The Role of Stress Hormones in Chronic Inflammation
(How the Adrenal System Shapes Our Health, Energy & Healing)
Disclaimer: The information shared here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical care. Always do your own research and consult with a trusted healthcare provider when making health decisions for yourself or your family.
When we talk about stress, we’re often talking about emotions. Feeling overwhelmed, busy, tired, anxious, touched-out, or like life won’t slow down.
But inside the body, stress is chemistry.
Your adrenal glands release two key hormones when the body senses stress:
- Cortisol – helps regulate metabolism, inflammation, blood sugar, and the day-night energy rhythm
- Adrenaline – triggers the immediate “fight-or-flight” survival response
These hormones are not bad. In fact, we need them to:
- Wake up in the morning
- Handle challenges
- Think clearly under pressure
- Protect the body in emergencies
The trouble begins when the stress response is turned on all the time — because the body believes it is constantly under threat, even when we are “just living life.”
This chronic stress response contributes to chronic inflammation, and over time affects every major body system — especially digestion, the immune system, hormones, sleep, and mood regulation.
Stress Isn’t Only Emotional — It’s Physiological
When the brain detects stress (physical, emotional, or environmental), the hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland, which signals the adrenal glands. This is called the HPA axis.
When stress is short-term, the body handles it beautifully. We return to calm, cortisol lowers, and inflammation resolves.
But when stress is ongoing, the body never fully returns to a resting state. Cortisol stays elevated longer than it should.
And at a certain point, your tissues stop responding to cortisol the way they’re supposed to. This is called cortisol resistance — and this is where chronic inflammation begins.
Cortisol Resistance and Chronic Inflammation
Normally, cortisol helps reduce inflammation. This is one of its main jobs.
But when cortisol is high for too long, the body becomes less responsive to it — almost like it can no longer “hear” the message. When this happens, the immune system never gets the signal to turn inflammation OFF.
Common signs of cortisol dysregulation include:
- Joint or muscle pain
- Chronic fatigue or mid-day crashes
- Sugar or carb cravings
- Irritability or “wired but tired” energy
- Weight gain around the abdomen
- Cycle irregularities or PMS
- Skin inflammation (eczema, hives, rashes, acne)
- Headaches or migraines
- Feeling overwhelmed by small things
Cortisol is deeply linked with blood sugar and thyroid function, which is why stress often leads to weight fluctuations, sluggish metabolism, feeling cold often, or mood swings.
Adrenaline’s Role in the “Go, Go, Go” State
Adrenaline is released when the body feels unsafe or overstimulated. And here’s the key:
The body does not distinguish between actual danger and emotional stress.
Running late…
Too much noise…
Multi-tasking…
Scrolling before bed…
Feeling like you “have to keep up”…
Trying to hold everything together for everyone…
All of these can trigger adrenaline.
Adrenaline increases:
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Muscle tension
- Shallow breathing
- Feelings of anxiety, restlessness, or urgency
And it directly shuts down digestion, because the body is prioritizing survival over nourishment. This is why stress often shows up as:
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Low stomach acid
- Food sensitivities
- Nausea
The gut and the adrenal system are best friends — when one struggles, the other does too.
Stress, the Immune System, and Inflammation
There is strong research connecting chronic stress to increased inflammatory activity in the immune system.
- Chronic stress shifts the immune system toward a pro-inflammatory state
- Long-term cortisol exposure disrupts immune signaling
- Emotional stress increases inflammatory cytokines, which contributes to pain and fatigue
Over time, this can lead to:
- Slow recovery from illness
- Recurring infections
- Autoimmune flares
- Chronic pain conditions
- Hormonal imbalance and burnout
This is why rebuilding the stress response is one of the most effective ways to support whole-body healing.
Supporting the Adrenal System Naturally
The goal is not to eliminate stress.
The goal is to teach the body how to return to safety more easily.
Small, daily rhythms are often more effective than big lifestyle changes.
Some helpful nervous-system regulation tools:
- Take 3 slow deep breaths before meals
- Keep mornings gentle and screen-free if possible
- Drink warm tea in quiet spaces during the day
- Step outside and let your eyes see natural light
- Dim lights in the evening
- Allow yourself to pause
Even two minutes of slowing can shift the body from “fight-or-flight” into “rest-and-digest.”
Herbal Allies for the Adrenals
These herbs nourish and regulate rather than force or stimulate:
- Nettle Leaf: deeply mineral-rich, replenishes depleted adrenal reserves
- Oatstraw: restores the nervous system and supports emotional steadiness
- Ashwagandha: helps balance cortisol rhythm, calming at night and strengthening during the day
- Lemon Balm: calms adrenaline, especially when there is tension in the chest
- Holy Basil (Tulsi): promotes clarity, emotional grounding, and gentle resilience
Your NORA teas and Nourish & Nurture Multivitamin already include many of these — they are beautiful daily supports.
Nourishing the Body Back to Balance
Chronic stress burns through minerals rapidly. Supporting the body nutritionally helps rebuild resilience:
- Mineral-rich foods (broths, nettle tea, dark leafy greens, sea salt water)
- Protein + healthy fats at meals to stabilize blood sugar
- Sunlight exposure to regulate cortisol rhythm
- Warm, grounding meals instead of cold/raw when digestion feels weak
Healing the stress response is slow and steady work — and that is exactly how the body likes to heal.
Key Takeaway
Chronic stress is not “just in your head.”
It is a real physiological state that affects:
- Hormones
- Digestion
- Sleep
- Immunity
- Energy
- Mood
- Inflammatory balance
When we gently support the adrenals and help the nervous system return to safety, the whole body becomes more resilient — and inflammation can finally resolve.
Small things matter.
Daily nourishment matters.
Your body is always trying to move toward healing.
Reading & Reference List
- Dhabhar FS. “The short-term stress response and immune function.” Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology.
- Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Miller GE. “Psychological stress and disease.” JAMA.
- Sapolsky RM. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.
- McEwen BS. “Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators.” New England Journal of Medicine.
- Slavich GM, Irwin MR. “From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder.” Psychoneuroendocrinology.
- Herman JP et al. “Regulation of the HPA axis stress response.” Comprehensive Physiology.