Introduction
Stress disrupts a person’s activity, their behavior and leads to a variety of psycho-emotional disorders such as, for example, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and others. Long-term stress is hazardous, as it damages the mechanisms of self-regulation of the body, leading to constant fluctuations in the level of hormones and unhealthy rhythms of breathing and heartbeat.
Discussion
The processes that occur in the body during stress are universal for all people. When a person is affected by a stressor, changes occur in the brain and the work of the endocrine and nervous systems. Biochemical reactions during stress proceed at an accelerated pace, increasing the energy potential of the body and allowing it to respond to a threat more quickly. The adrenal glands of the kidneys increase the release of adrenaline into the blood, which is a common fast-acting stimulant. The hypothalamus transmits a signal to the pituitary and adrenal cortex, which increases the synthesis of hormones and their release into the blood.
Hormones that are produced during stress, necessary in physiological quantities for the normal functioning of the body, in large doses cause many adverse reactions leading to diseases. For example, they change the water-salt balance of the blood, increasing blood pressure. Hormones such as cortisol and corticosteroids also increase the number of leukocytes in the blood, stimulating the immune system and suppressing its anti-inflammatory qualities (Bae et al., 2019). Other negative consequences of rising levels of stress hormones above physiological levels include a decrease in insulin secretion, degeneration of cells in the brain and spinal cord, and growth retardation.
Conclusion
Finally, chronic stress contributes to the development and manifestation of such pathological conditions as cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and immunodeficiency. Additionally, muscles tense during acute and chronic stress, which can lead to the development of stress-related disorders such as migraines and tension-type headaches. The degree of health risk associated with these life events depends, in part, on the person’s health habits, coping strategies, and previous experience with preventive stress management practices. Healthy stress management strategies help diminish its negative impact on the body and facilitate better mental stability in the long term.
Reference
Bae, Y.-S., Shin, E.-C., Bae, Y.-S., & Van Eden, W. (2019). Editorial: Stress and immunity. Frontiers in Immunology, 10.