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Cortisol and Work Pressure

Meaning

The relationship between cortisol and work pressure describes the physiological stress response where demanding professional environments lead to the chronic activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, resulting in sustained elevations of the glucocorticoid hormone, cortisol. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress mediator, mobilizing energy resources and suppressing non-essential functions to manage perceived threats, which in the modern context often translates to high workload or organizational strain. Chronic dysregulation of this axis due to unrelenting work pressure can disrupt circadian rhythms, impair immune function, and negatively affect the balance of other key hormones like sex steroids and thyroid hormones.