Take our Burnout Test

Find a therapist to overcome stress

Your mindset can shift your DHEA/cortisol ratio after stress.

A higher “growth index” (the ratio of DHEA to cortisol) is linked to resilience and cognitive performance.

Acknowledging, welcoming, and utilizing stress supports healthier stress adaptation.

How do you relate to these statements?

The effects of stress are negative and should be avoided.

Experiencing stress depletes my health and vitality.

Experiencing stress inhibits my learning and growth.

Experiencing stress debilitates my performance and productivity.

These are four items on the Stress Mindset Measure, developed by Crum, Salovey, and Achor (2013), to assess whether you see stress as enhancing or debilitating. Crum and other researchers consistently demonstrate that your mindset about stress shapes how stress affects your body, your well-being, and even how you age.

How Thoughts Change Your Biology

Stress is the experience or anticipation of adversity as we pursue our goals (Crum, 2023). Its impact on health and performance depends not just on how much stress we face, but also on its duration, intensity, and—crucially—how we respond. Adaptive responses—like acknowledging stress, reframing it as enhancing, and utilizing stress to move you toward your values—can reduce harm and sometimes even lead to growth.

Stress is often blamed for everything from headaches to burnout. When you face a challenge, your adrenal glands release cortisol and DHEA. Cortisol is catabolic: It breaks down tissues to provide immediate energy. While helpful in the short term, chronically high cortisol can wear down your body and mind, suppress immunity, and contribute to long-term health problems.

DHEA, in contrast, is anabolic. It supports tissue repair, immune function, brain health, and learning. DHEA is also a precursor to sex hormones. During stress, DHEA is released alongside cortisol to help your body recover and adapt. Higher DHEA levels are linked to improved mood, cognitive function, and resilience.

Cortisol mobilizes resources for survival, while DHEA buffers the body, promoting healing and adaptation. A higher DHEA/cortisol ratio is associated with resilience, learning, and better health; a lower ratio signals vulnerability to chronic stress, negative mood, and cognitive decline (Phillips et al., 2010). DHEA peaks in early adulthood and declines with age. The DHEA/cortisol ratio is even a predictor of epigenetic aging (Takeshita et al., 2025).

How Do You Think About Stress?

How you interpret and respond to stress—your thoughts, behaviors, and coping........

© Psychology Today