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Stress is an unavoidable part of life, and while it often carries a negative connotation, it is actually a fundamental survival mechanism. When faced with a perceived threat, whether physical or emotional, the body instinctively reacts to protect itself. This automatic response is commonly known as the "fight, flight, or freeze" response. While it serves an essential function in dangerous situations, chronic activation of this response due to daily stressors can have significant consequences for mental and physical health.
The body’s response to stress is rooted in human evolution. When our ancestors encountered a predator, their nervous systems immediately prepared them to either confront the threat (fight), escape to safety (flight), or become still and unnoticed (freeze). While modern-day stressors may not include wild animals, our nervous system reacts similarly to job pressures, financial worries, or social conflicts.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is the body's response to change, activating a physiological reaction that helps us adapt and protect ourselves. While short-term stress can be beneficial, prolonged exposure can lead to an overactive stress response, negatively impacting overall well-being.
The fight response prepares the body for direct action. When triggered, the nervous system releases adrenaline, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. While this reaction once helped early humans fend off predators, today it manifests as irritability, frustration, or aggression.
For instance, the employee who has experienced too much workload may work extremely long hours just to succeed. In short term, the action may produce good results but mostly ends in burnout, anxiety, and physical illness, for example, tension headache or digestion problems.
The flight response triggers an intense need to remove oneself from a stressful situation. Just as our ancestors would flee from danger, modern individuals may avoid conflict, quit jobs impulsively, or detach from relationships when overwhelmed.
Flight mode is linked with restlessness and anxiety. Individuals may have a sense of needing to get up and go-pacing, changing environments constantly, or avoiding tasks that seem too overwhelming. Someone with a flight response might have the desire to change jobs constantly, relocate constantly, or become reclusive in order to avoid perceived dangers.
The freeze response occurs when the nervous system perceives a threat as too overwhelming to fight or flee. Rather than taking action, individuals shut down, feeling numb, disconnected, or paralyzed by fear.
Unlike fight or flight, which involve heightened activation, freeze mode slows down physiological functions. A person experiencing freeze mode may feel physically unable to move, struggle to make decisions, or find themselves dissociating from their emotions. This can manifest in situations such as public speaking anxiety, where someone might "blank out" or feel stuck in the moment.
When faced with a stressor, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activates, triggering physiological changes, including:
For those experiencing the freeze response, the body undergoes a different reaction, often reducing heart rate and causing physical immobility rather than heightened activation.
While the stress response is necessary for survival, frequent activation due to daily stressors can take a toll on health. Recognizing your default response—whether fight, flight, or freeze—can help in developing effective coping mechanisms.
If possible, changing your environment can help signal to your brain that the threat has passed. Stepping outside for fresh air, finding a quiet place, or distancing yourself from overwhelming stimuli can help regulate emotions.
Deep, slow breathing can be used to counteract the stress response by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or the 4-7-8 method (inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight) can be particularly effective in calming the body.
This helps release pent-up energy and aids in the endorphin cascade, natural boosters for our mood.
Relieving oneself from stress can come in many ways, but sharing it with trusted friends, a family member, or a good therapist will sure give that psychological boost of hope. Social support is an especially effective way of cushioning people against the stressors that they are subjected to in chronic forms.
While occasional stress is normal, chronic activation of the fight, flight, or freeze response can indicate underlying mental health concerns, such as anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If stress is affecting daily life—leading to sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, or persistent feelings of fear—it may be time to consult a mental health professional.
Credit: AI generated image
Extremes of heatwaves and ozone pollution are intensifying, increasing heart- and lung disease-related deaths in India, according to a new study.
Heatwaves are associated with heat stress, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and cardiovascular strain, while ground-level ozone is a harmful air pollutant linked to heart and lung diseases and increased mortality.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, found that surface ozone levels reach 85–110 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³) in northern India during heatwaves—far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 70 μg/m³.
The study found that heatwaves significantly intensify exposure to toxic ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant linked to heart and lung diseases and increased mortality.
“In 2024 alone, ozone exposure during heatwaves was associated with 15,615 deaths from ischemic heart disease and another 10,898 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” said researchers Parambat Sangeetha of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies and Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath of IIT Kharagpur in the paper.
Overall, ozone exposure during heatwave conditions was associated with more than 26,500 deaths in 2024, according to the study published in npj Clean Air. Before heatwave conditions, ozone exposure was linked to 490 deaths from ischemic heart disease and 342 deaths from COPD.
Surface ozone is not released directly into the atmosphere. Instead, it forms when sunlight triggers chemical reactions among existing pollutants—a process that accelerates during periods of extreme heat.
