Stress Facts and Factors - Longevity Blog

Is stress killing you? The following information provides some perspectives on the nature of stress and its risk factors to health, longevity and quality of life. Stress is an individual experience. It is dependent on your ability to relax and manage your thoughts and emotions. The importance of minimizing stress cannot be stressed enough.

Stress is considered the “world epidemic of the 21st century” by the World Health Organization.
Stress is the cause of 60% of all human sickness and disease.
75% of doctor’s visits are related to stress based ailments.
Chronic stress increases cytokines, which leads to inflammation damaging arteries and organs.
Stress has been labeled as “the silent killer” as it is associated with heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain, and heart palpitations. It is also linked to other leading causes of death: cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis, and suicide.
Work is considered one of the most commonly reported sources of stress in adults.
Work stress causes 10% of strokes.
The leading sources of work stress in the US in 2017 were workload and people issues.
62% of adults in the US believe that the cause of their headaches in 2017 is stress.
Cortisol, the stress hormone, leads to abdominal fat accumulation and enlargement of individual fat cells. Abdominal fat increases the risk of dementia (and other problems).
Not getting adequate sleep can lead to belly fat gain.
A single stressful event can kill brain cells and impact memory.
Chronic stress releases hormones to the brain that damage, shrink and kill neurons.
Stress increases the risk of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer. Optimism and happiness seem to protect women from breast cancer.
Stress can cause hair loss, even months after the stressful event.
Dark chocolate reduces cortisol and other stress related hormones.