20/01/2026
Caring for your mental well-being is always important, but it becomes especially crucial during times of increased stress—whether caused by family matters, work pressures, financial concerns, or personal challenges. When acute stress is combined with ongoing, long-term stress and anxiety, it can significantly impact both mental and physical health.
Here’s why: Cortisol, often referred to as the “stress hormone,” is produced by the adrenal glands. Its levels rise during periods of physical, emotional, or psychological stress and decrease when the body is in a relaxed state. While cortisol plays an important role in helping the body respond to immediate threats, prolonged elevation can be harmful.
When cortisol levels remain high, the body shifts its energy toward managing the perceived stressor rather than maintaining other essential functions, such as digestion and immune support. A helpful way to think about this is the “being chased by a lion” analogy. If you’re running from a lion, your body isn’t concerned with digesting food or fighting off illness—it’s focused solely on survival.
Under normal circumstances, cortisol helps regulate metabolism, appetite, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight. However, chronic stress can disrupt these processes and may contribute to increased anxiety, depression, headaches, memory issues, brain fog, digestive problems, a weakened immune system, weight gain, insomnia, pre-diabetes, and more.
Janie ☺️ 💪🙏
