STRESS - TIME TO UNDERSTAND IT !
Stress can cause inflammation, which, in turn, can lead to muscle seizures. Scientific research has shown that stress is contributing directly or indirectly to heart disease, brain stroke, diabetes, cancer, lung ailments, liver cirrhosis, infertility, besides addiction, obesity and de- pression leading to suicide. Stress is no stranger to humankind; as a normal bodily function, it is as old as existence itself. The human body is primed both to recognise it, and to deal with it, through a combination of responses that make up what is called the "fight or flight" mechanism.
THE BIOLOGY OF STRESS
The key to the body's response to stress lies in its endocrine system, along what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-ad- renal (HPA) axis. The hypothalamus is the command centre of the brain, regulating a multitude of things such as mood, the body temperature, heart rate, food intake, sex drive, energy, thirst and the sleep cycle. It also controls the secretion of hormones-chemicals that travel along the bloodstream to various tissues and organs in the body, activating and coordinating several functions. When the brain senses a stressor-be it physical danger, the boss yelling at you, a piece of bad news, or just everyday stress-it sets off a series of well-orchestrated physiological processes. The hypothalamus releases the corticotrophin- releasing hormone (CRH), which carries the message to the control room of the endocrine system-the pea-sized pituitary gland located just below it. As though in a relay race, the pituitary gland takes the baton and sends another message down the bloodstream via the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), to the triangle-shaped adrenal glands located above the kidneys. This is the real centre of stress management. On receipt of the emergency signal, the adrenal glands send out reinforcements in the form of cortisol. This steroidal hormone, in turn, activates the body's sympathetic nervous system, causing the heart to race, the pulse and blood pressure to shoot up, and the breath to become faster. More oxygen and glucose are released in the brain and the bloodstream, providing the body the burst of energy it needs to combat stress. Once the danger is past, cortisol levels drop and the body returns to normal.
Excess cortisol has been linked to permanent changes in the brain and is thus a precursor to several neurological diseases. Think of it as a malfunction of the body's thermostat, which continues to keep the body heated. Studies confirm that the stress response in recent years is being activated more frequently than it should. Overthinking and overanalysing have become the bane of our existence. A study by Oracle and US-based firm Workplace Intelligence found Indians to be the most stressed. 91 per cent of the 1,100 respondents said they were highly stressed compared to global average of 80 per cent.
Cause of All Ills
Stress may not be a disease with specific causes or symptoms, but it wreaks sufficient havoc on the body's organs over time to become life-threatening. World Health Organization had dubbed stress "the health epidemic of the 21st century". A 2017 study found stress to be a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.
UNDERSTANDING STRESS
How we respond ?
1. Threat :- perception begins in the brain
2. Hypothalamus :- the command centre of the brain, it sends the corticotrophin-releasing hormone to activate the pituitary gland below.
3. Pituitary Gland :- the control room of the endocrine system, it secrets the adrenocorticotropic hormone to alert the adrenal glands.
4. Adrenal glands :- triangular-shaped organs located above our kidneys, they release the stress hormone called cortisol.
5. Cortisol :- an anti-inflammatory steroid, it provides the body some extra boost, and activates its sympathetic nervous system.
6. Sympathetic Nervous System :- it causes the heart to race, BP to shoot up, and breath to become fast, providing the body an energy boost.
7. Inflammation :- once the threat recedes, cortisol should reduce. But chronic stress leads to overproduction, which causes inflammation and damage to vital organs.
IMPACT ON THE BODY
1. Brain :- high levels of cortisol can harm the brain by disrupting synapse regulation, resulting in the loss of sociability. Some studies have found that stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Stress-induced cortisol surges in the body were found to impair memory retrieval as stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex.
2. Insomnia :- the first and most distinct consequence of daily mild stress is an increase in rapid-eye-movement (REM) or deep sleep, crucial for the brain to rest and restore. Stressed people also find it harder to fall asleep due to increased cortisol in the body which doesn't let the brain relax.
3. Heart :- inflammation produced by high levels of cortisol in the body causes damage to the coronary arteries. Long-term exposure to cortisol also raises blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. A 2019 study in BMJ concluded stress to be associated with early onset of cardiovascular disease.
4. Diabetes :- a study in the journal BMC in 2018 noted that 20-40% of those with Type 2 diabetes have experienced stressful events in their life. In 2020, a study in Psychoneuroendocrinology confirmed that cortisol increased blood sugar levels in those with Type 2 diabetes.
5. Kidney :- though the impact is not direct, stress leads to diabetes, which, in turn, causes chronic kidney disease in the long term.
6. Hormonal Health :- stress has been directly linked to lower infertility and sex derive as cortisol inhibits the production of sex hormones. It also inhibits production of the luteinizing hormone, which is crucial to regulate women's menstrual cycles.
7. Muscles & Bones :- cortisol has been shown to directly reduce muscle mass and increase risk of osteoporosis (loss of bone density). This can exert pressure on the spine, knees and lead to osteoarthritis. Stress can also cause inflammation in joints leading to joint & muscle pain.
8. Nutrition :- the brain reward centre starts to associate food intake with lowered stress response. Stress eating is a common condition, which results in poor nutritional intake, erratic eating patterns and often overeating.
9. Cancer :- a 2021 study in Pubmed found that stress hormones could awaken dormant cancer cells in experimental mice, thereby raising the possibility that stress could lead to cancer recurrence in humans.
Stress responses are entirely in our brain's control, according to Iowa University researchers. Manipulating a certain neural pathway could actually improve our coping mechanism. Meditation, journal-keeping, virtual nature walks and other innovative techniques can help you relax. Relaxation leads to mindfulness, a cognitive process essential to cope with stress.
HOW TO TELL IF YOU ARE STRESSED ….
1. Changes in sleeping or eating pattern.
2. Headaches or muscle aches.
3. Elevated blood pressure or heart rate.
4. Panic attacks or constant feeling of threat.
5. Difficulty in maintaining social relationships.
6. Fatigue or weakness in the body.
7. Difficulty in concentrating.
WAYS TO HANDLE IT
Trick your mind into thinking positive. Condition your mind to think that the cup is half full. When the mind thinks positively, there is a corresponding decrease in the stress hormone as the body no longer senses a threat.
Celebrate yourself. It is important to do the things you love and take time out to look after yourself. Anything that gives you happiness will automatically balance out the stress hormone in the body.
Try alternative therapy. From reiki flower therapy, alternative treatments help heal stress in the body by balancing out negative thoughts & energy.
Practice meditation and Pranayama. Mediation & the modulation of breath have been shown to reduce the feeling of stress & calm down frenzied thoughts. Slow & controlled breathing with awareness can even reduce blood pressure.
Find an empathy buddy. Talking about your emotions to someone helps one let go lf situations or people that have give you stress.
Discover what makes you laugh. Studies show laughter reduces release of the stress hormone.
When you relax & start to engage your brain with a different activity, over time, you stop thinking of stress as a threat. This is because the more you think of stress, the more your body releases stress hormones. Doctors say one has to detach from the stress itself in order to respond to it. There is no such thing as a stress-free life. What you can do is reduce the impact stress has on your body and mind. A 2022 study found that those who meditate could resist the urge to check their phones as soon as they got a notification.
For those who face moderate stress, experts recommend pranayama or meditation to improve mindfulness. Relaxing your breath-inhaling while counting to 10, for example-also relaxes your body in turn. If the stress is prolonged, then professional help should be sought.
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