If you have ever experienced chronic pain you know firsthand how difficult it can be to get a good night’s sleep. Sleep and pain appear to have a bidirectional relationship. For instance, many people say that their painful symptoms tend to be alleviated after a better night’s sleep. Therefore, if you are living with chronic pain, prioritizing sleep may significantly help in recovery.
We all have experienced stress at one point in our lives. But, not everyone experiences it in the same way. Stress indeed takes a toll on our minds, but did you know that sometimes physical symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that your brain is under too much stress? Stress and chronic pain have a complex relationship. At times, physical symptoms are not caused by any illness. Stress could be the underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Prolonged or unmanaged stress can wreak havoc on your body, resulting in body pains, aches, and other symptoms.
Adrenal glands are one of the vital structures that contributes to overall health. This triangular-shaped gland is located on top of each kidney and it consists of two parts – the outer region (adrenal cortex) and inner region (adrenal medulla). The adrenal cortex produces glucocorticoids (i.e., cortisol), which is a hormone that has important effects on the heart, metabolism, blood pressure, immunity, bone, and nervous system. Cortisol levels vary in the blood throughout the day, but generally high when you wake up in the morning and fall throughout the day. However, if you work at night, the reverse is the case. So cortisol production is linked to your daily activity pattern. Both cortisol deficiency and its overproduction have a significant effect on the body, which we are going to talk about in this article.
