What is Stress ?

 

STRESS

   

 Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.                                                                                                         

Stress is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand.

.Stress and anxiety



In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But when stress lasts for a long time, it may harm your health.

When you sense danger, the hypothalamusat the base of your brain reacts. It sends nerve and hormone signals to your  adrenal glands, which release an abundance of hormones.

These hormones are nature’s way of preparing you to face danger and increase your chances of survival.

One of these hormones is adrenaline. You might also know it as epinephrine, or the fight-or-flight hormone. In rapid fashion, adrenaline works to:

  • increase your heartbeat
  • increase your breathing rate
  • contract blood vessels so blood is directed to the muscles
  • stimulate perspiration
  • inhibit  insulin production

While this is helpful in the moment, frequent adrenaline surges can lead to:


As the main stress hormone, cortisol plays an essential role in stressful situations. Among its functions are:

  • raising the amount of glucose in your bloodstream
  • helping the brain use glucose more effectively 
  • altering immune system response
  • affecting parts of the brain that control fear, motivation, and mood

All this helps you deal more effectively with a high-stress situation. It’s a normal process and crucial to human survival.

But if your cortisol levels stay high for too long, it has a negative impact on your health. It can contribute to:

  • weight gain
  • high blood pressure
  • sleep problems
  • lack of energy
  • memory problems
  • a weakened immune system

It can also have a negative impact on your mood. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Type of Stress & Symptoms

Image
There are several types of stress, including:  acute stress, episodic  acute stress,   chronic stress : 1.Acute stress Print  Acute stress happens to everyone. It’s the body’s immediate reaction to a new and challenging situation. It’s the kind of stress you might feel when you narrowly escape a car accident. Acute stress can also come out of something that you actually enjoy. It’s the somewhat-frightening, yet thrilling feeling you get on a roller coaster or when skiing down a steep mountain slope. These incidents of acute stress don’t normally do you any harm. They might even be good for you. Stressful situations give your body and brain practice in developing the best response to future stressful situations. Once the danger passes, your body systems should return to normal. 2.Episodic acute stress Episodic acute stress is when you have frequent episodes of acute stress. This might happen if you’re often anxious and worried about things you suspect may happen. You ...
Read more

Stress Management

Image
  Healthy tips for managing stress In general, stress is related to both external and internal factors. External factors include your physical environment, your job, relationships with others, your home, and all the situations, challenges, difficulties, and expectations you're confronted with on a daily basis. Internal factors determine your body's ability to respond to and deal with, the external stress-inducing factors. Internal factors that influence your ability to handle stress include your nutritional status, overall health and fitness levels, emotional well-being, your ability to control stress through relaxation techniques or other strategies, and the amount of sleep and rest you get.  Three main techniques that can help to relieve stress are:  Exercise Relaxation and Meditation techniques Time manage      1.Exercise  Exercise can be a key, central method to compensate for stressors. Physical exercise not only promotes overall fi...
Read more