Stress HormonesPosted 10 years ago under Uncategorized
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When we are faced with life or death circumstances, mildly irritated or anything in between our body’s endocrine system releases a myriad of stress hormones. If stress fades away to other feelings like contentment, then the damage done to our systems if any, is short-lived.
Stress hormones are needed to give us energy and focus when we are in extreme danger. We also need some levels of stress hormones to maintain many bodily systems, and to digest many nutrients. It is more common that people have excessive stress hormones than not enough. (1)
Chronic stress
Chronic stress like the kind brought on by working a job that is a poor fit, or working under an abusive manager can bring about a lot of different health problems. Excessive stress hormones often bring about these health problems.
Chronically high stress hormones are linked to a number of health problems. Including:
- Acne
- Addictions
- Anxiety
- Alzheimer’s
- Bone Loss
- Cancer (due to reduced immune system)
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Digestive problems
- Heart disease (stress actually creates plaque in the arteries)
- Infertility
- Inflammation
- Impaired immunity
- Insulin resistance
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Metabolic syndrome
- Memory and concentration impairment
- Osteoporosis
- Reduced libido
- Senile dementia
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Stomach Ulcers
- Strokes
- Weight gain (stress encourages fat to be retained in the body, especially around the abdomen)
Unfortunately chronic stress can lead to all kinds of poor health outcomes, not just the problems listed above. (2,3)
Stress response
Scientific understanding of the stress response has improved a great deal in recent years. But there is still a lot science does not yet fully understand. Physiological changes brought on by stress are very complex. What we do know so far is that when we are stressed our body releases adrenaline, endorphins, fibrinogen, norepinephrine, corticotrophin, cortisol, and vasopressin. We do have a working knowledge of what changes in the body are brought on by these substances. Our bodies need some amount of stress hormones in order to maintain health. (4)
Stress can make you feel alive; it is this rush of stress hormones that give us that thrill when we are watching action movies or horror movies. When watching sports our bodies release stress hormones, also when we are playing games like paintball, laser tag and video games. Some amount of stress is good, healthy and invigorating. It can make us feel more “in the moment”. (5)
Excessive stress hormones over the long term are devastating to our systems, what happens to the mind happens to the body. Nothing in life is just “in our heads”. There is a neurological and biochemical equivalent response to negative feelings, and to “getting stressed out”. These mental states cause real harm to our bodies over the long run. (6)
(1) http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/understanding-stress-chronic-stress-and-adrenal-fatigue/
(2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B0PGFnYnv4
(3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyBsy5SQxqU
(4) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/adrenaline-cortisol-stress-hormones_n_3112800.html
(5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU
(6) http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/understanding-stress-chronic-stress-and-adrenal-fatigue