How do our Body and Mind react to Stress?
Nature has fitted us with an impressive response mechanism, which acts as soon as we feel threatened. The protection responses of this mechanism are important to our survival and therefore, for our evolution. Our body constantly has to adapt to the ever-changing surroundings. When the weather is hot, we will perspire to cool the body. When sudden danger looms, our body has to be made ready for combat at once. We have to be able to react to danger quickly and adequately. The mechanism responsible for the protection response against possible threats is called 'Fight or Flight' in professional literature, and mostly takes place within our symphatic nervous system.
The symphatic nervous system is part of the nervous system that mostly deals with responses to external stimuli (e.g. noise, temperature, surroundings etc.). This system is responsible for well-known feelings such as fear, restlessness, and general tension. When we find ourselves in a 'fight-or-flight' situation, the symphatic nervous system, within seconds, causes:
- Increase of metabolism
- Higher and quicker breathing
- Increase of heart capacity by a factor of 4 or 5
- Increase of blood pressure
- Release of Stress hormones (e.g. adrenaline)
- Increase of blood supply to the vital organs
- Decrease of blood supply to the digestive organs
- Increase of sensory perceptions and becoming more alert
- Increase of muscle tension
All our energy efficiently go to the vital body functions. We are at the highest state of alert and for that moment, we only think of the short term to see the situation at hand to the end successfully. Fortunately, nature has seen to it that we also use another part of our nervous system, the parasymphatic nervous system that mostly deals with relaxation. This part of our nervous system works best when we relax and is mostly responsible for repair and growth of body cells, assimilation, and building up of our reserves.
These two nervous systems function as communicating vessels and, normally speaking, should be in balance, a balance also known as homeostasis. The whole process is regulated by a gland called the hypothalamus, which is part of our limbic brains. These brains look after the condition of our body as well as emotions and urges. The hypothalamus sends the orders for the fight-or-flight reaction by means of hormones and neuropeptides in the bloodstream and through nerve links. The mixture and amount of hormones and neuropeptides depend on the danger, the situation, the seriousness etc. These hormones often determine our behaviour, feelings, and emotions for that moment.
Normally speaking, these two parts of the nervous systems quickly return to a balance when the danger has gone. The fight-or-flight reaction costs a lot of energy but is a reaction our body should easily be able to cope with. However, contrary to the animal world, our emotions and thoughts unfortunately often prevent us from a quick return to the balance. The animal world has less trouble with this, which may also explain why we never see Stress - related complaints in animals. It is important to indicate that not only natural dangers such as a tiger, an abyss, or a robbery are seen by our brains as possible dangers.
Anything that threatens our feeling of well-being could be a reason for starting up the fight-or-flight reaction. When our social status is threatened, our views, our ego, or our longings and the realization of them, we will often see that the process will be started off, whether we like it or not. Moreover, both parts of the nervous systems are extremely sensitive and often have recorded Stress situations from the past. When, in the future, we will be confronted with similar images, this could still give a reaction although there might not be any immediate danger. Just think of all those situations in which a melody or a smell can make you relive or remember certain situations from the past.
Since Stress is often an unconscious process, we may find ourselves in a fight-or-flight mode more often than we think. First of all, we sometimes do not even feel that we experience Stress. Secondly, there may be even more situations and events that cause Stress in us. Moreover, the longer the Stress reaction lasts, the more difficult it will be to recognize and to deal with Stress consciously. Slowly but surely, we are becoming more and more unaware, with all its consequences. Before we know it, we go with high muscle tension, high blood pressure, superficial breathing, and digestive disorders.
A prolonged state of fight-or-flight - Being in a fight-or-flight mode for too long is more and more considered to be one of the most important causes of these common diseases of western civilization as well as professional and Stress - related diseases (burn-out, RSI etc.) Prolonged straining costs a lot of energy, is at the cost of important physical processes, overtaxes parts of our body too long, and has a strong influence on our emotional well-being.
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Basics & Backgrounds
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