Newport Beach Chiropractor: The Science of Stress

Genetically, the human body prepares itself for situations that the sympathetic nervous system determines to be 'stressful' by releasing surges of norepinephrine, sending your body into what scientists call the "fight or flight" response. This incidentally causes your adrenal glands to secrete cortisol-which is known as the 'stress hormone'-and is useful during the fight-or-flight response because it temporarily lowers your pain sensitivity, and can provide quick bursts of energy and heightened memory function, among other things. For situations where humans were preparing to run from predators to stay alive, this was historically quite helpful.

Nowadays, the human brain has evolved dramatically in it's functioning abilities, and despite the fact that our bodies' response to stress has not changed chemically, our high-stress environment has. Normally following a fight-or-flight response in which elevated levels of cortisol have been released, a relaxation response is initiated to bring the body back to a level of homeostasis. But often we are in chronic states of stress and our bodies are unable to get to this 'relaxation phase'. The result is that cortisol levels remain higher in your body and can result in decreased bone density, blood sugar imbalances, high blood pressure and more. It's important for your health to remember to take time to breath and relax following a stressful day. For more information on getting your stress under control, stay tuned!