Topic - Depression Reduces Girls’ Life Spans
Girls from depressed families have more intense responses to personal stress and when they have stressful experiences, they release much more cortisol than girls whose families aren’t depressed.
Cortisol is called the stress hormone because it’s connected to the body’s response to stress. Its powerful role includes regulating blood sugar levels and metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping control blood pressure.
Too much cortisol has a very negative impact; having normal levels enhances overall health and well-being.
Chronic and intense physical reactions to stress releases free-flowing cortisol which increases inflammation.
Inflammation is the scourge of mankind since it’s related to cardiac and lung disease and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s.
No wonder the life spans of these stressed girls are six years shorter than expected.
