EVERYTHING
WORTH
KNOWING
54 DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COM
Stress
WHETHER ANIMAL, vegetable, mineral or machine,
everything experiences stress — broadly defined as
challenges to equilibrium, a balanced state of being.
Under pressure, pushing down
on me, pushing down on you.
BY BRIDGET ALEX
In biology, stress is the body’s response to perceived
threats to our physical or mental well-being. Moderate
amounts are healthy and normal. But too much — or
too little — causes problems. Chronic stress is linked to
cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression. Stress
associated with extreme events such as combat can lead
to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of
PTSD, which affects over 7 million Americans, include
flashbacks and hypervigilance long after a trauma.
Meanwhile, recent studies show that people who
underreact to stress are more likely to have impulsive
behavior and substance addiction.
The Human
Stress Story
The Adaptive Stress Response
A 1936 Nature paper launched the field of stress
research. In the study, physician Hans Seyle —
later called the father of stress — subjected rats to
cold, drugs, excessive exercise and other assaults.
Whatever the stimuli, the rats exhibited similar
physiological effects.
Now understood as the stress response,
this set of bodily changes is an adaptation that
allows animals to focus their energy on survival
and forgo other matters such as growth or
reproduction. It’s initiated when the brain detects
a potential threat and launches a cascade of
hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol,
that affects the endocrine, nervous and immune
systems.One stream of hormones, called the
sympathomedullary (SAM) pathway, triggers
the fight-or-flight response, characterized by
upticks in heart rate, breathing and blood sugar
levels. Another pathway, the hypothalamic
pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, keeps the body
on high alert by tapping glucose reserves and
dialing back nonessential functions.
How to Cope
There are a lot of coping strategies
that relieve negative feelings
associated with stress. Some — such
as meditation, journaling, therapy
and medication — are recommended;
others — denial, overeating, alcohol
— are not. Alternatively, some
strategies remove the stressor.
For instance, a couple in a toxic
relationship may sever ties, or
someone overwhelmed by to-dos
could improve time management
skills. The best approach depends on
the person and their circumstances.
For healthy individuals with
everyday challenges, simple changes
can help. Nearly 30 studies with a
total of more than 2,500 participants
found stress and anxiety were
reduced thanks to mindfulness
programs that taught people to live
in the present, without judgment.
Similarly, a 2017 review of 42 studies
in Psychoneuroendocrinology
concluded that yoga improves
measures of a healthy stress
response, including blood pressure,
resting heart rate and cortisol levels.