Stress Can Jeopardize Our Health

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One thing that comes to mind is that patients should try to be as stress and anxiety free as possible before undergoing surgery. The reason is that the healing process from the surgery will be speedier.

In one experiment, 36 women were tested for stress levels and then given a mild suction that created eight minor blisters on their forearms. The fluids from the blisters were tested at five and 24 hours to gauge the concentration of cytokines. Saliva tests were also made for the hormone cortisol.

Women who reported more stress before the experiments showed lower levels of cytokines, but had higher levels of the hormone cortisol. This indicated a curtailing of the healing process, the researchers report.

These studies are important because they show how stress can affect our health. With this knowledge, we may be able to come up with interventions to lower stress and improve our well-being.

Hey, maybe another vacation cruise will do the trick.

Sources: JAMA, July 23, 1999; Archives of General Psychiatry, July 1999.

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