Lifestyle is known to play a significant role in the human and animal stress response. In studies, lifestyle manipulation is known to alter the susceptibility to stress and by being able to modify its damaging effects. For example, in one study researchers assessed the lifestyle components that modified the stress response. The results of the study showed that salivary cortisol increased by 10 % following a midday meal and by 80 % after exercising. There was also a significantly higher stress response when an alarm clock was used compared to when it was absent. While exercise does increase the stress response, the overall effect of long term exercise is to reduce the susceptibility to stress. Likewise although in this study food was shown to increase salivary cortisol levels, studies show that a healthy diet over the long term is able reduce the susceptibility to stress. Sleep is also known to be a great stress reducer, and so it is no surprise that waking prematurely with an alarm clock increases stress levels.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
