Stress is a fact of life. Short-term stress is normal and helps us deal with immediate challenges. Our stress response is managed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system, which release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol when faced with stress. This response is vital for survival and maintaining balance in the body - however, chronic stress, lasting for a long time, can harm our health, affecting mental health, the heart, immune system, digestion, cognitive function, and energy levels.

As discussed in my previous blog, chronic elevation of the stress hormone cortisol is one of the most significant root causes of health issues in many of my clients. It can have long-term effects on many aspects of health and well-being, including metabolism, sleep, brain, and mood.

Have you ever thought about what’s actually creating stress in your body? It might not be what you think.

If you want to train your body to be more resilient to stress (so it doesn’t have so much control over your life), it helps to understand stress hormones. There are 2 stress hormones I want you to know about: Cortisol & Adrenaline (also called Epinephrine).