Best Self Magazine

Chronic Stress: The Silent Hormone (And Life) Hijacker

Chronic Stress: The Silent Hormone (And Life) Hijacker Dr. Stephanie Gray. Photograph of busy crosswalk with people by Ryoji Iwata
Photograph by Ryoji Iwata

When a doctor comes face-to-face with her own health scare, she chooses to practice what she preaches and address the root causes.

Stress is unavoidable. It’s a part of life that comes in all shapes and sizes. However, being cognizant of its presence and learning to navigate it are literally the keys to your wellness journey. 

Some even say stress can be a healthy motivator, while others would beg to differ. If you are finding yourself chronically tired, uneasy and unable to perform — your body may be experiencing a strong sense of imbalance. The culprit may be none other than chronic stress.

Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way. I was born in the Midwest and grew up in what I considered to be a very healthy family. We ate home cooked meals, regularly visited the chiropractor, took our daily vitamins, and were always engaged in some sort of physical activity. I thought I was the epitome of perfect health. And yet, just a few years ago sitting at my desk between seeing patients my heart rate took off. I kind of panicked as I had never experienced anything like this in my life. 

I was taken to the emergency room that day as my heart continued racing. As it turns out, I was experiencing tachycardia. I was short of breath, had lots of palpitations, and WOW was it interfering with my sleep. I was exhausted as well. It felt like my world was falling

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