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EFFECTS OF STRESS ON THE NERVOUS
SYSTEM
By: Nicole Tallman
COMPONENTS OF THE CNS
Sympathetic nervous system• Responsible for expending energy• Initiates the stress response
Parasympathetic nervous system• Responsible for conserving energy• Induces the relaxation response
Long term chronic stress can lead to serious health problems
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Stress causes the adrenal gland, atop the kidney, to release the hormone adrenaline, but many other hormones, including a related one, noradrenaline, stream into the blood as well.
Adrenaline and noradrenaline are also secreted from nerve cells, or neurons, where the compounds act as neurotransmitters, chemical messengers that enable one neuron to communicate with others.
CONTINUED
A high concentration of noradrenaline in the blood, which occurs in people with tumors of the adrenal gland, can fatally damage the muscle of the heart.
Cortisol is also released from the adrenal glands.
Excess cortisol in the blood interferes with mood enhancing neurotransmitters called serotonin.
Disturbances in serotonin levels can be a factor in causing clinical depression and anxiety disorders as well as being linked to insomnia, obesity and increased sensitivity to pain.
ADRENAL EXHAUSTION
Stress can cause an increase in ACTH production which creates more demand on the adrenal gland to produce more Cortisol
Hypothalamus keeps sending the message of “Stress” and can’t shut off the production of Cortisol, ultimately “exhausting” the Adrenal Gland.
CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ADRENAL EXHAUSTION
Increased infections
Fatigue
Headaches
Cancer
Hypoglycemia
PMS
And many others
NEUROLOGICAL TENSION
Tension that builds up, layer upon layer, within the Central Nervous System, distorting the brain’s ability to perceive and respond to life.
It is generated from poor posture, repetitive motions, muscle weakness and imbalance, poor sleep, poor diet, Adrenal Exhaustion, couch potato lifestyle, and anything else that is not optimal to our overall health.
WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
Exercise
Calming techniques like yoga, tai chi, meditation
Better eating habits, staying away from pop, caffeine
Change your response to stress
Get at least 7 hours of sleep per day
REFERENCES:
“Functional Health.” Functional Health. Ed. Jeff Rynder and Kate Rynder.
Functional Health, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2009. <http://functionalhealth.com/ WP/ ?cat=6>.
“Nervous System.” STRESS HELP. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2009.
<http://stresshelp.tripod.com/ id15.html>.
Stanford, Clare, ed. Why stress gets on your nerves. NewScientist, 26 Aug. 1989.
Web. 14 Dec. 2009. <http://www.newscientist.com/ article/ mg12316793.600-why-
stress-gets-on-your-nerves.html?full=true>.