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Stress Unraveled: What It Means and How To Fight It


Introduction

What is stress? Stress is a response to any physical or physiological stimuli. The stimuli are called stressors and is coordinated through a complex domino effect through your body's senses, your brain, and nervous system. Stress responses is meant to adapt the body to handle challenges by stressors to prepare the body to either fight or run (fight-or-flight response). This response evolved to aid us in our primitive years, where instincts on whether to fight or run when faced with a snake versus a lion were worth its weight in gold. However, in modern day, this instinct isn't as vital and we are only left with stress as an uncomfortable feeling in our gut and body. Let's break down how this response happens and what strategies we can use to combat it.



Process

Stress is typically defined as state of mental or emotional stress strain or tension resulting from environmental circumstances. Medically, it's much more complicated process that requires careful orchestration all-across the body.


Stress starts with an "alarm". The alarm is the signals your senses (ie. eyes, ears) send to your amygdala about external stimuli and happenings. The amygdala is the section of the brain dedicated to emotional processing. The amygdala will interpret your sense's signals and figure out whether the signal is any cause for concern. If it raises any red flags or if the amygdala senses danger, the amygdala will send a distress signal to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the functional command center of the brain; it receives all the signals and directs the rest of the body using automatic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls involuntary bodily functions and is divided into the sympathetic system, which triggers the "fight or flight" response, and the parasympathetic system, which promotes "rest and digest" activities.


After receiving the signals, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic system to pump adrenaline throughout your body via blood stream. Adrenaline is a hormone, which is a chemical messenger sent through the body. Adrenaline can bring about any physiological changes; it can cause the heart to beat faster, push blood to the muscles and heart, rapid breathing, and raise pulse/blood pressure. It also triggers the release of blood sugar and fats into the blood stream, supplying additional energy in the body.


This initial surge of adrenaline soon subsides and the hypothalamus activates the second phase of the stress response: the HPA axis. The HPA axis is neuroendocrine network encompassing the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands that manage this next crucial step of the stress response. The HPA axis keeps the sympathetic system's "gas pedal" pushed as the adrenaline fades to keep your body aware and ready. If there is still danger present, the hypothalamus will release CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), that travels to the pituitary glands to release another hormone, ACTH. ACTH will then trigger cortisol release in the adrenal glands.


The release of cortisol is the pivotal and most important point of this long domino effect of hormones. Cortisol is a hormone similar to adrenaline, producing almost the same physiological changes and effects, except that it is much longer lasting than adrenaline. Adrenaline is meant to be short-lived but when danger persists, cortisol takes over for prolonged periods of hazard. When the danger passes, the parasympathetic nervous system will pump the brakes and cause cortisol levels to fall, slowly stopping stress response. Additionally, cortisol levels work as a negative feedback loop, meaning the production of it limits further creation. When cortisol levels get too high, receptors (specialized cells that send signals to the brain) called MRs (mineralocorticoids) and GRs (glucocorticoids) send signals to the HPA axis to reduce cortisol production.



Fighting Techniques

Put in this context, stress seems clear-cut and unavoidable. However, there was many ways to fight stress. A Harvard article details three big techniques:


  1. Relaxation response—countering stress using methods to elicit relaxation and coerce your body into ignoring any perceived danger. This can be achieved through "deep abdominal breathing, focusing on soothing words (such as peace or calm), visualization of tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer, yoga, and tai chi" ("Understanding the Stress Response"). This isn't a cure-all and results vary, but it has capability to help you regulate your nervous system's responses and slow yourself down. Calming exercises like listed above work because it counteracts your fight-or-flight response as its literal opposite and as your fight-or-flight system slows, it also counters its impacts such as lowers your blood pressure, slows your racing heart, and reduces muscle tension.

    1. Box breathing—"Breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, hold that for four seconds before breathing in again. Repeat several times until you feel calm". This invites your body to take longer and deeper breaths when your stress response is to shorten them. A good tip is to imagine tracing a box while you breath, drawing a line with each step.

    2. S.T.O.P—an acronym for Stopping whatever you're doing, Taking a breath, Observing and assessing your situation, and Proceeding to let go of the emotion you're feeling and move forward.

  2. Exercise—stifling stress using physical activity. Exercise after stress responses deepen breathing and relieve muscle tension. An example of an easy exercise to do would be to take a walk in fresh air. It'll additionally have a calming effect and work to induce the relaxation response mentioned earlier ("Understanding the Stress Response").

  3. Social support—taking support and help from those around you. While it's still scientifically unknown why this works, a "life-enhancing social net" and close relationships with family and friends have proven to help in chronic stress and crisis ("Understanding the Stress Response").

    1. Acknowledging stress and choosing to respond to it by connecting with others releases oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that "reinforces this urge to connect with other people" and has been nicknames the "love hormone" ("Stressed out?"). It triggers the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that pushes our brain's reward button/circuitry, leading to overall feelings of happiness and reinforcing of social interaction ("The 'Love Hormone'").


Conclusion

While stress is a complex domino effect that can send your body and mind into a panic, it is important to remember that it's manageable. Left unchecked, it can wreak havoc in your mental and physical health. It's a natural part of life but how we manage it makes all the difference. Whether it's through relaxation techniques, exercise, or social support, it's important to find our what plan of action works best for you. Recognizing stress and learning cope with it as a natural part of human life is vital for building resilience and improving our overall well-being. In the end, stress is only a component of life. It shouldn't get to dictate it.


Work Cited



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