July 18th, 2025
Stress is more than just a mental burden—it can quietly impact nearly every system in your body. From digestive issues to trouble sleeping, the effects of chronic stress often show up in ways you may not expect. In this blog, we’ll explore the surprising ways stress can affect your physical and emotional health—and what you can do about it. Let’s get started!
Stress is your body’s natural response to a perceived threat or challenge, also known as a “stressor”. It triggers a chain reaction of physical and mental responses—commonly known as the “fight or flight” response—that helps you react quickly in high-pressure situations. While short bursts of stress can be helpful, chronic stress keeps your body in a heightened state for too long, which can lead to serious health consequences over time.
When you encounter a stressor, your brain’s hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system and signals the release of stress hormones—primarily cortisol and adrenaline—from the adrenal glands.
This increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels to prepare your body for immediate action. Chronic activation can disrupt nearly every system in the body, including the immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Over time, unmanaged stress can contribute to conditions like anxiety, depression, heart disease, and gastrointestinal issues.
Yes, stress can make you sick! Chronic stress can absolutely take a toll on your physical and mental health. When your body stays in a prolonged state of stress, it can weaken the immune system, making you more vulnerable to illness.
Stress can also trigger or worsen conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, digestive problems, headaches, and insomnia. Over time, this constant strain can leave your body worn down, increasing your risk for both acute and chronic health issues. Simply put, your mental state can directly influence your physical well-being.
Stress doesn’t just affect your body—it can take a serious toll on your mental health as well. When stress becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can lead to symptoms like irritability, anxiety, trouble concentrating, sleep disturbances, and emotional exhaustion. Over time, unmanaged stress can increase the risk of developing mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, and mood disorders.
Stress also interferes with your brain’s ability to regulate emotions and process information, making it harder to cope with daily challenges. It can trigger negative thought patterns, intensify feelings of hopelessness, and reduce motivation—creating a cycle that’s hard to break without support.
Recognizing the mental health effects of stress is the first step toward managing it. With the right tools, therapy, and support, it’s possible to reduce stress and regain a sense of balance and emotional well-being.
These are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding stress and sickness. It’s important to remember that stress doesn’t look the same for everyone—it can manifest in different ways and affect each person uniquely.
If you’ve been experiencing stress-related symptoms that are impacting your daily life, it’s always best to talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you understand what’s going on and guide you toward the right treatment or support. Keep reading to learn some of the surprising ways stress can affect your health.
Yes—stress can definitely cause diarrhea. When you're stressed, your brain and gut communicate through what's called the gut-brain axis. Stress activates this connection, often speeding up digestion and triggering muscle contractions in the intestines.
This can lead to symptoms like cramping, bloating, and diarrhea. People with conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) are especially sensitive to stress and may notice more frequent digestive issues during high-stress periods. If you're experiencing ongoing stress-related gastrointestinal symptoms, it may be time to speak with a doctor or therapist.
Yes—stress can slow down your digestive system and lead to constipation. When you're under stress, your body can shift energy away from non-essential functions like digestion, causing the intestines to contract less and move food more slowly.
This can result in infrequent or difficult bowel movements. Stress can also disrupt healthy habits—like eating well, staying hydrated, and exercising—that support regular digestion. If stress-related constipation becomes frequent, consider incorporating stress management techniques and speaking with a healthcare provider for guidance.
No, stress itself does not cause cancer. However, chronic stress can weaken the immune system, promote inflammation, and disrupt hormonal balance—factors that may influence the development or progression of certain diseases. Ongoing stress can also lead to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, poor diet, or lack of sleep, which are known risk factors for cancer. While stress isn't a direct cause, managing it is an important part of maintaining overall health and reducing risk.
Yes, stress can contribute to premature graying. Research shows that chronic stress may damage the pigment-producing cells in hair follicles, known as melanocytes.
When these cells are depleted, hair grows in without color—resulting in gray or white strands. While genetics play the biggest role in when your hair turns gray, high levels of stress may slightly accelerate the process.
Yes, stress can lead to hair loss. One common type is telogen effluvium, where significant stress pushes large numbers of hair follicles into a resting phase, causing noticeable shedding a few months later.
Stress may also trigger or worsen other conditions like alopecia areata (an autoimmune disorder) or trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder). While stress-related hair loss is often temporary, managing stress and supporting your overall health can help your hair grow back over time.
Yes—stress can cause hives. When you're under stress, your body releases chemicals like histamine and cortisol, which can trigger inflammation and skin reactions. This may lead to red, itchy, raised welts on the skin known as stress hives.
They can appear suddenly and may last for minutes, hours, or even days. While not dangerous, stress hives can be uncomfortable. Managing stress and using antihistamines or soothing creams can help relieve symptoms. If hives are frequent or severe, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare provider.
Yes, stress can lead to temporary spikes in blood pressure. When you're stressed, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol, which cause your heart to beat faster and your blood vessels to narrow.
