Soldiers may also elect not to wear a combat patch. Controversies have arisen in recent years over brigade commanders' decisions to ban combat patches in certain situations. This has been done in an effort to make new recruits, who didn't have the patches, feel less excluded.
Cortisol and Stress: How Cortisol Levels Affect the Body. Cortisol and stress are connected and, although stress isn't the only reason for the release of cortisol into the blood stream, it is still known as a stress hormone. Every time that you are confronted with a stressful situation your body undergoes a fight or flight response and cortisol levels increase.
Elevated cortisol levels can affect every physiological system in your body, including your thyroid and adrenal glands. It can make you anxious and irritable, lead to weight gain and bone loss, contribute to diabetes and heart disease risk, and deplete your energy levels. Cortisol is also known as the aging hormone. When cortisol gets too high, it puts you into a âfight or flightâ response, which stimulates your sympathetic nervous system and your adrenal glands. When this occurs, there is a decrease in your digestive secretions and an increase in blood pressure.