This is your body on stress
Picture this:
You’re nervous about a big presentation at work.
Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.
There may even be vomit on your sweater already.
(Thank you Eminem for describing the physical effects of emotional stress to all of us millennials.)
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Under acute stress, the autonomic nervous system switches into a sympathetic state, better known as fight-or-flight mode. This leads to a cascade of physiological changes aimed to help you fight against danger, including:
Stress Hormone Release: The adrenal glands release hormones – like adrenaline and cortisol – to amplify your body’s stress response leading to increased alertness and energy bursts.
Increased Blood Pressure: Blood vessels constrict to help direct blood flow to essential organs and muscles.
Increased Blood Sugar: The liver releases stored glucose into the bloodstream for easy use by the body.
Suppressed Non-Essential Functions: Physical functions that aren’t essential for survival are suppressed. This includes digestive processes, immune system, and reproductive functions.
On the flip side is the parasympathetic state, also known as rest-and-digest. This is in charge of key restorative processes, including:
Digestion: Blood flow increases to the digestive organs, digestive enzymes are released, and contractions occur in the GI tract to move along food.
Recovery: Restorative sleep is prioritized, your body stores energy and nutrients, and moves into an anabolic state to build and repair tissues.
Hormone Control: Stress hormones reset, having a domino effect on several other hormones that impact blood pressure, blood sugar, and relaxation.
Immune Function: Immune cell function is enhanced, lymphatic flow is improved, and sleep quality improves.
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For some, stress is chronic and unrelenting. This can stem from career, self concept, and relationships (and of course, the crushing weight of capitalism).
In a chronic stress state, the body isn’t able to shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. It becomes stuck in fight-or-flight — a state we were not meant to sustain. When forced to sustain, symptoms of burnout appear. That may look like:
Digestive troubles
Chronic fatigue
Frequent illness
Interrupted sleep
Generally feeling like sh*t most days
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Sound like you? I promise there is hope; resetting from chronic stress is very possible with the right tools.
Trust me, I’m proof.
