Understanding the science of stress can help you deal with it in a healthy, productive way.

Hundreds of years ago, long before we created such a busy, demanding, and hectic lifestyle, we had to deal mostly with physical stress. We have a built-in ‘fight or flight’ response triggered by our nervous system, which prepares us to deal with physical danger. While hunting in the woods a bear approaches, our hearts beat like crazy, blood flows away from non-essential body systems, and our muscles tense – this response is there to save our lives from a physical threat, which is actually pretty cool.

No Longer Cavemen

But today most of our stress is psychological, which can make the science of stress downright inconvenient. The teacher yells at you for not doing your homework and you start to sweat; your parents find out that there was alcohol at the party last night and your stomach hurts; you didn’t pass your driving test – again – and your head feels like it will split open.

The Science of Stress

Unfortunately, our brain is still programmed to deal with the physical stressors that happen once in a while, and the same response occurs even if the stress is psychological. The constant stress we feel in our daily lives pushes the sensor in our brain into overdrive and makes us think that small things, like breaking a dish or losing the car keys, are a threat.

That’s because once this alarm is sounded, our adrenal glands are prompted to release hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. These two hormones are the key to the science of stress and trigger that ‘fight or flight’ response mentioned above. This alarm system also activates other regions of our brain that control fear, mood, and motivation. Once the danger is removed, hormone levels return to normal and cause your heart rate, blood pressure, and all other body systems to operate normally.

The Dangers of Constant Stress

This chemical chain is designed to be helpful to us so that we can react quickly to an immediate danger. But if it is activated over and over again by constant stress suffered in work, home, or school situations, the body’s chemistry goes out of balance, causing exhaustion. The symptoms of constant stress, called distress, are often overlooked. Health problems caused by stress include anxiety, depression, stomach upset, sleep problems, weight gain, chest pain, and headaches. Skin conditions, such as psoriasis or rashes can be aggravated by stress, and sometimes stress causes a release of histamine in the body which causes skin inflammation in the form of hives or rashes. Often alcohol, tobacco, or drugs are used for stress relief, but instead of relaxing the body, they cause more problems.

Relief from Stress

Simple steps to relieve stress are the things that most of us find difficult to do: getting enough sleep and exercise each day. A combination of adequate rest and physical activity put us in the best possible condition to handle stress. Sometimes simply getting some fresh air, taking a bath, or meditating gives us time to relax and alleviate stress. Practicing mindfulness has also been shown to be very effective for teens and adults alike.

If you still have those final projects, papers, and exams to face as the end of the school year approaches, read on for tips to handle that stress.