Identifying and Managing Chronic Stressors

A certain level of stress is inevitable in today’s society, and the experiences that shape the stress response may also influence sleep patterns, food intake, blood sugar imbalances, and cardiovascular disease, and vice versa, leading to chronic illness. Many diseases stemming from chronic stress and inflammation have early warning signs, meaning some cases can be prevented or improved with lifestyle changes that help manage stress. The functional medicine model focuses in on identifying stress as a cause of dysfunction and utilizing specific interventions like exercise, meditation, and yoga that work for the individual patient.

On average, health-related concerns account for 65% of stress across all age demographics.¹

In the US, it is estimated that employers spend $300 billion annually on health care and missed days of work due to stress.²

55% of Americans report feeling stressed during the day.³

Stress has physiological manifestations: 41% of people experience fatigue or low energy, 36% experience headaches, 26% experience indigestion or acid reflux, and 23% experience muscle pain.⁴

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