [1]. Symptoms of acute stress do not require long recovery periods as the body is made to manage them.
Chronic stress
Chronic stress is constant and further stresses the body’s systems. Researcher Jeffrey Birk states that health issues such as “muscle tension, digestive problems, headaches, weight gain or loss, trouble sleeping, heart disease, susceptibility to cancer, high blood pressure, and stroke” are attributed to experiencing stress over prolonged periods [3]. Chronic stress can be overwhelming because it seems endless, requiring more resources to overcome.
[4] https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board