It is difficult to measure the impact of stress on our health in the first place, because stress does not manifest itself in a single way, secondly, because the physiological symptoms of stress can be produced partially or almost totally by other emotions.
On the other hand, we have to take into account that stress is a natural process that satisfies our need to adapt to our environment and therefore in the short term has a very positive role for our survival. However, it becomes harmful if it is too intense or if it lasts over time.
- In our daily lives we encounter situations that cause a stress reaction.
- This response to stress arises mainly in situations characterized by its unpredictability or uncontrollability.
This can occur both from external factors, such as traffic jams, a threat, loss, and internal factors such as self-demand and competitiveness, for example.
However, in all cases, the way we interpret or manage stress influences the process, as there are different types of tolerance to problems and limits, depending on the person, for many stress can be a health hazard.
Stress is not only related to emotional states, but also to health status, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, immune, sexuality and disease through psychophysiological pathways.
In other words, stress has ramifications with different variables that greatly affect our quality of life.
Changes that occur in response to stressful situations in our health are mediated by the psychophysiological pathways of the autonomous nervous system (NAS) and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HHS), represented in three phases.
NSS activation results in many changes, such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, glucose release, increased plasma cholesterol, successive reductions and recoveries of gastric secretions, dilation of the bronchi, decreased immune competence, increased thyroid size or activity, increased muscle tension, sweating, increased respiratory rate, hyperventilation and stimulation of the adrenal glands , which release adrenaline and norepinephrine into the bloodstream.
HhS activation causes increased levels of glucose in circulation, water retention, inhibition of secretion of hormones related to reproduction and growth and insulin.
In addition, there is a suppression of immune system activity, an increase in gastric irritation and the development of depressive feelings due to glucocorticoids that prepare the body to resist stress.
Therefore, our response to stress is very important to our health. We must promote active adaptation, develop strategies for emotional management, expression of feelings and emotions, identify emotional discomfort and encourage the search for alternatives, increase emotional communication and develop tolerance to frustration, among others.