Page 27 - Healthy Brain Living Book

tress affects people in many different ways. It often creeps up

Swhen we feel overwhelmed or feel pressured to accomplish

something in a short amount of time.

Stress triggers an alarm in the brain, telling our bodies that

something is wrong. The “fight or flight” response calls in the

nervous system to respond and hormones to be released, jolting

the body into action. Muscles become tense, breathing increases

and pulse rates quicken.

Heightening the senses during a crisis is essential to survival.

This is a natural and important biological response. The body

is designed for short bursts of activity in response to stress or

danger, but the ongoing nature of daily stress often means that

the system is left “on” to respond.

Recognize that you can learn how to lead a less stressful life.

Recognize too, that when you alleviate the stress, it can help you

live a longer, healthier life.

Most of us worry about things that make us feel stressed, but

some people spend an excessive amount of time worrying about

tomorrow. Someone once said, “Don’t tell me that worry isn’t

good for you. I know better. The things I worry about don’t

happen.”

Many chronic worriers probably wish they could change the way

they view the world, but they simply don’t know how to stop

worrisome thoughts.

Tip #1 - Stress Signals

Stress reactions vary from person to person, and can involve

mental, physical or behavioral changes. Headaches and fatigue

are common signals that the body is overworked.

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