Stress is an inevitable part of life, but its consequences are not just mood swings and mental fatigue. Continual stress makes people produce extra cortisol, a hormone that has a critical role in adapting to short-term challenges, but chronically in high quantities it tends to cause harm to the body causing lots of physical and mental disorders.

The adrenal glands produce cortisol, which helps the body control its "fight, flight, or freeze" response. Cortisol temporarily adjusts blood sugar levels, maintains blood pressure, and assists the immune system, among other functions, in short spurts. But when stress persists, cortisol remains high, and necessary functions of the body are interfered with and rendered more susceptible to disease.

According to one survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, stress negatively affects a third of Americans' physical health. Concerns are reinforced by research where studies have shown 80% of primary care visits are stress-related.

But why does stress have such a profound impact? Elevated cortisol limits the immune system's ability to fight infections, disrupts hormonal balance, and triggers inflammation. Over time, these changes can lead to serious health complications.

Signs That High Cortisol Is Stressing Your Body

Persistent Eye Twitches

Do you have involuntary eye spasms? These harmless but annoying twitches often indicate elevated cortisol. The tiny muscles around the eyes are extremely sensitive to stress, contracting or spasming because of cortisol's stimulant-like effects.

Skin Breakouts and Sensitivity

Your skin often reflects what is going on inside your body, and chronic stress can cause inflammatory skin conditions. Elevated cortisol levels stimulate oil production, which exacerbates acne. It also slows down the healing process, worsens conditions like eczema, and contributes to general irritation of the skin.

Frequent Bloating and Digestive Issues

It also interferes with the body's balance of salt and water, which causes fluid retention and bloating. Excess cortisol also slows down blood flow to the digestive system, which further weakens gut bacteria and causes poor digestion, excess gas, and abdominal discomfort.

Weight Fluctuations

High cortisol stimulates the production of insulin, which can cause blood sugar to drop, making people want to eat sugary, high-fat foods. For many, this becomes an excuse to stress-eat and gain weight. For others, the opposite is true: their appetite disappears under stress, causing them to lose weight.

Unexplained Bruising

If you’re noticing random bruises, elevated cortisol could be the culprit. This hormone weakens skin proteins and the walls of small blood vessels, making your skin more fragile and prone to damage.

Cold Symptoms That Won’t Go Away

Do you feel rundown or experience muscle aches, fatigue, or upset stomach regularly? Elevated cortisol mimics cold-like symptoms. Long-term stress also weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.

Also Read: Stressed At Work? Your Sleep Might Be Paying The Price, New Study Shows

Vision Problems

Chronic stress can damage your eyesight. Elevated cortisol disrupts blood flow to the eyes, increases eye pressure, and raises the risk of glaucoma. Symptoms like dry eyes, blurred vision, and light sensitivity are also common.

Irregular Menstrual Cycles

Irregular Menstrual Cycles that disrupt the menstrual period. In females, this leads to hormonal distress causing irregular or missed periods. Over time, it may also disturb fertility.

Tinnitus or Persistent Ringing in the Ears

If you hear ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds without an apparent source, stress might be the culprit. Cortisol affects the auditory system by interfering with blood flow and nerve function and could be the trigger for tinnitus.

Increased Inflammation and Chronic Disease

Increased levels of cortisol contribute to inflammation that can exacerbate conditions such as arthritis and promote the development of heart disease. Chronic inflammation is also associated with mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

Long-term Consequences of Increased Cortisol

Left unchecked, high cortisol levels can lead to more than just short-term discomfort. Chronic stress has been associated with serious conditions such as heart disease, psychiatric disorders, and metabolic syndromes. A 2013 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine underlined the link between stress and physical health, with recent research in Neurobiology of Stres supporting these findings.

Ways Managing Stress and Cortisol Levels

Managing stress and cortisol levels is essential for maintaining overall health. One effective approach is practicing mindfulness through meditation or yoga, which helps lower cortisol by calming the mind and promoting relaxation. Regular physical exercise, especially aerobic activities, helps reduce stress hormones and boosts endorphins. Prioritizing sleep is crucial, as lack of rest can increase cortisol levels; aim for 7-9 hours per night.

