Fight or Flight in the 21st Century

Stress is a normal daily routine that our bodies go through as soon as we wake up with the release of cortisol. Cortisol helps us to become fully awake and alert to begin the day. While this type of stress is a good and necessary thing, the stress response is not meant to be activated for long periods of time (weeks, months, years).

Long-term stress can lead to anxiety, sleep disorders, and heart disease. In the United States, 77% of adults say that they have physical signs of long-term stress (https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2007/10/stress).

There are ways to combat stress and prevent these physical ailments. The most proven method for dealing with stress is to get adequate sleep, make sure to get proper nutrients, and exercise frequently. Learn more about stress and how to combat it starting on page 8 of Healthy You- Spring 2020 UMR wellness magazine. 

You can access this magazine on the HU Portal under Personnel > Benefits > Wellness Handouts or by going to the home page of UMR.com.  On the right side of the page, click on the Healthy You Magazine tile. You do not need to be enrolled in the HU Health Plan to access this informational magazine.  Healthy reading.