Short-term Stress: The good and the bad
Watch video before reading blog
So did you laugh, get sweaty palms, feel your heart rate rising? Did you want to see the video again? Did you get an endorphin rush? Well, you just went through a short-term stress event.
So what is short-term stress? Simply put- it is the body’s response to a stressor that has a defined beginning and usually a defined end. The stressor activates the sympathetic nervous system and makes sure that you are prepared to fight or flight; this is done through the release of adrenalin, cortisol, insulin, sugar and fat into the blood stream, Unfortunately, in this video, our subject could not escape and the stress increased until the episode was finally over.
So, in this video, our subject quickly senses danger; his amygdala gets the body ready for action; his hippocampus puts the danger into perspective and lets him draw on past experiences to try to solve the problem. Unfortunately, he does not have a history of dealing with this situation and tries to use threats, unintelligible reasoning all to no avail. At the peak of his stress level he may have emptied his bladder, increased his heart rate to maximum level and, if asked, probably could not tell you his name. (some laugh so hard at this video that they have a bladder accident and short-term stress event results) In this case, the person in the car is experiencing distress and the video watcher is experiencing eustress (good stress).
When the ride was over and our victim’s brain told him that the situation was safe, he quickly went back to a normal physical state- although the chemicals were still at work. He thought that this was fun, he was getting an endorphin rush and asked if he could do it again. I watched the video three times. Some people are addicted to this “positive” stress response and continue to look for activities that trigger the stress response- skiing the black diamonds, running a marathon, riding the biggest and fastest roller coaster- you get the picture.
Short-term stressors-although this video is probably an extreme case and is why we loved it- are a normal part of life and you cannot manage them away. You learn how to deal with them and in many cases this learning process makes you stronger. Research has shown that organisms/people who are exposed to short-term stress are stronger and healthier because the healing actions of the body continue to heal even after the stress event is over.
Now, some people will relive an event, over and over and cannot get it out of their thoughts: A near death experience in an automobile accident, a baby falling, a near miss snake attack, a physical assault in a parking lot or being dumped by a lover. Usually, the emotion (pain, fear, anger) diminishes with time and is not at the forefront of our thoughts. However, for some, short-term stressors can become chronic. Chronic stress will be covered in the next post.
Below are three Shaklee products that are speciffically developed to address our body’s stress response. These products will replenish the vitamines and minerals that are depleted as we deal with our stressors. You can read more about the products and order them directly by clickig on the underlined/linked product names. Call us if there are nay questions.
This unique Shaklee combination contains St. John’s wort, which research shows provides dietary support for a positive mental outlook after four to six weeks of use, and inositol, which complements the activity of St. John’s wort by playing a role in the proper transmission of nerve signals.*
Stress Relief Complex helps relax the body and mind, and promotes alertness while enhancing the body’s ability to adapt to everyday stress.* Includes L-theanine, ashwagandha, beta sitosterol, and L-tyrosine.
This unique Shaklee combination features passion flower, German chamomile, and valerian. Valerian has been used for over a thousand years because it helps maintain a calm state, promotes relaxation, and is a natural means of promoting restful sleep.*