Another remedy is an overall balanced diet full of anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that could manage cortisol production. Finally, it would prevent burnout and chronic stress if proper boundaries were set at work and in personal life.

Dementia is a condition that devastates many people across the globe. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2021, 57 million people had dementia worldwide and 60% of them were living in low and middle-income countries. Dementia is the result of various injuries to the brain, and it is the seventh leading cause of death globally.

While the symptoms of dementia are well-known and understood, a way to cure it has not been made yet. The risk factors include family history, lifestyle choices etc. So, there can be a touch and go reason as to why someone developed dementia. However, a new study has revealed a way to cut the risk of this condition.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, dementia can be influenced by several other issues like inflammation, thyroid problems etc. So, if one can control these issues, does that slash the risk of dementia?

A study published in the Nature Medicine April 2025 has discovered that if people take steps to get their high blood pressure under better control, they might be able to lower their chances of developing dementia quite a bit – by as much as 15%. What's interesting is that this study also found that making two specific changes to what people eat can play a big part in achieving this lower risk. This suggests that managing blood pressure isn't just about taking medicine; what we eat every day can also have a significant impact on protecting our brains from dementia later in life.

How Did The Study Find This?

Researchers conducted a study over four years with a large group of people living in rural parts of China. They included almost 34,000 adults who were 40 years old or older. The researchers divided these people into two groups. One group, with about 17,400 people, received special help to manage their high blood pressure.

This help included getting blood pressure medication, learning how to check their blood pressure at home, and getting advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle, like losing weight, eating less salty food, and drinking less alcohol. The other group just received the usual medical care for their blood pressure.

The people who received the more intense help to manage their blood pressure not only had a 15% lower chance of being diagnosed with dementia during the four years of the study, but they also had a 16% lower chance of experiencing cognitive impairment.

Cognitive impairment means having difficulties with important brain functions like thinking clearly, remembering things, and solving everyday problems. This shows that really focusing on getting high blood pressure under control can have a big impact on protecting people's brain health and reducing their risk of these serious conditions.

Why Do Researchers Want People To Make This Change Worldwide?

In their report, they strongly suggested that the methods they used in the study – which included medication and lifestyle advice – should be used more widely across the world. They believe that if more people with high blood pressure received this kind of comprehensive care, it could significantly reduce the number of people who develop dementia globally, which is a huge concern for public health.

Sometimes serious health issues fail to get recognized due to their simple symptoms. Many times, things as simple as a persistent cough, or a fever, can end up being a sign of a concerning health issue. Since we deal with these issues on a daily basis, people often do not get them checked out by a doctor; instead, they choose to stay home and recuperate.

However, having information about the same goes a long way. Experts explain these symptoms and issues to people on various platforms, like social media or governmental portals. One such warning was issued by the National Health Service, England (NHS) about a common warning sign, that many people experience after eating.

NHS says this feeling of ‘heartburn’ could actually be one of the "least-recognised" signs that someone might have cancer. What's concerning is that a large majority of people in Britain, around 79% according to their findings, would not even think that this particular symptom could be a signal of a deadly disease growing inside their body. This lack of awareness means that crucial early warning signs could be easily overlooked, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment, which can have serious consequences for the outcome of the illness.

Heartburn Could Be A Serious Concern

A new survey that was carried out by NHS England revealed a worrying trend: many of the initial warning signs that could point towards cancer are being easily missed by the general public. One of the key examples they highlighted is heartburn and indigestion. These are feelings that a lot of people experience from time to time, often as a result of eating too much, eating their food too quickly, or consuming certain types of foods that don't agree with them.

However, the NHS experts are emphasizing that heartburn that persists for a period of three weeks or even longer could be an early indication of oesophageal cancer. This is a particularly dangerous form of cancer that sadly leads to the deaths of around 8,000 people in the United Kingdom every single year, making early detection absolutely vital for improving survival rates.

