Our hard-wired stress response is designed to give us the quick burst of heightened alertness and energy needed to perform our best. But stress isn't all good. When activated too long or too often, stress can damage virtually every part of our body. Sharon Horesh Bergquist gives us a look at what goes on inside our body when we are chronically stressed. [Directed by Adriatic Animation, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Jure Buljević].

Sharon Horesh Bergquist: How stress affects your body

How stress affects your body

Stress's biochemical messengers, cortisol, and adrenaline, can lead to hypertension and atherosclerosis, elevating heart attack risks.

Chronic stress damages your body, elevating heart attack risk and altering gut function, proving detrimental to long-term health.

Shortened telomeres from stress may accelerate cellular aging, linking high stress levels with a reduced lifespan and health decline.