Base FMM

What is stress?

Stress is basically a protective adaptation in the body. The body perceives stress like a threat, so whether it’s a swooping magpie or a job interview, your body is gearing you up to run away to safety.

The brain received the message of a threat, and in a cascade of events, triggers the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, the stress hormone which puts your body in 'fight or flight' mode. In small doses, cortisol is no issue as the body has a mechanism to bring everything back to normal, it helps make energy available, pumps blood to your limbs quickly so you can escape, widens your pupils so you can see easier and so on. However, if this adaptation needs to be done over and over again, like in chronic stress, these mechanisms can become disrupted.

The body has three stages of stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The body can only respond to prolonged stress for so long before it’s resistance to stress decreases, neural pathways change, and issues with health arise.

Follow on tomorrow for how stress affects body systems, some issues you may not realise are linked to stress. But for now… splash yourself with some cold water.