In our last blog, we talked about the impact that the holidays can have on our bodies, both positive (holiday cheer!) and negative (all that added stress and running around). We discussed the link between the release of adrenaline and blood pressure. This week we’re going to discuss the other hormones related to stress.
Cortisol is the other hormone at work when we are under stress. It works to increase sugar in the blood, improves your brain’s ability to use that sugar, and inhibits certain bodily functions that are nonessential in a true fight-or-flight situation. If we were to encounter a physical threat, such as a lion or bear, the body is not concerned with digesting the dinner we just ate or mounting an immune response. What does this mean for you if you’re under too much stress during the holidays? You might catch that cold that is making its way around the office more easily. Did you know there is a direct link between stress, cortisol, and weight gain? Clearly, stress is more than just making our minds feel bogged down, it can have a detrimental effect on our health.
You can’t avoid stress, but we can work to handle it better or mitigate unnecessary stress during the holidays.