Understanding The Physical Stress Response

Emotions (repressed or expressed) cause stress

Whenever we experience intense emotions, our body experiences stress. If you are angry, your muscles tighten, your heart beats faster and your blood pressure goes up. The same thing happens when you are afraid. These body reactions are produced largely by the adrenal hormones.

PRESSURE ULCER GRADING

The body experience of stress starts in the brain. Whenever we are stressed a part of our brain called the hypothalamus initiates a stress response. It secretes brain hormones which are carried to the master gland of the body, the pituitary gland. This causes the pituitary to release a hormones which stimulate our body's major stress glands, the adrenals.

There are two parts of the adrenal gland-the medulla or inner part and the cortex or outer part. These two parts of the adrenal glands both react to stress, but in different ways. The inner part of the adrenal gland secretes adrenaline and noradrenaline, hormones which help you mobilize for immediate action. These two hormones act quickly to increase the flow of oxygen and glucose to the muscles and brain, increase heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension.

They also direct blood away from the digestive tract and skin. (This is why you don't feel hungry when you're under stress, and why some people turn very pale when stressed). These adrenal hormones also suppress the immune system. Why do you think you are more likely to get sick when you are stressed? The short term adrenal response allows you to get out of harms way. You may have to run from a mugger or fight off an attacking lion. The surge of adrenaline makes it possible.

I remember reading of a mother who lifted the front end of a car off the ground to free their infant pinned under the front wheel. This is the work of adrenaline. Climbing the face of a wall straight up would be another adrenaline feat. Wall climbing is a modern version of tree climbing, something you had to be good at in prehistoric times to get away from bears and other meat eaters.

Football coaches are skilled at stimulating adrenaline before the game with their pep talks. Can you imagine a football coach leading his team through a calming yoga session before the game? Winning players have a lot of adrenaline pumping through their arteries.

Understanding The Physical Stress Response

PRESSURE ULCER GRADING