Our last post showed the broad impact that too much stress has on our modern-day lives. When confronted with stress, our bodies go into “fight or flight” mode to prepare us for battle (to “fight”) or to remove us from the situation (to take “flight”).
When the body goes into “fight or flight” mode, the adrenal glands temporarily shift all processes in the body from “maintenance mode” to “high alert.” The classic sensations associated with sudden fright or surprise gives you a first-hand look at those symptoms and include increased heart rate, tense muscles, sweating, heightened sensory perception and shallow, rapid breathing.
During stress, the hormone cortisol is released from the adrenal glands. Increased cortisol levels lead to rapid heart rate, dry mouth, enhanced mental alertness and the redirection of blood to vital organs. Short-term bursts of cortisol can be positive as they help us recover from the effects of “fight or flight” by:
- Boosting blood sugar levels, providing immediate energy
- Boosting immune responses to keep us well
- Pulling calcium from our bones, making it available to muscles for immediate action
- Reducing our response to pain, keeping us focused on survival
- Enhancing short-term memory, enabling us to evade similar threats in the near future
Modern lifestyles result in unusually high levels of stress which constantly stimulate the adrenal glands causing chronically elevated cortisol levels. With chronic stress, cortisol levels never get a chance to return to normal. As a result, our bodies react to such normal things as being late for a meeting, getting stuck in traffic, a computer crash or the kids yelling in the back seat, as if there was a saber-tooth tiger racing after us. This constant stress causes detrimental changes in your body that negatively impacts almost every facet of your health, including your mood, gastrointestinal function, sleep, focus, concentration, memory and your ability to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
Learn more about stress and your health:
[postlist 2]