What is stress? Why do we get stressed? What is Chronic Stress? How do we get control our stress?






What is stress?

 

The definition of stress is stress is a biological and psychological response experienced on encountering a threat that we feel we do not have the adequate resources to deal with the stressor.


Biologically speaking the reaction to stress that occurs in our bodies is a response to the ever so ancient survival mechanism in us humans. Otherwise known as the fight or flight response that occurs in animals to react quickly life-threatening situations.

 

Unfortunately, the stressors in modern times now include traffic jams, work pressure, financial difficulties and relationship problems. However, the response to stress remains as primordial as ever. 


Now for a bit of biology (for the science nerd in me), you can skip this part if not interested!

 

Why do we get stressed?

 

After experiencing a stressful event, the amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for generating emotional responses, sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This part of the brain sends signals to communicate with the rest of the body to generate enough energy for the individual to either fight or “take flight”. Now this involves a chemical reaction that kicks in resulting in the secretion of adrenaline and cortisol. 


In a nutshell and in very layman terms, adrenaline enables an increased heart rate, sweating, rapid pulse, decreased digestion and increased blood pressure. Extra oxygen is sent to the brain for increased alertness via opening up of small airways in the lungs. Cortisol triggers the release of blood sugar (glucose) and fats thus supplying all parts of the body with energy. Typically, once the stressful event has passed, the brakes are put on to the responses and there is a gradual lowering of these chemical responses.

 

All of these changes happen so quickly that people aren't aware of them. In fact, the wiring is so efficient that the amygdala and hypothalamus start this cascade even before the brain's visual centers have had a chance to fully process what is happening. That's why people are able to jump out of the path of an oncoming car even before they think about what they are doing.


As I reference and write this article, I am filled with awe at the beauty of our human body. The millions and trillions of reflexes and responses that carry on day to day, second to second with just one aim in mind; to protect, to safeguard and to nurture this being.

 

What is Chronic Stress?

 

Unfortunately, nowadays our stressors are very different compared to the ancient ones of being attacked in some form or the other and the requirement for actual physical survival is also some what altered . The difference is when events like this occurred in ancient times or in animals, they were one-off and the nervous system was allowed to put its brakes on and return to normal. 


However, in current times, the human body is being constantly triggered by different stressors and is unable to apply its brakes on these stressors in life. The result of which is that most of us suffer from chronic stress. Therefore, there is a constant secretion of the chemicals mentioned above as part of the biochemical reaction in the body. 


Persistent adrenaline surges have the potential to damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body's energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain. For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat. And hence, we have the answers to the causes of all our “Lifestyle Diseases”.

 

A shorter analogy to this could be using an athletic race as an example. An athlete’s body responds to the different commands of “On your mark”; “Get Set” and eventually “Go!” On the commands of “On your mark” and “Get Set” the athlete’s brain sends off its millions of signals commanding the body to spring into action to eventually help it during its “stress response” which would be released at the command “Go”. What’s happening to us in this day and age, we are constantly poising our bodies to “Get Set” but rarely do we have a “Go” Command. 


Hence, there’s a constant secretion of all these chemicals in our bodies of which we have little awareness, till a real problem appears in the form of an adverse health event or a disease. 


How do we get control our stress?

 

The good news is that there is plenty of evidence to show how stress management or relaxation responses result in lowering of these blood biochemistry levels. Unfortunately for us, mostly, we can’t control our external environments. We can only control our responses to whatever is triggering us. And our responses to external triggers are more often than not influenced by what's going on inside us. Sometimes, our own internal environments are such that they create these recurring stress responses in our bodies. These are influenced by our thoughts, emotions and beliefs. Learning to clean up our own internal triggers, to heal from them and eventually be free of them is what helps us keep our lives and as a result also our health on track. 

 

Learn 3 tips to learn how to cope with stress and how to keep your life on track by filling out a form at:  


https://forms.gle/8xYusKkBoUakgeyq5jrPVtTwz7 

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