17/02/2025
Some say they love to live with stress !!! Really think again .....
So in brief let me enlighten you to as to how the brain responds to intense stress ? When you are posed with situations where you believe you cannot handle, part of the brain called the hypothalamic - pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system is activated. This system triggers the production of the primary stress hormone cortisol. Which is important in organizing systems throughout the body including the heart, lungs, circulation, metabolism, immune systems and skin) to deal quickly with a life threatening situation.
However cortisol also feeds back into the hypothalamus and hippocampus of the brain. When those areas are hyperactivated over a long term - for example because your job is too demanding or your relationship is toxic they become exhausted and thus less functional. The HPA system also releases chemical messengers such as dopamine and adrenaline, which activate the amygdala. And if the amygdala is hyperactivated you may feel anxious all the time and eventually burn out.
The state of anxiety influences the way our bodies respond. In order to achieve a different physiological state, it makes sense to put the mind into a different mode and this is exactly what mindfulness does. A relaxed mind will help the body to follow suit and mindfulness techniques provide not only a pleasant effect (Body sensations) but also mental and physical health and well - being.
