Today's life is easier "with a lot of gadgets," but behind our familiarity are many unexplainable illnesses. Modern life is full of stress. Stress is a foundational illness. People today feel more stress than they did 30/35 years ago, and those 45 to 64 feel it the most.

According to the Mayo Clinic, 'stress' symptoms may affect our health. This affects our minds, bodies, and behaviours. Few people deal with stress in today's society. Communicating with friends and family helps temporarily. More stress on the digestive system, liver, and lungs causes chronic stress.

Before the Covid pandemic, a study found that 1 in 8 people (970 million) had a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression being the most common. COVID-19 caused an increase in anxiety and depression in 2022. Stress causes anxiety, depression, and hypertension. When stressed, our body produces hormones. These hormones temporarily raise blood pressure by making our heart beat faster and narrowing our blood vessels. We also breathe faster and sometimes tense our muscles. Cortisol and adrenaline are released in response to stress. Some evidence links stress to type 2 diabetes. High-stress hormones may stop pancreatic insulin-producing cells from working properly, reducing insulin production. Chronic stress can be devastating. Unchecked stress can cause many health problems, so it is important to recognise and manage common symptoms.

E-mail: rubaiulmurshed@shomman.org