Stress

Part Two a more in depth look

When considering the body's response to stress we have to look at the main player the Autonomic Nervous System this is an involuntary control system i.e. we cannot consciously influence it , which is divided into two parts the Sympathetic Nervous System ( SNS ) and the Parasympathetic Nervous System ( PNS ) . Every organ in the body has a nerve supply from each with one division generating the opposite effect to the other ;

SNSPNS

Speeds up heart rateSlows down heart rate

Decreases peristalsis,stops defecation & urinationIncreases peristalsis,defecation & urination

Decreases digestive juicesIncreases digestive juices

Increases air intakeDecreases air intake

Increases adrenalinNo control

We could describe the SNS as the action side and the PNS as the rest and regeneration side .Throughout daily life we switch from a normal stress state to an increased state and back again : this to-ing and fro-ing is completely normal . We get out of bed with the aid of the correct chemical messengers coursing through our bodies to enable us to function properly when awake . As the days dramas come to an end the stress hormones are winding down and the repair hormones are rising which leads us to feel sleepy under the influence of these hormones the body repairs itself during sleep , from the trials of the day and then off we go the next morning ! However , the modern lifestyle rarely lets us act in this natural manner this cycle is interrupted by shift work , environmental stress , excessive or no exercise , money and relationship worries , poor food choices , negative thought patterns etc., etc., all of which combine to keep us in an elevated stress response .

Effects of Stress on the Body

Effects on Different Bodily Systems

Muscular SystemStress increases muscular tension which causes the muscle fibres to squeeze excessively on the blood capillaries that are trying to bring in oxygen and nutrients as a result blood flow is reduced . This causes a build of lactic acid , urea and other waste products over time this leads to fibrositis ( stiffness and pain )

Skeletal System The increased muscle tension ( especially in the neck and shoulders ) results in poor posture ( kyphosis ) which causes excessive wearing on the bones of the cervical and thoracic spine .Stiffness and osteoarthritis ( cartilage breakdown ) can result and cause severe problems in the vertebrae

Cardiovascular SystemCholesterol is a fatty substance created in the liver to provide the body with energy and to repair damaged cells . It is a vital part of the bodies make-up but when adrenalin and cortisol are released in stressful situations , the liver produces more cholesterol in response in individuals who are permanently stressed this excess , unused cholesterol (along with cholesterol from a bad diet) begins to line the arterial walls . This lessens the diameter of the artery forcing the heart to pump harder to force the blood through a narrower tube causing a higher blood pressure .If this situation happens to be in the tiny arteries that feed the heart muscle itself (coronary arteries) it can eventually cut-off the blood supply to one part of the heart and it can cramp in the same way that calf muscles do the result can be a heart attack . A similar situation near the brain can cause a stroke

Immune SystemThe gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts are coated with a mucous type substance that protects us from invading organisms it is the first line of defence against infection . The over production of cortisol can cause this system to malfunction and leave us prone to disease

Nervous SystemNegative feelings such as fear and anxiety have a huge effect here this system is directly linked with the endocrine systemwhose glands are often overstimulated (see below) .The nervous system is responsible for the basic instincts of the body such as hunger and sex drive when stressed , overeating or loss of appetite can occur , as can diminished libido and impotence .It is also responsible for balance and co-ordination , memory and reasoning . Stressed people often suffer ( to varying degree ) memory loss and an inability to make decisions and often poor concentration accompanied with jerky movements . The overall effect of these feelings is that the SNS (action) comes to the fore at the expense of the PNS (rest)

Endocrine SystemThis system controls most of the bodily functions and human behaviour by sending out chemical messengers (hormones) to maintain internal balance . Overproduction of hormones leads to a wide variety of problems , some of which have already been mentioned but there are many more . The end result is that when this system is not functioning properly you cannot cope withstress effectively this results in a vicious cycle where this system creates more stress and these higher levels weaken the system even further

Digestive SystemProblems here often begin with heartburn and indigestion due to an overproduction of stomach acids which can eventually lead to ulcers where the acids start to attack the lining of the stomach( the stomach is digesting itself ! ) . It was mentioned earlier that digestion slows when under stress so we are unable to absorb the nutrients that are doubly needed to offset the tissue destruction caused by the stress response , because the growth and repair system has been compromised . We have also seen that the SNS slows defecation so the stressed body begins to fill with partially digested , rotting food no need to say any more on this topic !

If you are suffering from stress ; think that you

Talk to someone ( this , in itself , can bring relief )

Get information

If needed , get professional help

But remember to truly begin to control your stress ;

You cannot expect the situation to change if you do not changesomething in your life

Val O'HalloranMassage Therapist