When someone has long-term kidney problems, it can trigger a chain reaction where stress, swelling, and hormone imbalances all get worse together, making the kidneys and the rest of the body more damaged over time.

People with chronic kidney disease often have abnormal stress hormone patterns—low in the morning and high at night—and this seems linked to more body inflammation, trouble with metabolism, and reduced response to stress hormones, which might make their kidney disease worse over time.