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>.