Stress In A Fast Paced Society

Living in this fast paced society, stress is so abundant that it almost feels more normal than not being stressed. Sometimes stress can be good because it pushes you to do your best. Feeling the pressure of a job interview or a big project can encourage you to be prepared and plan for every contingency. A fight or flight response to a dangerous situation creates a kind of stress that may help your survive. Stress becomes a problem when it is chronic or nearly constant. If your body and brain never have the chance to calm down and return to baseline, it can lead to real health problems.

Stress starts with your brain

Your brain is the central processing unit of your entire body and it controls the production of most hormones. When you experience stress, a chain response occurs which results in a rush of stress hormones such as cortisol …show more content…
Stressful events trigger the heart to work harder by beating faster and pumping more blood to the organs, leading to an increase in blood pressure. If this stress response continues for extended periods, it can increase the risk of hypertension, inflammation of the coronary arteries, heart attack, and stroke. For women, estrogen appears to protect the heart from these risks but, post-menopause, a drop in estrogen leaves women more vulnerable.

Stress makes you tense

Tensing your muscles is an automatic response to a stressful situation. Your body sees it as a way to protect against injury or prepare to sprint away. This tension is not so helpful when you’re sitting at a desk, stressing out over work, month after month. Keeping your muscles constantly tense can lead to problems such as back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and migraines, and other musculoskeletal conditions. Combine this constant tension with pre-existing injuries or a lack of exercise and you may find yourself dealing with chronic pain.

Stress alters your