Stress Affects Your Body: High Cortisol, Effects, and Relief Tips

In 2024, over half of Americans reported being frequently stressed, according to the American Psychological Association, with US politics, housing costs, and health care being some of the top things people worry about.  If you’ve ever felt like your body is on high alert and your mind screams, “Why am I so uptight?” you’re not alone—many people grapple with overwhelming tension.  This article will explore the connection between stress and physical health, effective strategies for coping with stress, and insights into what you can do to reclaim your well-being and find mental, emotional, and physical peace.

What is Stress?

Different Types of Stress

1. Acute stress

Can stress be a good thing? Yes! Acute stress is short-term stress that is your body’s response to an immediate threat or challenge. Examples of when you might experience acute stress are speaking in front of a crowd, helping during a medical emergency, finishing homework at the deadline, or competing in an event. Acute stress can sharpen your senses and your ability to focus. Other benefits might include enhanced performance and a faster ability to reason than normal. Acute stress might not seem fun, but it’s over soon and does have some benefits.

2. Episodic stress

What is episodic stress? This type of stress occurs when you experience acute stress in frequent intervals. Episodic stress is not constant but cyclical, occurring more frequently than acute stress and often caused by habits or patterns in one’s life. For example, many people with episodic stress have frequent tight deadlines at work, too many projects on their plates, or a season with an overwhelming amount of commitments. However, it does go away for seasons, such as when a project’s deadline has passed or a less busy season occurs in family obligations. 

3. Chronic stress

When the two other types of stress are frequent and relentless, this can turn into chronic stress. Chronic stress is stress that lingers, resulting from long-term pressures at work, a chronic illness, lasting relationship issues, or constant financial concerns. This type of stress does not seem to ebb and flow, but appears to be constantly there. It’s the most harmful of the stresses and can lead to some serious health issues. 

What is Cortisol and Its Role?

Have you heard of the “stress hormone”? This hormone, cortisol, has many functions, including its role in our bodies’ stress response. Some other roles of cortisol include: 

• Regulating metabolism
• Controlling blood sugar levels
• Influencing memory formulation 

Cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, peaking in the morning to help start our energy and gradually declining as night approaches. However, cortisol levels can remain elevated when stress becomes chronic, leading to physiological changes that can disrupt this balance.

Does High Cortisol Cause Anxiety?

Cortisol does not directly cause anxiety disorders, but it is connected. If your cortisol level starts to elevate, you will feel an increase in unease, tension, and sensitivity to stressors. Because high cortisol levels heighten alertness, individuals with high levels of cortisol might experience anxiety, which then triggers more cortisol release, creating an unpleasant cycle of cortisol and anxiety.

Reasons You May Be Stressed

There are many reasons people experience stress. Here are just a few common areas of stress: 

1. Career

Many types of jobs can be stressful and even expose people to hazardous conditions. Also, harsh bosses, unrealistic deadlines, toxic work environments, and unfulfilling careers are frequent stressors Americans report experiencing. 

2. Health 

Sadly, chronic or severe illness or injury is a significant source of stress in many people’s lives. Additionally, fear of losing one’s health and fear of a loved one’s health are reasons to feel stress. Of course, the vast majority of the world experienced very high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Americans claim they are strongly stressed by healthcare availability. Even conditions such as seasonal allergies can trigger stress responses. 

3. Digital Stress

The relentless pace of modern technology, the constant stream of notifications and news, and the pressure to compare to others’ perfect digital lives on social media are huge causes of stress in 2025, especially for the younger generations. 

Effects of Stress

Physical Effects of High Cortisol Levels

Let’s examine a few of the ways high cortisol levels affect many bodily systems.  

Respiratory System

How does stress affect the respiratory system? Stress can cause rapid respiration and can trigger asthma attacks in people with that condition. 

Effects of Stress on the Immune System

When you live in a constant state of stress (chronic stress), your immune system is easily suppressed, which in turn causes your body to be susceptible to illnesses. What is interesting, however, is that short-term acute stress can actually activate your immune response as your body prepares its “fight or flight” response. 

Does Stress Affect Your Muscles?

Imagine walking around with taut muscles for days, even weeks or months on end. Every time you feel stressed, your muscles tense. This can help you when you’re facing an emergency or an attack, but when it’s a chronic condition, your muscles can actually weaken and break down faster.

Stress and Your Heart

Recent studies have shown that “there was a 90% increased risk of cardiovascular events with each doubling of cortisol levels.” This is alarming, meaning that heart attacks, hypertension, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, and other heart conditions are far more frequent if one is experiencing chronic stress. Knowing what to do in case of a cardiac episode is essential to feeling prepared, especially since stress is so common in our society.     

Emotional and Mental Health Consequences of Stress

Do you know the difference between being overwhelmed vs. stressed? Stress is a natural response that occurs in our bodies when facing a challenging situation. Overwhelm is a feeling that happens when we are not coping well with challenging situations. Stress can be beneficial if we allow it to motivate us to respond positively; feeling overwhelmed is a negative emotional reaction to a pile of un-dealt-with stress. A few consequences of allowing stress to become overwhelming are irritability, anxiety, depression, panic, and inability to concentrate on important tasks.

Effective Ways to Relieve Stress

There are many ways to effectively relieve stress. Here are just a few:

• Exercise or simply go for a walk 
• Laugh more often
• Spend time outside
• Mindful relaxation or prayer
• Journaling
• Couseling

Seeking Professional Help When Necessary

Knowing when to see a doctor for stress and anxiety is vital to ensuring your well-being. If your stress has become overwhelming, seek help in order to regain your health as soon as possible. 

Embracing a Healthier Life

The key to embracing a healthier life regarding stress is first to recognize the beneficial role of acute stress, but then to discover ways to not allow it to become chronic. If you do find yourself too stressed, work on mindfully relieving it and reaching out for help if needed.  Being prepared to help anyone experience a cardiac event due to stress will also give you peace of mind, and the Rescue Training Institute is ready to make sure you are equipped for any circumstances.