Chronic stress creates a biological burden that accumulates when the body lacks opportunities to recover, according to research published in Trends in Neurosciences.
While stress is a natural human response to challenging, unpredictable, or novel circumstances, the absence of rest cycles can lead to long-term health consequences.
Stress functions as a necessary biological adaptation, mobilizing the nervous, endocrine, immune, and metabolic systems to respond to environmental demands. However, maintaining this state of heightened activation requires significant energy.
Research indicates that when individuals remain in a state of constant readiness—such as caregivers who must monitor for emergencies even while sleeping—the body cannot return to its baseline. This sustained state of “vigilance and defense” redirects resources away from essential cellular maintenance and repair.
Dr. Alexandra Crosswell, a stress scientist and psychologist, is a former professor at the University of California, San Francisco. Along with colleagues including Elissa Epel, Lauren Whitehurst, and Martin Picard, Crosswell developed a theoretical model called Deep Rest. This state allows the body to shift its energetic priorities from defense to restoration.
The model proposes that contemplative practices—such as prayer, yoga, time in nature, or quiet contemplation—share a common goal: creating a felt sense of safety.
“Your body needs to feel safe to shift away from the fight-or-flight stress arousal mode it’s spending all day in,” Crosswell said.
Traditional stress management often focuses on specific behavioral prescriptions, such as journaling or scheduled breathwork. However, the effectiveness of these practices depends on whether they help an individual enter a state of physiological safety. Because stressors like financial insecurity or caregiving duties are often persistent, the goal is not to eliminate stress entirely, but to ensure the body has the capacity to recover.
Why is chronic stress considered more damaging than occasional stress?
Occasional stressful events allow the body time to return to a baseline state of rest. When stress is chronic, the biological burden accumulates because the body remains in a state of readiness, which studies show is linked to increased risks of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, as well as accelerated biological aging.
What distinguishes Deep Rest from standard relaxation? Deep Rest is defined as a physiological state where the body reduces its demands for vigilance.
Can exercise or meditation replace the need for Deep Rest?
While practices like meditation or exercise are beneficial, they may feel inadequate for those facing major, inescapable life stressors. The research suggests that the specific practice matters less than the physiological state it creates, meaning individuals should prioritize activities that help them personally feel safe and restored.
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