How stress affects your body – Sharon Horesh Bergquist

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-stress-affects-your-body-sharon-horesh-bergquist

Our hard-wired stress response is designed to gives 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.

Lesson by Sharon Horesh Bergquist, animation by Adriatic Animation.

44 Comments

  1. I appreciated how the speaker explained that stress isn't just a mental state—it triggers real physical changes, like hormonal shifts and immune effects. It was eye‑opening to learn how chronic stress can contribute to things like indigestion, muscle tension, or even higher infection risk.
    One idea I'd add: small, daily practices—like short mindfulness breaks or breathing exercises—can interrupt that stress response before it spirals. It would be interesting to see a follow‑up video on practical strategies for that "interrupt," especially tailored to students or professionals. What simple tools do others find most effective in managing their daily stress?

  2. “Brilliant video explanation! Brahmi powder by Planet Ayurveda is highly beneficial in managing depression, stress, and mental fatigue.”

  3. I thought this was a myth when I was 15 but am now the biggest victim of this. I worked overtime all week last week and now I can’t get out of bed and have been staring at the ceiling for the past 6 hours.

  4. I'm struggling with dizziness, fatigue, and brain fog. I have 20 days left until the exam I've been preparing for for a year. I've been to ophthalmologists, ear specialists, and neurologists, and they all recommend staying away from stress to alleviate my symptoms. And now, here i am watching a vid about harms of the stress and being stressed about my stress.

  5. Today, I experienced something. I had some overwhelming anxious thoughts after a minor incident(something that wouldn't affect me, but did). My heart started beating fast and hard, I was breathing hard, my muscles started aching. I was fidgeting on spot, wanted to jump out of that position. After that incident, my body was sore. Felt like I just got off from a rollercoaster, but the thing was I felt no joy. My usual sense of motivation was gone. My body still feels tired af even though there was no labour.

  6. How about stress caused mostly by certain people? In a case where one cannot get away from it wholly, and the stressor person keeps coming back attacking accusing of fraud and picks apart every single thing in this legal matter? To the point one also is stressed that said person will actually take legal action (bogus though it may be)? Can this all cause or super instigate major pain all over the body?

  7. Can confirm, I've been through a lot this year and i noticed a huge change in my appearance, hair loss, dark circles, and a dull look along with weight loss. It's a huge issue .

  8. Endokrin (hormon) sistemimizdeki böbrek üstü bezlerimizden salgılanan steroit yapılı bir hormon olan Kortizol , uzun süreli stres durumunda vücuttaki amino asitleri glikoza çevirir ve bu süreçte çok zehirli bir atık olan aamonyak (NH3) oluşur.. en basit bilgilerine soyleyebilirm ki , bağışıklığını hastalıklara daha duyarlı hale gelir. (Bana da sürpriz oldu çünkü bu dersi bugün gördük 😊

  9. I had never been so concentrated on video….I suffer from panic attack and chronic anxiety for too long….I am supposed to continue meditation but I am a bit tired with it!

  10. Единовременный стресс-это не стресс, а у меня он длится третий год.😢😢😢😢. Впереди неизвестность. И суд затянулся и полиция ничего не делает. И юрист ничего не делает. И самое главное-я в такой неизвестности даже работу не могу искать. И со здоровьем проблемы, с ногами😢😢😢😢. Мне бы уколы в колено что ли, денег нет😢

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