a small, wearable device may soon help people prone to sweating the small stuff keep tabs on their stress levels and even extinguish burnout before it begins.
the technology, developed in epfl’s nanoelectronic devices laboratory (nanolab) in lausanne, switzerland, is capable of continually measuring the concentration of cortisol in a patient’s sweat once placed directly on their skin. cortisol, the body’s main stress biomarker, is responsible for a host of vital tasks, including regulating metabolism, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. it also has a role in immune and cardiovascular functions. the hormone, which is typically released throughout the day, is guided by the body’s circadian rhythm to peak at around 7 am and then taper off throughout the afternoon and evening.
whenever a person finds themselves in a stressful situation, cortisol takes the wheel, diverting energy to vital systems in the brain, heart and muscles — sometimes to the detriment of the host. “cortisol can be secreted on impulse — you feel fine and suddenly something happens that puts you under stress, and your body starts producing more of the hormone,”
said adrian ionescu, the head of nanolab.