Stressed Out?

You have two people call in sick on the same day. Your demanding mother-in-law comes for a visit. A large payment due from a customer never shows up and is already 30 days late. A storm hits town during the weekend and causes tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your building and inventory. All stressors, that cause tension, headaches, lack of sleep and anxiety. Stress happens to everyone, but not everyone knows why our bodies go through these emotional and physical changes. I read some great articles from various publications and thought I would share the information with you, about what causes this, the amygdala. Here's why we get stressed: Historically, the majority of stressors facing humans were physical (lions and tigers and bears, oh my!), requiring, in turn, a physical response. "We are not particularly splendid physical creatures," says David Spiegel, M.D., director of the Center on Stress and Health at Stanford School of Medicine, who explains that plenty of other animals can outrun us, overpower us, out-see us, out-smell us. "The only thing that has allowed us to explore the planet is the fact that we can respond effectively to threats." Humans are equipped with a sophisticated fight or flight response that allows us to outrun a grizzly bear or fight off an animal far more powerful than we are. When stressed, the sympathetic nervous system takes control of the body, which then triggers fight or flight. (The counterpart of the sympathetic nervous system is the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the "rest and digest system," which is in control during more relaxing times. Both are part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary actions.) Once our bodies identify a threat, we prepare for war (or getting the heck out of there): muscles tense up, the heart starts beating faster and blood flows away from any non-essential body system. The problem, though, is that while just a few hundred years ago our stressors were primarily physical, today the vast majority of stress is psychological -- work, finances, families and the like. But our bodies have yet to catch up. And that means the stress response is still a physical one. Soemeone gets you worked up, your body thinks "grizzly bear."

What's more, the brain isn't always particularly good at evaluating how serious a particular stressor is. Think of lighting a sparkler (or a candle or a match) inside a house, explains Amit Sood, M.D., associate director of Complementary and Integrative Medicine and chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative at Mayo Clinic. Now imagine you can't tell the difference between that sparkler and a multiple-alarm fire -- so each time, you send every available firefighter to put it out. "It would probably extinguish the sparkler, but it would waste a lot of resources," he says. Similarly, when the body is constantly stressed, it's pouring resources into fighting that stress, which can, over time, take a profound physical toll. The stress response starts with the amygdala, which acts as a sensor at the base of the brain vetting every input for possible threats. When it senses danger, it basically shuts down most brain operations and prepares all of its resources for survival, allowing you to react before you even have time to think about what is happening. For example, if you touch something hot, you instantly jerk your hand away without even thinking. This is handled by your amygdala. When constantly, severely stressed, the amygdala becomes hyper-sensitive and hyper vigilant, making even relatively harmless events (such as a barking dog or screaming baby) seem like a threat. After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine circulates through the body, it brings on a number of physiological changes. The heart beats faster than normal, pushing blood to the muscles, heart, and other vital organs. Pulse rate and blood pressure go up. The person undergoing these changes also starts to breathe more rapidly. Small airways in the lungs open wide. This way, the lungs can take in as much oxygen as possible with each breath. Extra oxygen is sent to the brain, increasing alertness. Sight, hearing, and other senses become sharper. Meanwhile, epinephrine triggers the release of blood sugar (glucose) and fats from temporary storage sites in the body. These nutrients flood into the bloodstream, supplying energy to all parts of the body. All of these changes happen so quickly that people aren't aware of them. In fact, the wiring is so efficient that the amygdala and hypothalamus start this cascade even before the brain's visual centers have had a chance to fully process what is happening. That's why people are able to jump out of the path of an oncoming car even before they think about what they are doing. Techniques to counter stress The findings of the national survey mentioned earlier support what mental health clinicians experience in their own practices - many people are unable to find a way to put the brakes on stress. Chronic low-level stress keeps the HPA axis activated, much like a motor that is idling too high for too long. After a while, this has an effect on the body that contributes to the health problems associated with chronic stress. Persistent epinephrine surges can damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body's energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain. For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat. Fortunately, people can learn techniques to counter the stress response. Personally, I have found simply understanding and knowing what I am feeling is my amygdala responding to current events and doing its job, makes me feel better. If I still feel stressed, I'll try to physically exert myself. People can use exercise to stifle the buildup of stress in several ways. Exercise, such as taking a brisk walk shortly after feeling stressed, not only deepens breathing but also helps relieve muscle tension. Relaxation response. Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, has devoted much of his career to learning how people can counter the stress response by using a combination of approaches that elicit the relaxation response. These include deep abdominal breathing, focus on a soothing word (such as peace or calm), visualization of tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer, yoga, and tai chi. Social support. Confidants, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, relatives, spouses, and companions all provide a life-enhancing social net - and may increase longevity. It's not clear why, but the buffering theory holds that people who enjoy close relationships with family and friends receive emotional support that indirectly helps to sustain them at times of stress and crisis. So, still feeling stressed? You're not losing your mind, it's just your body's old caveman response to getting you ready to deal with the issue physically. Dusek JA, et al. "Stress Management Versus Lifestyle Modification on Systolic Hypertension and Medication Elimination: A Randomized Trial," Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine(March 2008): Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 129-38. Holt-Lunstad J, et al. "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-Analytic Review," PLoS Medicine (July 27, 2010): Vol. 7, No. 7, electronic publication. McEwen B, et al. The End of Stress as We Know It (The Dana Press, 2002). Schocker, Laura, et al . "This is Your Body on Stress", Huffington Post, March 2013, electronic publication. Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School, May 2014