Does Stress or Poor Lifestyle Increase Cancer Risk?

Stress is something we all face. Some days are more stressful than others, at work, in your home, or at school. But when was the last time you thought about whether stress, and your lifestyle could cause serious long-term health issues like increasing your risk of getting cancer? 

In this blog, let’s look  at whether the stress and lifestyle choices in our life impact our body’s health.

Can Stress Cause Cancer? 

Stress does not directly cause cancer, but chronic stress (especially when we are stressed for long periods of time) can affect how our body reacts to stress, and compromise our bodies  by making it harder for our immune systems to recognize and fight cancerous or potentially cancerous cells. 

Hormones are released in your body when you are stressed. This is a good thing in a short period  when you are in physical danger or anxious about a relevant thing, but when your body is constantly on alert, it creates more burden on the organs in your body. Eventually, the stress hormones can lead to inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and a depressed immune system. All of these may be associated with the development of some cancers. 

How Stress Can Impact Your Habits

Stress affects many areas of our lives. For example, those who are stressed are more likely to: 

• Smoke often or start smoking
• Eat more processed or junk food 
• skipping meals altogether
• Drinking alcohol to make themselves feel better
• Sleeping less or staying up much later than they normally would
• Avoiding exercise or physical activity as part of their daily routine

These habits are all known for specific risk factors that can cause different cancers. Smoking, for example, is associated with lung and throat cancers. Not eating well and not moving our bodies can further increase risk of breast, colon, and liver cancers.  

So even though stress itself does not cause cancer, it definitely leads people towards unhealthy behaviours that will increase their risk. 

Lifestyle Choices That Raise Risk of Cancer

Aside from stress, there are another few lifestyle habits that are very closely correlated with cancer:

1. Smoking and Tobacco Use

This is one of the highest sources of cancer. It affects not only the lungs but the mouth, throat, and other organs.

2. Poor Diet

Eating a lot of processed food, red meat, and fried snacks without enough fruit or vegetables can increase the risk of cancer, especially in the stomach and colon.

3. No Physical Activity 

Sitting constantly, or doing no physical activity at all, can contribute to weight gain, poor digestion and hormone issues. which in some cases can increase the chances of getting cancer.

4. Obesity

Carrying extra weight not only changes your hormone levels but can also cause chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

5. Alcohol Consumption

The habit of drinking too often or too much has many links to cancers including liver, breast, and throat cancer.

6. Poor Sleep 

If you don’t get enough sleep or your sleep is disturbed it will lower your whole health, immunity and probably change the way your body heals and repairs cells.

How Stress and Lifestyle Interact

Stress and unhealthy lifestyle choices move together. A person who is constantly under pressure with work deadlines may eat fast food each night, skip workouts, drink alcohol regularly, and sleep poorly. Each of these increase the risk to health over time.

It’s not about one factor, but a collection of choices that add up and negatively impact the body over time.

Ways to Reduce Your Risk

You do not need to change everything overnight. Even small changes you can think can have a huge impact when added day by day.

Consider doing the following:

• Eat fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Limit processed foods, sodas, and fried foods
• Move 30 minutes a day – walk or bike for example
• Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night
• Allocate ways to relax – reading, deep breathing, stretching
• Talk to someone if you feel stressed

Even changing one small habit can improve your health over time and lower your risk related to serious illness.

When to Seek Medical Attention 

If you’re feeling fatigued all the time, have experienced significant weight loss or weight gain for no reason, or have pain that is not going away, don’t wait! It could be nothing serious, but you should always be cautious. 

At Sugam Hospital, known for the best cancer treatment in Chennai, have specialists who do health checks, screening and provide care for everyone wanting to understand their personal risk. We support people to take simple, practical actions to improve their daily life and long-term health.

It’s impossible to completely eliminate stress, but you have a choice of how you can react. When paired with poor habits, stress can negatively influence the way your body reacts. However, if you can manage your food, sleep, and activity, the chances of long term issues like cancer are decreased.

You know your body better than anyone, act in time, and get action when you need it.  It can be worth the difference.