It depends.

The stress response is the set of reactions induced in the body each time we are confronted to a stressor, i.e., anything that disrupts our physiological and psychological balance (homeostasis). Stressors, whether positive or negative, trigger a fight or flight situation.

Stress is therefore necessary and crucial for surviving life’s ups and downs.

It all starts with the alarm stage. The heart begins to pound, the muscles tense, and the mouth dries. These are physical adaptations to changes in various hormone levels. The major stress hormones are cortisol, epinephrine (commonly known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Cortisol, the most important hormone in a stress response, is released by the adrenal glands into the blood stream. It is important to understand the role of the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) in this multipart process of cortisol release.

Stress is the assortment of stressors upsetting homeostasis, and does not create weight gain, until there is disruption in our adrenal rhythms, because the thyroid function is related to cortisol levels, specifically T4-T3 conversion.

The takeaway: stress in general is good and necessary, but the total number of stressors we face and how long they last are what matters most.