We have all heard of term Stress and how it can affect our Health!.
We all have days when we can feel overwhelmed. Days when things just don’t seem to be going our way from the minute we get out of bed. No matter what we do we feel like it’s just going to be “One of those Days”!
We may end up with doing big sighs throughout the day, feel like pulling our hair out and shouting AAARGHHHHHH!!
It can be hard to change your mindset out of a thought pattern sometimes, like the thought; “Things are just not going my way”.
We can feel overwhelmed in our life, e.g. work, relationships, family etc. trying hard to find the time, “The Balance” to do everything we need to do. This can cause us to feel Stressed! We all need a certain amount of stress to keep us motivated and to get things done that are important, but too much stress is not a good thing!
So what is Stress?
In 1936, Hans Selye defined the term “stress” as the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change and that all living organisms change in response to environmental conditions. When applied to biological systems, stress is a physiological response to any challenge or stressor, whether physical or mental, real or imagined.
Stress is our body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. We can’t survive without it. Stress exists to help us, not to hurt us. When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones. These include adrenaline and cortisol and prepare the body for the “fight or flight” response.
The release of these hormones prepares your body to stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety. Your heart starts to pound faster, your blood pressure rises and breath rate quickens, your muscles tighten and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speeds your reaction time, and enhances your focus. This is your body’s way of protecting you!
Stress is what keeps you on your toes in many situations and helps you rise to meet challenges. Whether it’s studying for an exam, doing a presentation or working towards a deadline, it helps sharpens your concentration. It gives you the drive to keep going to win that game!
Can stress also be a bad thing?
The answer is Yes! To much stress can cause health issues.
The body’s nervous system can do a poor job of distinguishing between daily stressors and life-threatening events, the “good and bad stress”.
If you’re stressed over an argument with a friend, sitting in a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills for example, your body can still react as if you’re facing a life-or-death situation and the “fight or flight” response will happen in your body.
Unmanaged stress can cause an increased risk of both physical and mental problems. Illness can occur as a result and problems like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, depressive and anxiety disorders.
So now that we know what stress is and how it affects our body, what are the main causes of stress?
Find out on Part 2… Causes of Stress!
Hope you enjoyed reading this Article.
Thank you, Charlene.
solstice