“Ozone is very harmful, while NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide) and HCHO (formaldehyde) directly damage the respiratory system,” the authors said.
For the study, researchers combined two decades of temperature records from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) with satellite observations and global weather datasets to track ozone levels and the gases responsible for its formation.
Heatwaves between 2004 and 2024 were identified using standard temperature thresholds. The team identified 188 heatwave events over the two-decade period, with the most severe years—2010, 2016, 2019, and 2024—occurring after strong El Niño episodes.
The Western Himalayas recorded the sharpest long-term increase in ozone levels, exceeding WHO guidelines by 115 percent in 2024.
The researchers concluded that “coupled heat–ozone extremes are intensifying, requiring urgent integrated climate–air quality policy action.”
Severe heatwave conditions predominantly affect:
The heatwave belt often expands further into:
The study noted that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly sensitive to changes in temperature, humidity, and air quality.
Dr. Amit Kumar Mandal, Senior Director of Pulmonology at Paras Health, explained that extreme heat combined with pollution places significant stress on multiple organs.
“People often think heatwaves only affect the skin or cause dehydration, but when extreme heat combines with high pollution levels, the body starts functioning as if it is constantly under attack,” he told HealthandMe.
“The lungs are forced to work harder to filter hot, polluted air, while the heart simultaneously struggles to regulate body temperature. This invisible overload can quietly trigger inflammation, breathing distress, sudden BP fluctuations, and cardiac strain, even in people who otherwise consider themselves healthy.”
The expert noted that early symptoms are often subtle and may go unnoticed. Common symptoms seen during heatwave and pollution episodes include:
Recommended precautions include:
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The ancient practice of yoga may help improve fertility and hormonal health in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), now renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), according to three studies led by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
PCOS is a multifactorial condition affecting millions of women and involves a complex interplay of reproductive, metabolic, and psychological factors that can significantly impact quality of life.
The condition can increase the risk of serious health complications, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, infertility, and, in some cases, cancer.
The studies, led by Dr. Rima Dada, Professor at the Laboratory for Molecular Reproduction and Genetics, Department of Anatomy, AIIMS Delhi, recommend lifestyle modifications, including yoga, as a primary approach to managing the condition.
“Yoga presents a comprehensive strategy for addressing PCOS, targeting hormonal imbalances, OS, mitochondrial function, metabolic syndrome, microRNA regulation, cellular longevity, and mental well‑being. It exemplifies the potential of mind‑body medicine in the treatment of complex disorders,” the researchers said, in the papers.
The papers were published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, The International Journal of Ayurveda Research and the International Journal of Yoga.

The three studies involved more than 100 women and followed participants for up to 12 weeks. Participants practiced Asanas (physical postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), and Dhyana (meditation) for 90 minutes a day, five days a week. The results showed significant improvements across multiple health parameters.
Women with PCOS who participated in the yoga intervention demonstrated significant reductions in:
Also read: Yoga Shows Promise for Anxiety Relief And Seizure Control In Epilepsy, Claims AIIMS Study
“This hormonal balance has led to the restoration of menstrual cycles and improvements in hirsutism and acne, resulting in enhancements in physical appearance and psychological well-being,” the researchers stated.
The studies also found that yoga helped regulate cellular oxidative stress, offering protection against DNA damage and epigenetic changes. Researchers also reported improvements in several metabolic markers, including reductions in:
These findings highlight yoga's potential to address key mechanisms underlying PCOS and support its use as a cost-effective, non-pharmacological, and sustainable therapy for managing the condition.
The studies also found that yoga helped alleviate symptoms of depression among women with PCOS, suggesting it may serve as an effective complementary therapy in managing the condition.
Researchers concluded that regular yoga practice could help prevent, delay, and manage PCOS symptoms.
Read More: India Launches New Yoga Protocols To Fight Diabetes, High BP, Asthma
PCOS is a complex lifestyle disorder that appears to primarily affect the ovaries but is increasingly recognized as a systemic condition affecting multiple organs and body systems.
If not diagnosed and managed early, it can contribute to serious health complications, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and Alzheimer's disease.
While treatments such as anti-androgen medications, insulin-sensitizing agents, and fertility therapies remain important, experts note that PCOS also has a strong psychosomatic component that can benefit from lifestyle and mind-body interventions.
PCOS affects more than 170 million women worldwide. In May, it was officially renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS).
