More Than a Slump: How Stress Shows Up in Your Body
- Kaylyn Kim
- Oct 4, 2025
- 3 min read
For most teens, stress hits close to home (especially if you are balancing school and any kind of sleep schedule)!
That’s why whenever teens think about stress, they may typically imagine themselves pacing the night before a big presentation or anxiously shaking their legs during an exam. However, stress is not always a curse! In fact, stress is an evolutionary mechanism that enabled our ancestors to survive and learn from experience. Today, let’s explore how stress manifests in our bodies and how to recognize these signals!
Types of Stress
Stress is a natural phenomenon that occurs when you are faced with stressors, a term referring to any challenges or changes in your environment. There are three main types of stress.
Acute stress
Short-term stress from a specific event/period, typically associated with positive or negative emotions
Example: Riding a rollercoaster
Episodic acute stress
Regular stress that arises when your lifestyle and/or obligations limit the time or resources to calm down
Example: Working at the Emergency Department and not having time to unwind
Chronic stress
Long-term stress that extends for weeks or months
Example: Financial problems leading to stress that lasts for 3-4 months
When your body recognizes a stressor, your adrenal gland releases hormones, including cortisol, epinephrine (AKA adrenaline), and norepinephrine, into your bloodstream. This release leads to various responses from your body, ranging from increasing your heartbeat to disrupting the lining of blood vessels (known as the endothelium).
In the meantime, the brain activates the sympathetic nervous system, a part of a bigger system referred to as the autonomic nervous system. While the autonomic nervous system is largely responsible for regulating one’s breathing, heart rate, and vision, the sympathetic nervous system particularly homes in on your “fight-or-flight” response.
The “fight-or-flight” response leads to your body subconsciously enlarging your pupils and slowing down digestion to help you survive in dangerous situations.
Physical Manifestations of Stress
While stress is a critical survival mechanism that can save in life-or-death situations, chronic stress may lead to serious consequences, impacting your physical, psychological, and behavioral health. There is a side-by-side comparison down below!
Physical side effects | Psychological side effects | Behavioral side effects |
Headaches | Anxiety | Eating disorders |
Sleep deprivation | Sadness | Substance abuse |
Hypertension | Panic attacks | Smoking |
Digestive problems | Depression | Internet use addictions |
Long-Term Consequences of Stress
Although temporary stress may help you during your SAT or a big home game to focus, prolonged stress can lead to bigger problems over time.
For one, your immune system can weaken, leading to slower healing times or increasing your chances of being infected. Your cardiovascular system might also be compromised, increasing your risk for high blood pressure.
Chronic stress can also affect your appetite. Since cortisol tends to increase your appetite, you are naturally drawn to consume carb-heavy foods. This can lead to visceral fat, a type of body fat that releases hormones and chemicals typically associated with insulin resistance.
From a bird’s eye view, stress can even affect how long your life is. Telomeres, the caps at the ends of chromosomes, naturally shorten with age. However, with additional stress, these telomeres can shorten faster! Without telomeres, cells cannot divide, leaving you just enough time before your body eventually deteriorates.
However, because there is no objective measure of stress, healthcare professionals often 1) have a hard time diagnosing stress and 2) prioritize tackling the physical symptoms before understanding the root causes behind your stress.
My Point-Of-View
As a high-school student, I know how hard it can be to manage social relationships, academic diligence, and sleep at the same time. To be honest, I am not immune to stress either. Some days, I curl up and do nothing all day, while on other days, I feel confident after writing three essays.
Don’t think there is a uniform “path” for everyone. You can go at your own pace, so trust that you’ll find your own way.
Final Words
Stress is an inevitable part of life that you cannot control, but what you can control is how you choose to respond to and manage stress.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, mental health is inextricably tied to your physical health, so I encourage you to get some exercise—whether it is a stretch or a full-body workout—to help your brain register that it is not in danger.
By setting goals and healthy boundaries, you can overcome this very stressful period of being a teenager. Always know that if you feel overwhelmed or burnt out, you can reach out for help through your school counselors or therapists. If you are considering inflicting self-harm, please reach out to your local crisis lifeline.
References
Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-to-your-body-during-the-fight-or-flight-response
Image Credits
All images were created using Canva.
© 2025 Kaylyn K. | All rights reserved
Originally published at themedtales.com
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