These occur whenever we are faced with a stressful or threatening situation. Our body becomes prepared to react to what we perceive to be a real threat. We are confronted with stresses in our lives which cause stress responses. A stress response is activated by the hypothalmus through the sympathetic nervous system, releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline, which causes arousal and physical reactions, such as increased pulse and gasping for more oxygen. Digestion is halted and the muscles are filled with a rush of blood.
Blood pressure increases rapidly and the body s metabolism goes into high gear.
When you are in a perpetual state of stress, you flood your body with stress hormones, noradrenaline which stimulates the adrenal glands. This in turn will release cortisol. Cortisol is needed for us to respond to stress. But when stress is too intense and not relieved, excess cortisol is toxic, inflicting serious damage and speeding up the aging process. Cortisol is found at abnormally high levels in persons with depression, alcoholism, heart disease and cancer.