Name: English Podcast | How Stress Affects Your Body & Mind | Learn English Podcast
Uploaded: 2026-03-04T04:47:04.000Z
Duration: 10 min 25 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Gerund

Welcome back to the Simple English podcast where we make learning easy and fun.

I'm Lisa, your host and today's topic is something I think we all deal stress.

Have you ever had days where you feel overwhelmed, tired, or just not yourself?

What's really going on in your body and mind when you're stressed?

Today we're going to break down how stress affects both your physical and mental health.

To help us understand it better, we have David here with us.

David is an expert in health and wellness and he's going to explain what stress does to us and why managing it is so important.

Don't forget to check out the free PDF file in the comment section below to get the full transcript and new vocabulary for this episode.

Hi Lisa, thanks for having me on the show.

Stress is definitely something we all experience, but

many people don't realize just how much it can affect our bodies and minds.

I'm excited to break it all down for your listeners today.

I'm sure our listeners will find this super helpful.

And for those listening, make sure you stay tuned because later in the episode we'll share a fun fact about stress that might surprise you.

David, can you start by explaining what happens in the body when we feel stressed?

When you're stressed, your body goes into something called fight or flight mode.

This is your body's natural response to danger.

Let's imagine for a moment that you're walking in the woods and suddenly a big bear jumps out.

Your brain immediately senses the danger and it prepares your body to either run away or fight the bear.

So what happens next is your brain sends signals to your body to release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

These hormones prepare your muscles, increase your heart rate, and make you breathe faster.

All of this is your body's way of getting ready to either fight or run.

So that's why your heart starts beating really fast when you're scared or stressed.

We're not facing bears every day, so why do we feel stressed in situations like work or school?

Even though we're not facing life threatening situations like bears or lions, our body reacts to modern stress in the same way.

For example, if you have a big presentation at work or if you're late for an important meeting, you, your body still Goes into that fight or flight mode, Even though the situation isn't dangerous in the same way.

So even something like a tough deadline or a lot of homework can trigger that response.

Your body doesn't know the difference Between a real physical threat, like a bear, and

a mental or emotional challenge, like a stressful day at work or school.

The same stress hormones are released, and your body goes through the same physical changes.

Your heart beats faster, your muscles tense up, and your brain stays on high alert.

This is useful in the short term, like if you need to focus and get through a difficult situation.

But when stress lasts for a long time, it can be harmful.

So what happens if we're stressed all the time?

Like, if we're always dealing with deadlines or personal problems, does that put too much pressure on our bodies?

And that's the problem with chronic stress.

When you're stressed all the time, your body stays in fight or flight mode for too long.

That can lead to serious health problems.

For example, stress can raise your blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease.

It can also weaken your immune system, Making it harder for your body to fight off illness.

That's why people who are constantly stressed Often get sick more easily.

So stress can actually make us physically sick?

It can cause headaches, stomach problems, and trouble sleeping.

And over time, it can even lead to bigger problems like heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

I've heard people say that they get a stress headache.

When you're stressed, the muscles in your neck and shoulders can tense up, which can lead to headaches.

Stress also affects your digestive system.

That's why some people feel sick to their stomachs when they're anxious or worried.

I think a lot of people can relate to that.

But stress doesn't just affect the body, right?

Stress can have a big impact on your mental health, too.

When you're stressed, it can be hard to focus, make decisions, or even remember things.

This happens because stress affects the part of your brain called the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and learning.

Over time, chronic stress can also lead to anxiety and depression.

So it's not just about feeling overwhelmed.

It actually changes how your brain works.

Chronic stress can shrink parts of your brain, Making it harder to handle new challenges.

That's why it's so important to manage stress before it becomes too much to handle.

Now that we've talked about all the serious effects of stress.

Let's take a quick break for our fun fact of the day.

Did you know that not all stress is bad for you?

Yes, there's something called eustress, which is positive stress.

This kind of stress helps motivate you and can actually improve your performance.

For example, when you're about to give a presentation or take part in a competition, a little bit of stress can help you stay focused and energized.

It's your body's way of getting you ready to perform at your best.

a little stress can push you to succeed, whether you're studying for an exam, training for a race, or working on a big project.

I guess that's why some people say they work better under pressure.