2. Understanding Stress Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help us perform under pressure & motivate us to do our best. But if we frequently find our self feeling frazzled & overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring our nervous system back into balance. We can protect our self by learning how to recognize the signs & symptoms of stress & taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.
3. What is Stress ? Stress is a normal physical response to events that make us feel threatened or upset our balance in some way. When we sense danger, the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as “ the stress response.” When working properly, the stress response helps us stay focused, energetic, & alert. In emergency situations, stress can save our life, for example, spurring us to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. The stress response also helps us rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps us on our toes during a presentation at work, or drives us to study for an exam when we would rather be watching TV. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful & starts causing major damage to our health, our mood, our productivity, our relationships, & our quality of life.
4. The Body’s Stress Response When we perceive a threat, our nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline & cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action. Our heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, & our senses become sharper. These physical changes increase our strength & stamina, speed our reaction time, & enhance our focus – preparing us to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.
5. General Adaptation Syndrome It refers to a general development of responses to stressful events in the form of physiological, psychological and behavioural responses believed to follow a fairly consistent pattern and consists of the following three stages : ALARM EXHAUSTION RESISTANCE
6. The “alarm” stage occurs at the first sign of stress. It results in physiological changes in the body as a warning & preparation against stress. Muscles become tense, blood pressure rises & there is increase in hormone flow such as adrenaline from endocrine glands. RESISTANCE The second stage in bodily responses is that of resistance. In this stage, the body’s energies tend to resist the stress so that the physiological & psychological equilibrium can be maintained. If this resistance is successful then the stress will disappear. However if the stress is of a high degree and continues long enough, then the body’s capacity for adaptation becomes exhausted. ALARM
7. EXHAUSTION In the third stage of exhaustion, the person is unable to cope with the stress and the individual experiences physical and mental pressures that result in such illness as continuous headaches, ulcers and high blood pressure. It is this last stage that presents the greatest threat to the individual’s well – being.
16. How much Stress is too much ? Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it is important to know our own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high stress lifestyle. Our ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of our relationships, our general outlook on life, our emotional intelligence, and genetics.
