Celebrating the Nobel Prizes and the Impact of Stress on Our Health
This week in honor of the Nobel Award Ceremony on December 10th, I started reading an interesting blog on The Lifestyle Tool, Livsstilsverktyget, a health and wellness app run by the University of Gothenburg, which explored several past Nobel Prize winners in Medicine. I was particularly struck by the fascinating discoveries of Walter Rudolf Hess, who, 75 years ago, won the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking research on how different parts of the brain control our inner organs, including the hypothalamus. His work continues to have a profound impact on our understanding of stress and health today.
The Hypothalamus: A Brain Translator
Livsstilsverktyget describes the hypothalamus as a "translator" in our brains. It deciphers signals from our nervous system and releases hormones into our bloodstream.
One of the most talked-about hormones today is cortisol, commonly known as the stress hormone.
Cortisol: Friend or Foe?
Cortisol often gets a bad reputation for its role in stress and its potential to harm our health. However, cortisol is essential for survival. When faced with a challenge or demand, cortisol levels rise, helping us think more clearly, sharpen our focus, and even grow our memory center in the brain (Livsstilsverktyget).
The problem arises when our bodies can't distinguish between genuine threats—like being chased by a lion—and modern stressors, such as traffic jams or work deadlines. In today’s fast-paced world, we encounter stressors daily. These constant demands activate our sympathetic nervous system, flooding our bloodstream with cortisol and keeping us in a state of high alert.
Over time, this chronic stress can backfire. Instead of enhancing memory, it impairs it. The brain begins misinterpreting daily pressures as threats, potentially leading to anxiety, poor sleep, and heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Ever felt your heart race when your phone dings or an alarm goes off? That’s our chronic stress (Livsstilsverktyget).
The Health Toll of Chronic Stress
Chronic stress creates a vicious cycle of heightened demands, fatigue, irritability, and even conflicts. Physically, the effects are significant. Prolonged high cortisol levels can harm the cardiovascular system, increase blood pressure, and contribute to obesity (Harvard Health Publishing).
Breaking the Cycle: Exercise as a Remedy
So, how can we combat the negative effects of stress and elevated cortisol levels? The answer is simple: exercise.
When we exercise, cortisol is actually released into the bloodstream to boost our pulse and blood pressure, supporting physical activity. According to Livsstilsverktyget the acute stress, the stress that the exercise itself creates in the moment, actually helps lower chronic stress. Exercise helps regulate the cortisol response longterm which means you’re better equipped to handle stressful situations in everyday life (Livsstilsverktyget).
The Takeaway
Walter Rudolf Hess’s Nobel-winning work reminds us of the intricate connections between our brains, hormones, and health. While stress is unavoidable, we have powerful tools to manage it, with exercise being one of the most effective. So next time stress feels overwhelming, remember: sometimes the best way to fight it is to quite literally run away—from stress, toward health and well-being.
To learn more about the Lifestyle Tool please visit the University of Gothenburg's website at https://www.gu.se/en/research/lifestyle-tool
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