Stress - Part 1

Merely mentioning the word can set alarm bells ringing, especially in corporate work environments as organisations seek to manage and support the levels of stress that their employees experience.   Stress is inevitable for all of us at certain times and indeed is necessary and our bodies are well equipped to deal with stressful situations through three powerful hormones - adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol.

Our responses to stress have evolved over millions of years but the degree and levels of stress were more appropriate for our ancestors when they were either hunting or indeed being hunted .  Nevertheless, whilst most of us do not face those 'kill or be killed' situations, the same bodily responses of 'fight or flight' are still triggered when we find ourselves in a stressful meeting, a traffic jam when we are rushing to the airport or indeed any circumstance that causes worry and anxiety.

Let's have a look at these 3 hormones a little more.  Our adrenal glands sit on top of our kidneys and they secret adrenaline and noradrenaline.  These hormones are responsible for preparing our body to address stressful situations by prioritising a number of possibly life-saving functions over those that are considered less urgent:

• Our airways dilate to allow our lungs to take in more oxygen

• Our pupils dilate to improve vision

• Our liver is prompted to release stored glucose to meet anticipated short-term energy needs

• Our blood thickens slightly to reduce bleeding in the event of injury

• An increase in blood flow to the brain is to facilitate clearer thinking and decision making

• Insulin levels fall to make cells less sensitive to it's action so that more glucose is available for energy

This is all good stuff in a life threatening situation, but at the same time these hormones divert blood and energy away from certain 'non-essential' functions including digestion and the immune system.  This contributes to the digestive problems and susceptibility to infection that people who suffer long-term stress experience.

Cortisol is produced also by the adrenal glands.  It is produced with less urgency than adrenaline and noradrenaline and indeed it is naturally produced and secreted every day in our bodies - starting off in the morning when we wake and levels gradually increasing as the day progresses - though stressful scenarios do cause a spike in production levels. Most of our cells have cortisol receptors and so it has broader impact than the more targeted effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline.  It's role is to help stabilise glucose levels, reduce inflammation and affects sodium and potassium levels, so it has an impact on blood pressure.

In times of extreme and/or prolonged stress, these hormones can be released at inappropriate times such as early in the morning resulting in suddenly waking with a racing mind and heart.  It takes time for these impacts to subside which then go on to impact levels of tiredness, fatigue and a likelihood to gravitate towards food with high fat and sugar levels.

Prolonged stress which results in excessive amounts of these 3 hormones in the bloodstream are widely associated with some serious health problems, including obesity, heart disease and prostate issues.

In my next blog I will examine ways to control stress and ultimately the inappropriate production of these 3 hormones.