Stress can have a significant effect on the body, it can cause sweaty palms and shortness of breath, set off high blood pressure and migraine headaches; over time the negative effects of stress can be severe. So what about stress can be good, you ask.
Everyone experiences stress; however, we all have different experiences of it, thus it is hard to define.
Not until the 1930s was the term ’stress’ defined; at this time Hans Selye, an endocrinologist, recognized a “nonspecific response of the body to a demand” and applied the term ’stress’ to it.
The term ’stressor’ is used to describe a threat or occurrence that results in the stress reaction.
A person might use the term today to describe their reaction to any of the pressures of modern life.
The fight or flight instinct is engaged when we come in contact with a stressor. Our brains release hormones that boost the rate of our heart and blood pressure. Blood containing higher levels of glucose, which is needed for the expenditure of energy, is rerouted to our limbs.
In modern life we rarely fight or flee for our lives. Our stressors are primarily emotional and must be dealt with in another manner.
Over time the effect of stress accumulates in our bodies because our bodies respond to stressors whenever they are encountered, whether they are small or large.
Physical conditions may result including digestive problems, sleep problems, migraine head aches, allergic reactions, hyper tension, and heart disease.
Beneficial stress is primarily physical stress including cardio and weight bearing exercise; additionally, some forms of mental stress are beneficial. The causes of stress are very individual; something that causes stress to you may not faze someone else
There are ways to handle and relieve harmful stress: bodily activities — running, walking, biking, skating, skiing — relaxation techniques — deep breathing, mediation, and stretching. Also, many find relief from speaking with a psychiatrist or other health professional.
If hypertension is the outcome of stress you’ve encountered, I recommend the High Blood Pressure program I’ve developed; for headache try the Migraine and Headache program. Thousands have valued the relief and benefits brought by these programs.
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