G’day everyone.

We have spoken previously about how meditation and exercise help to reduce stress.

But what exactly is stress?

It is something we talk about a lot. Daily stress. Life stress. Exam stress.

But over the next few weeks we will look at the science of stress. The psychological models regarding what stress is, how we respond to stress and some more things we can do about it.

What is stress?

We all know what it's like to feels stressed. But what is stress? And why do we feel it?

Quite simply, stress is the physical and mental response and adaptation by our body to perceived or real challenges and changes[i]. Your body is flooded with hormones and chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline[ii].

It’s not all bad!

Did you know there are two main types of stress and that stress isn't always bad?

Positive stress, or eustress as it is called, gives us opportunities to grow and can actually IMPROVE health. Recent studies have discovered positive psychological changes following stressful events and improved mental health[iii][iv] [v] [vi] [vii] [viii] [ix] [x].It can motivate and energise you[xi]. It is what helped our ancestors survive in the wild and is still important today[xii].

Distress is the negative stress that we usually focus on. It is usually categorised by duration (acute vs chronic)[xiii].

Duration is more important. Stress should be temporary (acute). Once the stress has passed, you should be able to relax again. Your breathing and heart rate should slow, and your muscles should relax[xiv].

Conversely, frequent, prolonged or severe stress can be harmful to our minds and bodies[xv].

Here’s why…

What an Adrenaline Rush.

When we sense danger, a part of our brain (the hypothalamus), sends signals to our adrenal glands which release hormones.

This is our way of preparing for danger.

One of these hormones is adrenaline (aka epinephrine) and is one of the fight hormones). Adrenaline:

Increases heart rate.
Increases breathing rate.
Constricts our blood vessels.
Stimulates sweating.
Processes glucose for energy [xvi].

While this is great for the short term and can help us out of sticky situations, frequent adrenaline rushes can mean:

High blood pressure.
Increased risk of stroke and heart attack.
Headaches.
Anxiety.
Insomnia.
Weight gain.
Damaged blood vessel[xvii].

Cortisol – The stress hormone

Cortisol is the other main stress hormone and important in stressful situations.

It helps us by:

Raising blood sugar (glucose) levels.
Improves the brain’s use of glucose.
Reduces nonessential bodily functions.
Alters the immune system.
Prepares for tissues repair.
Changes the parts of the brain responsible for motivation, mood and fear[xviii].

Again, these functions are useful for short term high-stress situations and helps with survival.

However, long term raised cortisol levels can contribute to:

Mental cloudiness (brain fog) and memory problems
Mood effects.
High blood pressure.
Sleep problems.
Reduced energy.
Reduced immune system function (vulnerability to infections).
Weight gain.
Type 2 diabetes.
Osteoporosis[xix].

Next week will look at the phases of stress and then how we can reduce it.

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[i] Donatelle, R. J., & Davis, L. G. (2011). Health: the basics. Benjamin Cummings.

[ii] https://www.healthline.com/health/stress

[iii] Barskova, T., & Oesterreich, R. (2009). Post-traumatic growth in people living with a serious medical condition and its relations to physical and mental health: A systematic review. Disability and rehabilitation, 31(21), 1709-1733.

[iv] Gunst, D. C. M., Kaatsch, P., & Goldbeck, L. (2016). Seeing the good in the bad: which factors are associated with posttraumatic growth in long-term survivors of adolescent cancer?. Supportive Care in Cancer, 24(11), 4607-4615

[v] Helgeson, V. S., Reynolds, K. A., & Tomich, P. L. (2006). A meta-analytic review of benefit finding and growth. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 74(5), 797.

[vi] Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 17(1), 11-21.

[vii] Prati, G., & Pietrantoni, L. (2009). Optimism, social support, and coping strategies as factors contributing to posttraumatic growth: A meta-analysis. Journal of loss and trauma, 14(5), 364-388.

[viii] Şenol-Durak, E., & Belgin Ayvaşik, H. (2010). Factors associated with posttraumatic growth among the spouses of myocardial infarction patients. Journal of Health Psychology, 15(1), 85-95.

[ix] Yu, Y., Peng, L., Chen, L., Long, L., He, W., Li, M., & Wang, T. (2014). Resilience and social support promote posttraumatic growth of women with infertility: The mediating role of positive coping. Psychiatry research, 215(2), 401-405.

[x] Zoellner, T., & Maercker, A. (2006). Posttraumatic growth in clinical psychology—A critical review and introduction of a two component model. Clinical psychology review, 26(5), 626-653.

[xi] Donatelle, R. J., & Davis, L. G. (2011).

[xii] https://www.healthline.com/health/stress

[xiii] Donatelle, R. J., & Davis, L. G. (2011).

[xiv] https://www.healthline.com/health/stress#definition

[xv] Ibid.

[xvi] https://www.healthline.com/health/stress#hormones

[xvii] Ibid.

[xviii] https://www.healthline.com/health/stress#cortisol

[xix] Ibid.

Stress - Part 1 – What is Stress?

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