Modern day society is constantly moving and eliciting high profiles and demands while carrying with it both physical and psychological effects. These effects are commonly known as stress. Every person in this world has been under some sort of stress, whether it be big or small. How we react to the strain on both our minds and bodies can determine how well we cope under this prolonged stress, or better known as chronic stress. When presented under tension our bodies react by operating interconnected neuroendocrine circuits (Mariotti, 2015). These circuits allow us to return to homeostasis equilibrium. Chronic stress occurs when the stimulus becomes too intense or lasts too long and the body cannot adapt under such circumstances. Without achieving homeostasis the neuroendocrine circuits become altered and can lead to illness (Mariotti, 2015). Stress can be handled by both predicting an oncoming stressor and controlling it.
…show more content…
The amount of time it takes to control the stimulus is different from how strong the stimulus is. There is correlation in a strong and continuous stimulus having long-term effects, but the main problem is that stress will worsen if the neuroendocrine circuits do not adapt to the stressor, no matter how small the stimulus is (Anderson et al., 2014; Mariotti, 2015). When stress becomes chronic the “GC-dependent negative feedback mechanism that controls stress response does not work” (Mariotti, 2015) causing resistance and the “molecular mediators to remain high” (Mariotti, 2015). Mental connections, the immune system, heart health, and the skeletal system are all at risk of damage and negative long-term scars. When the body is stressed, the first response comes from the sympathetic nervous system. This system helps the body elicit a “fight-or-flight” response and direct all energy towards fixing or fighting the stress. The adrenal glands then release adrenaline and cortisol which cause the heart to beat faster, respiration rate to increase, blood vessels in the arms and legs to dilate, a change in the digestive process, and glucose levels to increase (Anderson et al., 2014). While this is normal to trigger, constant use begins to drain and break down. Reaction times (mentally and physically) become slower and mental connections weaken. The hearth and blood vessels provide both oxygen and nourishment to cells and organs in the body. With the activation of stress hormones, blood vessels that direct blood to the large muscles and the heart dilate, which increase the amount of blood pumped to these parts of the body (muscles) that need more blood (Mariotti, 2015). Eventually, the heart will return to normal conditions and vessels will open. Chronic stress creates consistent and ongoing increase in heart rate, and the elevated levels of stress hormones and blood pressure, can take a toll on the body. This can lead to hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes along with higher cholesterol levels from inflamed coronary arteries. The musculoskeletal system, immune system, and many other physiological aspects of the body are also affected by chronic stress. Muscle tension is a reflex to stress. When muscles are taut for a long time they begin to trigger other reactions from the body such as tension-hype headaches, migraines, and stiffness in the neck, back, and shoulders. Also little reactions, such as eye twitching, can occur.
The amount of time it takes to control the stimulus is different from how strong the stimulus is. There is correlation in a strong and continuous stimulus having long-term effects, but the main problem is that stress will worsen if the neuroendocrine circuits do not adapt to the stressor, no matter how small the stimulus is (Anderson et al., 2014; Mariotti, 2015). When stress becomes chronic the “GC-dependent negative feedback mechanism that controls stress response does not work” (Mariotti, 2015) causing resistance and the “molecular mediators to remain high” (Mariotti, 2015). Mental connections, the immune system, heart health, and the skeletal system are all at risk of damage and negative long-term scars. When the body is stressed, the first response comes from the sympathetic nervous system. This system helps the body elicit a “fight-or-flight” response and direct all energy towards fixing or fighting the stress. The adrenal glands then release adrenaline and cortisol which cause the heart to beat faster, respiration rate to increase, blood vessels in the arms and legs to dilate, a change in the digestive process, and glucose levels to increase (Anderson et al., 2014). While this is normal to trigger, constant use begins to drain and break down. Reaction times (mentally and physically) become slower and mental connections weaken. The hearth and blood vessels provide both oxygen and nourishment to cells and organs in the body. With the activation of stress hormones, blood vessels that direct blood to the large muscles and the heart dilate, which increase the amount of blood pumped to these parts of the body (muscles) that need more blood (Mariotti, 2015). Eventually, the heart will return to normal conditions and vessels will open. Chronic stress creates consistent and ongoing increase in heart rate, and the elevated levels of stress hormones and blood pressure, can take a toll on the body. This can lead to hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes along with higher cholesterol levels from inflamed coronary arteries. The musculoskeletal system, immune system, and many other physiological aspects of the body are also affected by chronic stress. Muscle tension is a reflex to stress. When muscles are taut for a long time they begin to trigger other reactions from the body such as tension-hype headaches, migraines, and stiffness in the neck, back, and shoulders. Also little reactions, such as eye twitching, can occur.