The body’s natural response to a stressful situation is to increase the heart rate and blood pressure, by initially releasing adrenalin to prime the body for immediate action, followed by the release of the stress hormone cortisol. A highly stressful event activates neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and emotional responses, which may not
Stress is not a disease, but prolonged exposure to intensive work-related pressure can reduce effectiveness at work, and affect people’s physical and psychological health. Research has shown that the work environment is a major – and in many cases the primary – source of chronic stress in the lives of
The power of the mind is of extreme importance when dealing with high levels of stress. Instead of succumbing to the dire effects of stress, the mind can be conditioned to channel stress into a positive experience. The general perception that stress negatively affects health, contributes to a higher mortality
The body’s initial reaction to a crisis or threatening situation is to activate the ‘fight or flight” stress response, which primes the body to take either confrontational or avoidance action. Once the threat has passed, the “rest and digest” response takes over, in which the vagus nerve – as part
When faced with stressful situations, the body develops a stress response, which involves interaction between different body systems to cope with the stressors. The stress response starts in the brain, where cognitive appraisal of perceived threats and stressors in the environment is mediated by the brain, to activate the responding
A highly stressful situation, such as public speaking for the novice, or going for an important job interview, can lead to so much anxiety, that it impedes your performance – leaving you stuttering and stammering and unable to think clearly. However, instead of succumbing to anxiety in a stressful situation,
During the Oscar Pistorius trial an individual’s reaction when faced with perceived danger formed part of the defence team’s legal argument. The “fight or flight” response to danger created much public interest at the time. But what really happens in the body when faced with a “fight or flight” situation?
