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Sustained Stress

Meaning

Sustained stress refers to a prolonged, persistent state of physiological and psychological activation resulting from continuous exposure to chronic or unresolved stressors without sufficient periods of rest or recovery. This unrelenting challenge to the body’s homeostatic mechanisms leads to allostatic overload, causing cumulative wear and tear on the body’s critical regulatory systems. Clinically, sustained stress is a significant, documented contributor to the development of chronic health conditions, including HPA axis dysfunction, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular pathology.