Many people don’t realize that stress is not just something which happens to us. Stress is a complex system of reactions which begin in the body in response to the outside stressor. While the argument with your spouse might have triggered the stress, your body begins a system of chain reactions in which chemicals are released to ready you for a fight.In early times, this reaction made sense as stress came from being chased by a bear. But in today’s world, when our bodies may not be threatened in the same way, the hormones being released are causing more harm than good.
The Adrenaline Response To Stress
If your body feels that it’s going to be attacked, it prepares itself. Your body will begin to tense up and it will produce adrenaline. This chemical will give your body a shot of energy which will allow it to fight the stressor or to run away from the stressor. This is a natural process and one which has been taking place since the beginning of time. But to a certain extent, this process is outdated. While it will still work in times of physical stress and the threat of bodily harm, when you’re stressed about work, this response isn’t necessary. Instead, your body begins to produce more and more adrenaline, causing your adrenal system to work in overdrive. This frays your nerves and causes your body to always feel stressed.
Stressed Body Produces Cortisol
In addition, the body begins to produce another chemical called cortisol. This chemical has a number of negative effects on the health of your body. Studies have shown that cortisol can cause the body to be at a higher risk of diabetes, cancer, and other chronic disorders. In addition, the body will also be more likely to gain weight in the midsection, where health risks rise even more. A stressed body will continue to produce cortisol over and over, flooding the body with this chemical. To reduce the cortisol in the body, the only solution is to stop the stress.
Stress Relaxation - Stopping the Hormones and Chemicals
While adrenaline and cortisol do have their place, in modern society, you need to remove these chemicals from your body as quickly as possible. The best advice is to avoid the stress completely, helping to make sure that you aren’t releasing the chemicals in massive amounts. Using stress relaxation techniques and eating a health diet will begin to help you support your body’s stress response. But you can also begin to notice when your stress is likely to arise, and then you can take action before it even has a chance to begin. In time, you will be able to keep your body at a low stress level, and thus keep those chemicals in short supply.
