Stress, subjective and objective health

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe the main physiological stress responses and to analyse under which conditions these responses are health-promoting versus health-damaging, and how subjective and objective health is related. The brain communicates with the rest of the body through nerves, hormones and the immune system. Thus, perceived stress affects various systems and organs in the body, such as the cardiovascular and the gastrointestinal systems, sleep and breathing patterns, healing processes, the effectiveness of the immune system and, by feedback mechanisms, the brain itself. These bodily responses to stress have developed during evolution and are necessary for survival and protection of the body. However, activation of the stress systems means energy mobilisation, and in modern society, where stress is often induced by mental and psychosocial conditions, the mobilisation of energy for fight or flight may have harmful consequences on various bodily systems. To maintain health, repeated or long-term activation of these systems, i.e. catabolic processes, has to be followed by periods of rest and restitution to allow growth, healing and buildup of new resources, i.e. anabolic processes. © 2006 The Author(s) Journal compilation 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.