While this response is helpful in short bursts, frequent or chronic stress can contribute to long-term high blood pressure, especially when combined with unhealthy coping habits like poor diet, lack of exercise, or smoking. Managing stress through relaxation techniques, exercise, and healthy routines is important for maintaining heart health.
No, stress can not cause a miscarriage. Extreme or chronic stress can impact overall health during pregnancy, but will not cause a miscarriage. High levels of stress can lead to hormonal changes, inflammation, and poor sleep or nutrition—all of which may affect pregnancy health.
However, miscarriage is most often caused by genetic or medical factors beyond a person’s control. If you're pregnant and feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to seek emotional support and talk to your healthcare provider about managing stress safely.
No, stress can not cause a stroke. However, chronic stress may increase your risk of stroke over time. Stress raises blood pressure, promotes inflammation, and can contribute to unhealthy habits like poor diet or lack of exercise—all of which are known risk factors for stroke.
While stress alone doesn’t directly cause a stroke, its impact on your cardiovascular system can make you more vulnerable. Managing stress through lifestyle changes, therapy, or relaxation techniques can help reduce your overall risk.
Yes, stress can cause chest pain. When you're under stress, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline, which can lead to muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, and changes in breathing—all of which may trigger tightness or pain in the chest.
This type of discomfort is often referred to as stress-induced chest pain or non-cardiac chest pain. However, because chest pain can also be a sign of a serious heart condition, it’s important to seek medical attention to rule out other causes.
No, stress does not cause ulcers. Most stomach ulcers are caused by a bacterial infection (H. pylori) or long-term use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen. However, chronic stress can increase stomach acid production and affect the protective lining of the stomach, potentially aggravating existing ulcers or making you more vulnerable to developing them. Stress alone doesn’t directly cause ulcers, but it can make them worse.
While stress alone is often not enough to give you a heart attack, stress can hurt your heart. Intense or prolonged stress can increase the risk of a heart attack. When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which raise your heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can wear down your heart.
Chronic stress can also contribute to inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries. This increases the risk of heart problems like heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, and heart failure. In some cases, sudden emotional stress can even trigger a condition called stress cardiomyopathy or “broken heart syndrome,” which mimics a heart attack.
If you're constantly stressed, you might notice symptoms like chest pain, a racing heart, trouble breathing, and a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
Stress can contribute to episodes of vertigo. When you’re highly stressed or anxious, your body may respond with dizziness, lightheadedness, or a sensation of spinning. This happens because stress can affect your inner ear also known as the Vestibular system (the organ in your inner ear that controls your balance).
High levels of stress hormones like cortisol can interfere with how your brain receives balance signals from your inner ear (vestibular system). These hormones may affect how your nerves send messages, which can lead to dizziness or balance problems. While stress-related vertigo is usually temporary, frequent episodes should be evaluated by a medical professional to rule out other causes.
Stress alone cannot kill you, however, it can severely impact your mental and physical health. While stress itself can’t kill you, over time, stress can cause damage that can lead to premature death. This damage can range from heart problems to increased risk of unhealthy habits, such as smoking or excessive alcohol use just to name a few.
As we have seen throughout this blog and probably firsthand in our own lives, stress isn’t just a mental strain—it affects your entire body. Left unchecked, chronic stress can lead to long-term health issues like heart disease, digestive disorders, anxiety, depression, and a weakened immune system.
Ignoring stress can allow small issues to grow into major health risks. That’s why it’s important to recognize the signs early and take steps to manage stress through healthy coping strategies, self-care, and professional support when needed. Prioritizing stress management is an essential part of protecting both your mental and physical health.
It’s time to seek professional help if stress starts to interfere with your daily life, relationships, work, or overall well-being. Here are some signs that may indicate you need support:
A therapist, psychiatrist, or physician assistant in psychiatry can help you identify the root causes of your stress and create a plan to manage it in a healthy way. You don’t have to wait until things feel unmanageable—getting support early can make a big difference.
If stress is taking a toll on your life, you don’t have to manage it alone. Our expert therapists, PA’s in psychiatry, and psychiatrists in Chicago are here to help you build healthier coping strategies and regain control.
With mental health clinics located in the Loop, River North, Lakeview Belmont, Lakeview Broadway, Evanston, and Arlington Heights, you can conveniently find a psychiatrist or therapist near you!
We also offer online therapy and online psychiatry appointments to add more flexibility when it comes to integrating mental health care into your routine. What are you waiting for?
Get affordable therapy and psychiatry services when you schedule your first appointment at Clarity Clinic. Get the compassionate support you need to manage stress and start feeling better today.
Stress Management & TherapyAt Clarity Clinic, we offer the best mental health treatment programs for individuals facing stress, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. Our evidence-based programs include Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) tailored for both adults and teens.
Whether you’re seeking support for overwhelming stress and anxiety, struggling with depression, or navigating a mood disorder, our outpatient mental health programs provide the structured care you need—without requiring overnight stays. With a team of experienced professionals, we deliver comprehensive anxiety treatment, depression treatment, stress treatment, and more with ongoing support to help you or your loved one heal and thrive.
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