When we feel stress, the body responds as though we are being chased by a lion. It jumps into a ‘fight-or-flight’ state and releases a cocktail of hormones from the adrenal glands, including cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones redirect blood flow to large muscle groups, increase our breathing and heart rate, and give us a boost of energy. This response is meant to help us survive when we’re threatened, and it would be very helpful if we were actually face-to-face with a lion.
The problem is that the body can’t tell the difference between being chased by a lion and being stuck in traffic or facing a tight deadline, so it responds in the same way. When we’re faced with stressful situations day in and day out, the body thinks we’re being chased by a lion all the time.
The opposite of being in fight-or-flight (sympathetic nervous system state) is called ‘rest-and-digest’ (parasympathetic nervous system state). The body cannot exist in both states at the same time, and it should only enter fight-or-flight on rare occasions. However, most of us face a multitude of stressors each day, and burning the candle at both ends takes a toll on our mental and physical health.
NPN: 80096881
