Allostasis is the brain’s active process of maintaining stability (homeostasis) by making adaptive changes to physiological systems (like releasing cortisol/adrenaline) in anticipation of or in response to environmental challenges, essentially “stability through change”. While crucial for survival, chronic activation leads to allostatic load – wear and tear on the body from constant recalibration – which increases the risk for stress-related conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and inflammation.
