Stress, Part 2: Why it's killing us

Before I tell you about the physiology of stress, I need to tell you a little about the neurology of how the body works.  We have many different nerve functions in our body...nerves for movement, processing information, sensing our surroundings and so on...most of us know little about the most important component of our nervous system: the autonomic.  Simply put, the autonomic nervous system is the boss of every organ and system via hormonal information.  It is comprised of two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.  In a balanced individual, these two parts exist in harmony, neither working harder than the other. What the sympathetic system excites, the parasympathetic calms.  However, we all know that most of us live in an unbalanced world. And, thus, our story begins.

Physical stress and emotional stress affect the body completely differently.  If you overwork your body, physically, your musculo-skeletal system is affected.  If you overwork your body, emotionally, your sympathetic nervous system is affected.  We all know the feeling that we get after someone or something scares us...fear, shakiness, tightening in the stomach, that sense of urgency to run away...it's known as the, "fright/flight syndrome."  The sympathetic nervous system has "kicked in" and, via hormonal information, communicates with parts of the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary gland) to tell the adrenal gland to release epinephrine (aka adrenaline).  So, our pupils widen, blood is sent to our extremities (to run away), our digestive system is shut down, our heart rate increases dramatically as does our breathing...all preparing us to get away from the danger.  Interestingly enough, the exact same hormones that are released in response to immediate danger are released in response to prolonged emotional/mental stress.  If we are under prolonged stress, our sympathetic nervous system is constantly "turned on." Why is this very, very bad for us?

The adrenal glands not only release epinephrine, but also release other hormones...DHEA, steroid hormones, testosterone in women, aldosterone, cortisol and produce T-cell lymphocytes (necessary for our immune system).  No gland can be continuously simulated;  it would, "burn out."  So, in response to a constant stimulation by stress producing hormones, the number of receptor sites for the adrenals to accept information from the hypothalamus decreases, causing adrenal "down regulation" or dysfunction.

Remember my blog of a few days ago in which I reported that 22% of women and 16% of men said that they were under constant stress, daily?  Now, look at yesterday's blog that contains a list of symptoms connected with constant stress...not looking too good for us, as a nation, is it?  If there is just one thought that I can leave you with, it's that we cannot afford to ignore the stress we feel...it is damaging us....perhaps, killing us.

Tomorrow, part 3...what do we need to do?
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