A Mumbai-based orthopaedic surgeon has issued a strong caution about an everyday habit that he believes poses a greater long-term danger than smoking or drinking.
Dr Manan Vora, a well-known orthopaedic specialist and health educator, has highlighted chronic stress as a silent but severe threat to overall health.
Dr Vora argues that stress, often dismissed as a routine part of modern life, can have far-reaching consequences.
“Alcohol and cigarettes will not kill you. What will kill you is stress,” he stresses, explaining that the body releases cortisol and adrenaline whenever a person feels overwhelmed or mentally exhausted.
He notes that many people mistakenly assume stress affects only the mind.
“It’s a full-body reaction,” he explains.
He points to common physical indicators such as back pain, tension headaches, tight shoulders, muscle knots, and teeth grinding, all of which signal that the body is reacting to prolonged pressure.
“When you are under stress, your body tenses up and stays in that state,” Dr Manan Vora stated.
Restorative Sleep Plays a Key Role in Recovery
The surgeon warns that the effects of stress intensify when the body does not get sufficient sleep. “Without deeply restorative sleep, your body never gets the chance to fully reset,” he says.
Missing out on the recommended seven to eight hours means, “You carry yesterday’s tension into today, and then add today’s pressure on top of it. Day after day, it builds.”
Dr Vora underscores that deep sleep is the body’s natural repair mode.
“It’s your only real reset,” he explains. “During deep sleep, stress hormones drop, muscles relax, and tissues finally heal. It’s not just the mind that benefits; your entire body depends on this process.”
His message serves as a reminder that stress management is not optional but essential. While smoking and drinking remain recognised health risks, Dr Vora believes prolonged stress may pose an equally serious, if not greater, threat by silently damaging the body over time.
Health experts continue to advise that regular sleep, relaxation techniques, and awareness of stress signals can significantly reduce long-term harm.
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