Stress and The Human Stress and The Human BodyBody

A look at how the human A look at how the human body reacts to stressbody reacts to stress

STRESSSTRESS

The body’s reaction to The body’s reaction to any change that requires any change that requires an adjustment or an adjustment or response.response.

STRESSSTRESSEvolutionists credit the Evolutionists credit the

survival of human species survival of human species to our ability to react to to our ability to react to stressors that we stressors that we encounter in our encounter in our environment.environment.

STRESSSTRESS

Physiologist refer to the Physiologist refer to the human reaction to stress human reaction to stress as the “as the “General General adaptation Syndromeadaptation Syndrome”.”.

General Adaptation General Adaptation SyndromeSyndrome

There are There are threethree distinct distinct phases to the General phases to the General Adaptation Syndrome: The Adaptation Syndrome: The Alarm PhaseAlarm Phase, The , The Resistance PhaseResistance Phase, and , and The The Exhaustion PhaseExhaustion Phase..

A Graphical Representation of the A Graphical Representation of the General Adaptation SyndromeGeneral Adaptation Syndrome

If that last slide startled If that last slide startled you a little you probably you a little you probably experienced the first experienced the first phase of the phase of the General General Adaptation SyndromeAdaptation Syndrome called the called the Alarm Phase. .

Alarm PhaseAlarm PhaseIn the In the Alarm PhaseAlarm Phase the body the body

gets ready for gets ready for fight or flight through a number of rapid through a number of rapid physiological changesphysiological changes.

Alarm PhaseAlarm Phase Physical changes and their benefits which Physical changes and their benefits which

occur during the Alarm Phase:occur during the Alarm Phase:

– Adrenaline is ReleasedAdrenaline is Released getting body getting body ready for fight or flight quickly.ready for fight or flight quickly.

– Heart Rate increasesHeart Rate increases, allowing oxygen , allowing oxygen and nutrients to get to the muscles and and nutrients to get to the muscles and brain quickly while transporting waste brain quickly while transporting waste out of the body. out of the body.

Alarm PhaseAlarm Phase– Respiration increaseRespiration increase, oxygen uptake , oxygen uptake

quickly while also purging carbon quickly while also purging carbon dioxide from the body. dioxide from the body.

– Arteries constrictArteries constrict causing blood pressure causing blood pressure to increase which moves blood to increase which moves blood throughout the body at a higher rate of throughout the body at a higher rate of speed. speed.

Alarm PhaseAlarm Phase– Pain tolerance increasesPain tolerance increases which allows a which allows a

person to be able to continue to fight or person to be able to continue to fight or flee without becoming incapacitated by flee without becoming incapacitated by injuries.injuries.

– Digestion slows/stopsDigestion slows/stops and the water that and the water that

was being used in the digestion process was being used in the digestion process is pushed out to the skin to be used as is pushed out to the skin to be used as perspiration to keep the body cool.perspiration to keep the body cool.

The Resistance PhaseThe Resistance Phase

During the Resistance Phase the During the Resistance Phase the body pulls itself out of the alarm body pulls itself out of the alarm phase in an attempt to reestablish phase in an attempt to reestablish equilibrium within the body equilibrium within the body (homeostasis).(homeostasis).

Without this phase the body would Without this phase the body would breakdown and die of exhaustion.breakdown and die of exhaustion.

The Exhaustion phaseThe Exhaustion phase

During the exhaustion phase the During the exhaustion phase the body rests, recuperates and body rests, recuperates and replenishes nutrients until it has replenishes nutrients until it has reached homeostasis.reached homeostasis.

The Danger of StressThe Danger of Stress

When a person is subjected to either When a person is subjected to either physical or mental stressors for extended physical or mental stressors for extended durations the exhaustion phase is cut durations the exhaustion phase is cut short which eliminates the body’s ability to short which eliminates the body’s ability to heal itself.heal itself.

Not only does this eliminate the body’s Not only does this eliminate the body’s ability to heal itself but now the body ability to heal itself but now the body spends greater time in the alarm stage.spends greater time in the alarm stage.

The Danger of StressThe Danger of Stress

You need only to look at the diseases You need only to look at the diseases and disorders associated with stress and disorders associated with stress to see the dangerous impact stress to see the dangerous impact stress can have on a person’s health. can have on a person’s health.

The Danger of StressThe Danger of Stress Diseases and disorders associated with Diseases and disorders associated with

high amounts of stress:high amounts of stress:

– Cardiopulmonary DiseaseCardiopulmonary Disease– StrokeStroke– CancerCancer– DiabetesDiabetes– DepressionDepression– AnxietyAnxiety– Sleep Apnea Sleep Apnea – InsomniaInsomnia

Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies

People who find themselves under a People who find themselves under a great deal of stress can rely on great deal of stress can rely on coping strategies to counteract coping strategies to counteract stresses destructive manner. stresses destructive manner.

Coping StrategiesCoping Strategies

Deep Breathing exercisesDeep Breathing exercises Exercising (sublimation)Exercising (sublimation) TalkingTalking OrganizingOrganizing Mental imaging (projection)Mental imaging (projection) HobbiesHobbies LaughterLaughter