The new name reflects a major shift in understanding the condition—from a predominantly gynecological disorder to a complex multisystem condition affecting several aspects of health. The term PMOS acknowledges that the condition affects:
While back pain alone is rarely a sign of kidney cancer, certain accompanying symptoms should raise concern. (Photo credit: iStock)
Back pain is one of the most common health complaints worldwide, affecting a large proportion of adults at some point in their lives. In most cases, it is caused by benign musculoskeletal issues such as muscle strain, poor posture, or disc-related problems, and it tends to improve with rest, physiotherapy, or simple medication. However, not all back pain originates from the spine. In some situations, pain felt in the lower back or flank region may be linked to underlying kidney conditions, including kidney cancer. As renal cell carcinoma often progresses silently in its early stages, symptoms may be delayed, making it important to recognise when back pain is unusual.
Dr Raj Nagarkar, Chief Surgical Oncologist at HCG Manavata Cancer Centre, Nashik, said, "The kidneys are located deep in the upper abdomen, on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage. When a tumour develops in this region, it can cause pain through several mechanisms. As the tumour grows, it may stretch the kidney’s outer fibrous capsule, leading to a persistent, dull ache in the flank area between the ribs and hip. In some cases, fragile tumour blood vessels may bleed internally or form clots that obstruct urine flow, resulting in sudden, sharp pain that can resemble renal colic. Larger tumours may also press on surrounding nerves or structures, producing discomfort that may be mistaken for back or abdominal pain."
Unlike musculoskeletal pain, which typically improves with movement or rest, kidney-related pain is often constant, may worsen at night, and does not respond well to routine pain relief or physiotherapy.
While back pain alone is rarely a sign of kidney cancer, certain accompanying symptoms should raise concern. One of the most important warning signs is blood in the urine, which may appear pink, red, or dark brown and can sometimes be intermittent. Persistent flank pain associated with a palpable mass under the ribs may indicate more advanced disease. Unexplained weight loss, ongoing fatigue, or a general sense of weakness can reflect systemic illness. Some patients may experience intermittent fever without infection, new-onset high blood pressure, or swelling in the legs and ankles due to impaired venous drainage. Anaemia-related symptoms such as dizziness, breathlessness, or pallor may also be present. When back pain persists beyond a few weeks and is accompanied by any of these features, further medical evaluation is strongly recommended.
It is also important to distinguish kidney-related pain from common musculoskeletal back pain. Mechanical back pain is usually localised to the lower back, may radiate to the legs, and often begins after physical strain or injury. It tends to improve with rest, heat application, or physiotherapy. In contrast, kidney cancer pain is typically one-sided, located higher in the flank below the ribs, and develops gradually without a clear trigger. It is often persistent, may disturb sleep, and is not relieved by standard pain management approaches. Unlike spinal pain, it is more likely to be associated with systemic symptoms such as haematuria, weight loss, or fatigue.
Certain individuals are at higher risk of developing kidney cancer and should be particularly attentive to persistent flank pain. Risk factors include smoking, which significantly increases exposure to kidney-damaging toxins, obesity, long-standing hypertension, chronic kidney disease or dialysis, and a family history of kidney cancer or genetic conditions such as von Hippel-Lindau disease. Occupational exposure to industrial chemicals like trichloroethylene or cadmium may also contribute to risk. When multiple risk factors are present, even mild or persistent symptoms should not be ignored.
If warning signs are suspected, doctors typically begin evaluation with simple and non-invasive tests. A urine analysis can detect microscopic or visible blood, while blood tests help assess kidney function, anaemia, and calcium levels. Imaging plays a crucial role, with ultrasound often used as the first-line investigation, followed by a contrast-enhanced CT scan for detailed evaluation of tumour size and spread. In selected cases, a biopsy may be performed, although it is not always required before treatment.
Treatment outcomes for kidney cancer have improved significantly in recent years. In early-stage disease, partial nephrectomy allows removal of the tumour while preserving healthy kidney tissue, often using minimally invasive or robotic techniques that support faster recovery. In more advanced cases, targeted therapies and immunotherapy help control disease progression and improve quality of life, with many patients able to maintain daily activities during treatment. For small, slow-growing tumours in selected individuals, active surveillance may be an appropriate option.
While most back pain is benign and related to musculoskeletal causes, persistent or unusual pain, especially when accompanied by symptoms such as blood in the urine, unexplained weight loss, or systemic changes, should not be ignored. Kidney cancer often develops silently, and early signs can be subtle. Unlike muscular pain, which is typically movement-related and self-limiting, kidney-related pain is deeper, more persistent, and often associated with other warning features.
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