Duke Medicine: Stress triggers and tricks to tame them

It’s a car full of rowdy kids. It’s an unyielding client at work. It’s the grocery shopping and the vacuuming that never gets done.

It’s stress, and though it may seem to be ”all in your head,” it’s actually a full-body event.

Stress causes the body to increase its production of hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol; high levels of these hormones are linked to a variety of ills, from weight gain (in the form of fat) to disruptions in the body’s blood sugar levels.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as muscle relaxation exercises, can decrease the levels of these stress hormones in your body. Duke medical psychologist Richard Surwit, PhD, who wrote The Mind-Body Diabetes Revolution, says we can all learn simple techniques to manage stress on our own.