Fight or Flight and the Symptoms of Stress
If you’re reading this and you’re chronically stressed then you might not believe me when I tell you that some stress is actually good. Human beings were designed with a built in stress response ('Fight or Flight') for a reason. Without it, I wouldn’t be writing this and you wouldn’t be reading it because mankind more than likely wouldn’t exist. Survival was dependant on us getting ourselves out of danger and evading being eaten by a myriad of predators. Being in a relaxed state, reclining under a tree wouldn’t have been a great response whilst in the vicinity of a sabre tooth cat. We have a stress response for a reason. These days, though most of us aren’t in danger of being eaten by big cats anymore, it is still useful should we find ourselves driving and in urgent need of taking evasive action to avoid a nasty collision, for example.
When it comes to our stress response, dangers may be real, perceived or imagined. Our responses to stress triggers are also personal and can manifest in different ways based on our past experiences. What I find triggering, might not bother you in the slightest and vice versa. So, what is stress?
Chronic stress is when the body gets stuck in the fight or flight phase unable to relax, or the stress response is continually triggered over an extended period of time.
Fight or Flight
When we become aware of danger (car, lion or boss), our sympathetic nervous system is alerted, triggering what we know as the ‘Fight or Flight’ response. Hormones including adrenaline and cortisol are released resulting in increased blood pressure and heart rate. Our breathing becomes faster and more shallow, muscles tense and may tremble and shake, pupils dilate to take in more light to improve our vision and our focus on the task at hand improves. (This increased focus can be helpful in certain performance demanding situations, like a job interview or presentation, for instance.) Unnecessary bodily systems are temporarily shut down and others are prioritised (you don’t need to reproduce or digest your breakfast whilst trying to avoid a lion, but you do need to use your respiratory and muscular-skeletal systems to run or scale a tree.)
Modern life examples of when our stress response might be triggered are plentiful. An email from your boss, a reminder for an unpaid bill, watching or reading the news, having to give a presentation at work, starting a new job, relationship challenges, deadlines, workload and juggling a lot of responsibilities are just a few.
Our physiological response to a stress trigger lasts until the danger (real or perceived) has passed. At this point, our parasympathetic system should kick in.
Rest & Digest
The parasympathetic system’s job is to calm and relax the body after a stressful event. Bodily systems that were turned off during the fight or flight phase are switched back on, hence being known as ‘Rest & Digest’ (sometimes ‘Feed & Breed’.) The parasympathetic system slows the heart rate, lowers the blood pressure, increases digestive juices and relaxes muscles. If the sympathetic system is the accelerator, then the parasympathetic is the brake. In my personal experience, the more prolonged or intense the sympathetic phase, the longer the parasympathetic phase. I also find that rest & digest can't be expedited. The body stops you from rushing around because it needs to recover. The best thing to do is to give in and take the opportunity to fully relax. Sleep, make your favourite hot drink, get under a blanket and watch an old film or read a book knowing that you've been given permission.
Modern life is ever-increasingly full of potential stress triggers and given how stress can affect us behaviourally, emotionally, psychologically and physically, it is critically important that we all know how to manage it. Learning ways in which to better control the nervous system is vital.
The Symptoms of Stress
Chronic stress is when the body gets stuck in the fight or flight phase unable to relax or the stress response is continually triggered over an extended period of time. It feels overwhelming, debilitating and it can take over your life. Stress can lead to a person feeling irritable, angry, frustrated, worried, overwhelmed, apathetic, hopeless, sad, lonely, tense and fearful. A stressed individual may experience racing thoughts and a mind that won't quieten down. Finding things funny and the ability to laugh and find enjoyment may be difficult. Stress can also result in a person feeling a lack of control.
Behavioural changes include irritability, poor memory, low concentration and increased procrastination. Some people turn to alcohol, tobacco and/or drugs as coping mechanisms, unaware that such consumption only serves to make the situation worse. A change in appetite, especially an increased consumption of unhealthy food often accompanies stress. Someone who already regularly exercises may increase the amount of time that they exercise for, often to unhealthy levels. Other people may decrease the time they spend exercising. Some people may withdraw from social groups and some may experience decreased libido. Biting nails, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, fidgeting and rapid speech are all signs of stress.
There is a long list of physical effects of stress on the body which can include muscle tension & pain, fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, sleep problems and insomnia, changes in breathing, panic attacks, changes to appetite and weight, skin problems such as itchy skin or rashes, sweating, changes to menstrual cycle and blurred vision. Worryingly, chronic stress has also been linked to various chronic health conditions including Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) (including heart attack, hypertension & stroke), Chronic Fatigue, Metabolic Syndrome (Type 2 Diabetes, obesity) and reduced immune function. Links have also been made between chronic stress and Dementia.
There is no silver bullet when it comes to managing stress. Creating healthy habits, getting enough sleep, ensuring you have a sustainable work/life balance, building resilience and having a good support network are all critical to having a healthy nervous system. You can read more about Holistic Stress Management here.
Sources:
NHS England, The Mayo Clinic, Mind UK, The American Psychological Association (APA), The British Heart Foundation (BHF), Alzheimer's Society, Mental Health UK
Hannah is a certified Stress Management Coach. As a Coach, Hannah is not a Therapist, Counsellor or medical Doctor. Any health & wellbeing information shared on social media is based on personal experiential learning and does not constitute advice. A qualified health practitioner should always be consulted for professional health & medical advice.
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