Stress is equivalent to one of the seven wonders of the human body. From survival through to prosperous growth, humans have always needed stress. But not too much!
From a physical perspective the main goal of exercise is to stress the body to the point in which it needs to find more energy for the increased activity. The muscles decide they need to be bigger in order to cope and the heart and lungs become more efficient at getting oxygen to the working muscles.
Without stress the body would not be prompted to make these changes. Additionally in everyday life, without some form of stress we wouldn't progress, wouldn't have the opportunity for promotion in the workplace, or to study hard for an exam to further our education.
The problem occurs when there is too much stress, either physically or emotionally. Too much physical stress means increased risk of injury or illness, too much emotional or psychological stress means we run the risk of mental health problems, illness or both.
Stress can become a problem when a demand on your time, skills, or emotions is perceived as a threat (i.e. above your coping skills). If this is ongoing, it can cause you to worry which can lead to thoughts of failure, leading to feelings of anxiety.
Anxiety can include feeling fearful, nervous, jittery or distressed as well as expecting unpleasant or threatening events. In this state you may start seeing things as being unpredictable and out of your control.
Your physical reactions to stress and anxiety are a great illustration of how the brain is part of the physical body. The stress response is the result of nervous and chemical reactions involving hormons such as adrenalin. Once triggered, we have little control over the effects of these chemicals on the body.
Some of the physical responses include:
- Tear glands - tendency to cry
- Pupils dilate - card players wear caps and glasses
- Smooth muscle of the gut - indigestion and diahorrea
- Constricted peripheral vessels - white with fright
- Increased heart rate
- Increased breathing rate
In a stressful situation, your brain structures are heightened and oriented toward thoughts of worry or fear that then creates feelings of anxiety. In other words we respond to situations via thoughts and pictures in our head, which produce emotions that lead to physical reactions and behaviours.
The bottom line is that our emotions and thoughts have a huge impact on our perceptions of a stressful situation. A healthy lifestyle embraces a certain level of stress and provides management techniques, when you are heading down the path of overload.
For more information on stress management go to
www.lifestylemedicine.net.au.
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