[1] There is a wide range of chronic stressors, but most entail relatively prolonged problems, conflicts and threats that people encounter on a daily basis.
[4] The stress response system thus has its role as an adaptive process to restore homeostasis in the body by actively making changes.
[4] McEwen and Stellar (1993) argued there is a "hidden cost of chronic stress to the body over long time periods".
He studied stress effects by subjecting lab mice to various physical, antigenic, and environmental stressors, including excessive exercise, starvation, and extreme temperatures.
He determined that regardless of the type of stress, the mice exhibited similar physical effects, including thymus gland deterioration and the development of ulcers.
He concluded that humans exposed to prolonged stress could also experience hormonal system breakdown and subsequently develop conditions such as heart disease and elevated blood pressure.
[11] Selye considered these conditions to be "diseases of adaptation", or the effects of chronic stress caused by heightened hormonal and chemical levels.
This response is noticeable when the adrenal glands release epinephrine, causing the blood vessels to constrict and heart rate to increase.
Extensive studies have provided evidence of the association between "chronic stressors and physical health outcomes" [3] Take caregiving as an example.
[22] Although the connection between stress and health requires continuous research,[7] the existing findings have suggested the potential link between the two.
[23] Additionally, chronic stress can suppress neural pathways active in cognition and decision-making, speeding up aging.
Also, being chronically stressed worsens the damage caused by a stroke and can lead to sleep disorders due to the overexposure of cortisol.
[3] Chronic stress measures primarily comprise epidemiological studies that look at current experiences within specific life domains.
Despite its significance, cumulative stress exposure from past experiences is often compromised due to practical difficulties such as limitations on time.
Similarly for prospective studies, the validity of the measures will depend on the accuracy of report and detection by the respondent and monitoring agencies.
[29] It is suggested that individual and environmental contextual factors, such as genes and culture, will contribute to one's vulnerability and resilience to stress.