Recognizing Changed Signs

To get a better understanding of what the public knows about cancer symptoms, NHS England conducted a survey that involved a significant number of people, around 2,000 individuals in total. The results of this survey were quite revealing. They found that heartburn, specifically heartburn that lasts for three weeks or more, was the cancer symptom that people were least likely to recognize as a potential warning sign.

Eight out of every ten people who were surveyed, which translates to 79% of the participants, did not identify this persistent heartburn as something that could possibly indicate cancer. However, heartburn wasn't the only symptom that wasn't widely recognized. The survey also showed that more than half of the people didn't recognize blood in their urine (even if it happened just once), nearly half didn't recognize unexplained weight loss, and over four in ten people didn't recognize an unexplained lump anywhere on their body as a potential sign of cancer.

Signs You Should Not Ignore

NHS England advises contacting your doctor if you notice any of the following: lumps, changes in moles, blood in poo or pee, unusual bleeding, a cough lasting three weeks or more, mouth sores that don't heal, tummy trouble, unexplained tiredness, ongoing heartburn, unusual poo, unexplained pain, or bloating.

Other less common signs of oesophageal cancer include trouble swallowing, feeling sick, a persistent cough, a hoarse voice, loss of appetite or weight loss without trying, tiredness, throat or chest pain when swallowing, and black poo or coughing up blood.

When Todd Engel, based in Maryland, first noticed a change in his vision, he did not think it would change the rest of his life. However, within months, the 62-year-old went from working a full-time job and driving to becoming legally blind in both eyes. Now, Engel is suing Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic - the drug he believes took away his vision.

An Irreversible Loss

Engel was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to help manage his type 2 diabetes. After four months later, he was diagnosed with nonarthritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). It is a rare condition where blood flow to the optic nerve is blocked and causes sudden and irreversible vision loss.

"He made a comment to me about how it’s painful to know he’s never going to see his wife smile again," said Engel’s attorney Jonathan Orent, who spoke to NBC News. "But he knows her voice so well, he can tell when she is smiling."

As per the American Academy of Ophthalmology, NAION affects about 10 in every 100,000 people over the age of 50. For Engel, the diagnosis meant that he no longer would work his job as a motor equipment operator. He also lost his ability to drive and the way he connects with his family.

What Does His Lawsuit Allege?

Filed in New Jersey’s Middlesex County Superior Court, the lawsuit accuses Novo Nordisk of negligence, alleging the pharmaceutical giant failed to properly warn users about the potential risk of NAION. Engel's legal team argues that the company was aware of the condition during early clinical trials but still chose not to include it in the warning label.

“Nothing was or is stopping Defendant from adding a warning regarding the risk of NAION,” the lawsuit states.

Had Engel known about a potential link between Ozempic and blindness, Orent said, he would have chosen a different medication. “There are a wide number of medications that can be used to treat diabetes — and treat it effectively,” Orent said to NBC News.

What Do Research Say About Ozempic And Blindness?

Ozempic, and its active ingredient semaglutide, is part of a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, initially designed to treat Type 2 diabetes but now widely used for weight loss. Recent studies have hinted at a possible link between semaglutide and NAION — though causation hasn’t been confirmed.

A 2024 study which analyzed six years of medical records from Boston patients found that people with diabetes who took semglutide were four times more likely to be diagnosed with NAION.

Even more striking, overweight or obese people without diabetes who took the drug were over seven times more likely to be diagnosed with NAION.

However, researchers noted this study wasn’t a randomized clinical trial and said more investigation is needed before drawing conclusions.

In February 2024, a separate paper published in JAMA Ophthalmology reported a more modest increase in the risk of NAION for people with diabetes on Ozempic. Like the earlier study, it also stressed the need for further research.

What Do The Manufacturers Say?

Novo Nordisk's spokeperson told the NBC News that current evaluations, including internal safety reviews and a study from the University of Southern Denmark found no causal relationship between NAION and Ozempic.

The company said that NAION is not listed as an adverse drug reaction. “This also relates to eye conditions, which are well-known comorbidities for people living with diabetes,” the spokesperson said.