What happens when you are stressed?

So you have had a stressful day, week, month, or year? What is actually happening inside your body while you are stressed, and why?

It does not really matter if you have been stressed for 5 minutes, for an hour, or for longer. Your body is responding that same way. Your body’s stress response is designed to allow you not to be eaten by the tiger. Wait, I’m not being chased by a tiger, I’m stressed out at work. It does not matter. Genetically you are designed to react in a flight or flight response. This means you will either run away or attack the tiger. This means your physiology will change to help you survive. The first problem is that you are sitting and will most likely remain sitting, and secondly you are constantly stressed. So what physiological changes occur…

1. Increased Cortisol
2. Increased Catecholamines (stress hormones)
3. Increased Heart Rate
4. Increased Vasoconstriction
5. Increased Blood Pressure
6. Increased Blood Glucose (sugar) levels
7. Increased Blood Lipid (Fat) levels
8. Increased Blood Cholesterol
9. Increased Clotting Factors
10. Increased Muscle Breakdown
11. Insulin Resistance
12. Increased feelings of Stress, Fear, Anxiety and Depression
13. Decreased Short Term Memory, Ability to Concentrate
14. Decreased Serotonin (Happy Chemicals)
15. Decreased Cellular Immunity
16. Decreased Growth Hormones
17. Bone Loss

Have you noticed any of these going on? This is from any physical, chemical, or emotional stress, you are chronically having.