How does our body react to stress?

Psychoneuroimmunology has grown in leaps and bounds during the last decade and our knowledge of response of body to stress is also vast.

The reaction of body to stress is generally known as the
General Adaptation Syndrome:GAS has three stages: The alarm reaction ;The stage of Resistance ;The stage of exhaustion

01.The Stage of Alarm Reaction : This is also known as the 'fight or flight 'response. As soon as our body is faced with a stressful situation, our body explodes with a sudden surge of energy with flooding of hundreds of hormones and chemical activators into the blood stream. We become alert and ready to meet any threat. The main players in this stage are heart, lungs, brain, nervous system and the muscles, all stimulated by the release of hormones. Arousal is initiated by hypothalamus by release of endorphins, the natural painkillers. At the same time, adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal glands. Adrenaline causes palpitations, increased blood pressure and release of vital nutrients. It also causes muscle tension and makes breathing faster and shallower. Nor adrenaline is also secreted, and is associated with positive ecstatic arousal. Another hormone, cortisol, converts glycogen stored in the liver into blood sugar, thus stimulating the brain and whole body with instant energy. In males, the hormone testosterone is released, and provides the required surge of strength. Thyroxin, released by thyroid gland, stimulates the metabolic system and regulates the oxygen consumption. Our digestive system slows down, as blood is diverted to essential organs required to meet the immediate threat

02.The Stage Of Resistance: Once the alarm reaction is established and the immediate threat is faced, the body moves onto a resistance phase, where the bodily functions put on alert are reverted back to a near normal state. The heart rate, respiratory rate and metabolic activities come down to a maintenance level; the body is still ready and alert. More cortisole, thyroxin etc are released to speed up the tissue repair, which may have been damaged during stress.

03. The Stage Of Exhaustion: Emotions such as anger, anxiety and impatience etc are continuous stress stimulators, and without our knowledge, our body is put in (and stays in!) a 'fight' mode. Overdose of adrenaline often cause irritability and uneasiness. Nor adrenaline excess makes us feel disconnected and high. Too much of cortisol will suppress the immune system, making us vulnerable to a host of diseases. Extra sodium is retained, affecting the cardiovascular and excretory systems adversely. Thus our body goes into exhaustion and breakdown due to continuous uncontrolled stress. Emotionally, we are depressed, anxious, disoriented, insecure and frustrated. If this goes on unchecked, family breakdown, mental illness, alcoholism and drug dependency all sets in adding to the already present armamentarium of problems.

Once we have understood this basic physiology of Stress Reaction, we can set out to prepare a proper stress management program, specially individualized for each of us.