What is stress?

A strain on your life, a strain on your well being – mentally, emotionally and physically, that is what stress is all about. Stress is brought on for various reasons, which we will discuss a bit more in detail, but stress, this strain on your life is a turning and twisting of ‘your being’ which causes some type of additional problems in your life in the long run.

Think about a piece of wood, lumber that is used to hold up a roof. In the winter months, the weight of the snow puts stress and stain on that little board that holds up the roof. Now think, you are the board, you are under stress and stain in your life, and the snow is the seasons or the different stages of your life. 

Thinking about the stress of the ‘winter’ months, and the breakdown of the board after long winters, this is your body, aging as stress takes a toll on you.

Stress is not only a frame of conscience or a feeling, but stress is also a strain on your body. Problems associated with stress can be directed to your body by various means such as in toxic matter, in pollutions and as direct results of your system by products. Problems associated with stress on your physical being are a by-product of existing and dealing with the strains of living. Although stress on your body by problems associated with your environment are important, we are going to focus on another type of stress in your life which is the stress on your body and mind due to what you think, feel, want, need, and your environment – how you see your world and how you understand the world around you. How you see and perceive the world around you is your ‘cognitive responses’. 

Portions of your cognitive responses, how you feel about your life and what is going on in your life includes the feelings of panic, fear, anxiety, excitement, rush and so on. All of these feelings in your life do cause your body to feel and experience stress, a strain, in a physical sense. 

Your brain controls your feelings, emotions, and how your stress affects your body. The portion of your brain that controls your life experiences is known as the hypothalamus, and this is where your basic life feelings are controlled as well. 

Even though we never consciously make this ‘part’ of our brain work, it is always ‘working’, allowing other parts of your daily feelings, thoughts and instincts to be brought about such as your hunger, fears, needs, happiness and your sexual instincts. Without these basic feelings and emotions, we would all be the same, and so our brains make us different from each other. 

The thing about your hypothalamus, the portion of your brain that controls your instincts, thoughts and feelings, is that it both works to help us through situations that are dangerous, life threatening, the joyous moments and all the while, working with the hormones in our body to assist us in feeling and living all of these emotions and feelings. 

An easier way in understanding that long sentence is that, when you are in danger your brain controls your hormones and your adrenaline so that you can deal with physical and emotional problems as they arise, giving you strength to overcome and live. As your brain uses your hormones and adrenaline to boost your bodies system this is a physical change, a strain on your body to meet the needs of your feelings, emotions and changes that are going on around you. Your organs, muscles, brain, and your entire system is working overtime to overcome and compensate for what emotions and feelings you are going through.

Your brain controls the chemical functions in your body and as your emotions and feelings change, so does your bodily functions, which is the toll that stress and stain has on your physical body. When your brain says run, your brain puts your body in motion and the stress of the emotions of being afraid pushes your brain to push your body harder to run faster and further. 

Because of your constant changing needs, emotions and environmental changes during your life, your brain puts additional stress on your physical body without your even realizing it. Do you have to meet that deadline no matter what – your brain gives you the needed adrenaline to stay awake, the push to get it done, and the result is a demand on your physical being. 

These same demands emotionally and physically are seen from the prehistoric times through today, but just that the demands are different on your mind, brain and your body. 

General survival in ancient times was the fight or flight – the brain controlled the bodies’ reactions, and stress was put on the body for either function. General survival today might not be all labeled as fight or flight, but the same emotions and stress is put on your body as you become stronger, faster, smarter, and so on. 

Instead of having to fight the wild animals in the forest, we are now faced with being scared of our boss, worried about our children, anxious to get through line, and so much more. Chemically our bodies are reacting the same but to just different reasons for why it is all happening. 

When you worry about losing your job, your car being stolen, your child being beaten or any other type of worries in the world that you live in at the present, these are types of stress that burden your body. 

No matter how well your life is settled, your body is prepared and trained to deal with the unimaginable and to give you the strength needed emotionally and physically to get through anything. 

Instead of running, hitting and moving as our bodies would call for when fighting in life, our brains works over time, stressing out about everything in our midst. The effects of our changing environment when mixed with stress is our changes in blood pressure, changes in our digestive systems, and changes in the abilities of our hearts to work for our bodies physical needs. 

Pressure in your life builds; pressure of stress builds on your body. Your blood vessels, hormones, adrenaline, muscles and your brain are all working because you are under stress. Your body continues to change because of the stress and stain of your life. Your body rarely seems to relax with the deadlines that you have, the children that are screaming, and the car that won’t start. Your emotions and your brain are working on overtime, even if you feel you are able to control them, your body is still going strong, this is just the way that our bodies work. 

Even if you feel that you have a low level of stress in your life, your body is reacting to this stress and overworking your body, aging your body, your brain, your cells, even your hormones but controlling stress, eliminating stress and relaxing your body are answers you need to seek for a long and healthy life. The basic relaxation of your mind and body is going to make a difference that you will notice in yourself even if they are just gradual changes. Therefore, now that you know what stress is, and how stress affects you, we can look at recognizing stress.