Stress is a complex phenomenon. On one hand, stress hormones are essential for life. Epinephrine helps regulate organ function, focuses your attention, and triggers your fight-or-flight response. Cortisol controls metabolism, fights infection, regulates blood glucose, maintains blood pressure, and is also involved in the fight-or-flight response.

Positive stress — and a positive response to stress — allows for growth, excellence, and enjoyment of challenges both physical and psychological.

But if stress hormones are overstimulated from prolonged and heightened emotional reactions, or if their natural ebb and flow is disturbed because of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or depression, they can do more harm than good — triggering body-wide inflammation and cognition problems.

A new study in JAMA Network Open looked at the impact of stress on 24,000 people ages 45 and older. It found that those who had the most stressful lives were 73% more likely to have poor cognitive abilities.

If you are contending with a damaging chronic stress response and have ongoing problems with headaches, mood changes, muscle tightness, and fuzzy thinking, don't stress. You can turn that around with a daily stress-relief program that includes 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity, mediation, improved sleep habits, eating a non-inflammatory diet free of added sugars and red and processed meats (as well as highly processed foods), spending time with your posse, and enjoying an activity that fuels your sense of purpose.