Stress: how it affects the body and what can be done

Modern man is almost always in a state of stress. The main source of stress is a lack of constancy and stability, a reaction to worries and problems, and the struggle with everyday difficulties. This applies to both negative phenomena in our lives and positive ones.

If the sources of stress are not recognized in time, it can develop into illness. A person often creates a stressful situation himself, transforming the positive meaning of stress into a negative one. This, in turn, can turn into a prolonged state of tension that depletes the body's vitality. Chronic stress can trigger the development of depression, professional burnout, emotional exhaustion, and eating disorders.

Why is stress dangerous?

Scientists say: more than 150 thousand people from 142 countries now have health problems precisely because of stress. The most common of them are heart diseases (angina pectoris, hypertension, myocardial infarction). Thus, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences, after the Soviet Union ceased to exist, over 13 years the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases increased from 617 to 900 people per 100 thousand population.

At the same time, the number of smokers, people who regularly drink alcohol, people with obesity and high cholesterol levels - that is, those reasons due to which pathologies of the heart and blood vessels develop - remained within the previous values. Then scientists seriously thought about the influence of psycho-emotional state on health.

In second place are the consequences of living in constant stress are mental illnesses, and in third place is obesity. Chronic stress does not bypass the organs of the digestive and genitourinary systems, but the changes occurring in them are not so fatal. In addition, a person living in constant psycho-emotional stress greatly reduces his own immunity, becoming defenseless in the face of many diseases.

Physiological manifestations of stress

A). Activation of the hypothalamus

+ is the highest center of the autonomic nervous system;

+ responsible for coordinating the nervous and humoral systems of the body;

+ controls the secretion of hormones of the anterior pituitary gland;

+ forms human emotional reactions;

+ regulates the intensity of nutrition, sleep and energy metabolism.

Thus, during the initial emotional arousal that occurs when a person encounters a stressor, it is the hypothalamus that largely determines the nature of the first neurohumoral reactions.

On the one hand, the hypothalamus increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and on the other, it causes the secretion of anti-stress hormones from the adrenal cortex.

b). Increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system

The task of the sympathetic

department - to help the body survive at a critical moment, to give it as many resources as it needs to fight (if it can be won) or escape (if the enemy is stronger), to prepare the body for stress.
When the sympathetic department is activated, the heart beats faster, the pupils dilate, adrenaline
(with fear) or
norepinephrine
(with anger) appears in the blood, the muscles tense and work more intensely, but over time, the body’s energy reserves run out, and you need to think about replenishing them.

When the body's reserves of nutrients and energy are depleted, parasympathetic

a department whose task is to restore and preserve resources, and its activation occurs during sleep, eating and rest.

Accordingly, in the initial stages of stress, the activity of the sympathetic department is the first to increase, and as a result, the heart beats faster, breathing quickens, muscles tense, the skin turns pale, and cold sweat may appear on it. If stress continues long enough (as well as with limited reserves of adaptive energy or a “weak” type of higher nervous activity in a person), the parasympathetic department is activated, which is accompanied by weakness, a drop in blood pressure, decreased muscle tone and gastrointestinal disorders.

V). Turning on hormonal mechanisms

It should be noted that Hans Selye received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of precisely this aspect of stress reactions - activation of the adrenal cortex, which helps the human and animal body overcome various difficulties with the help of special anti-stress hormones. This reaction is also triggered by the hypothalamus, but differs significantly from the previous one. Under the influence of hormones of the adrenal cortex (glucocorticoids)

all metabolic processes are enhanced, more glucose appears in the blood, inflammatory processes are suppressed, the body becomes less sensitive to pain - as a result, the degree of adaptation to the increased demands of the environment increases.

Further developments depend on how quickly the body manages to cope with stress, which successively goes through the stages of anxiety and adaptation

and
exhaustion.
In the first stage, the body tries to adapt to or overcome stress. What we described earlier is actually the essence of this stage.

If the stress factor continues to affect the body, then adaptation

- the stage of balance between the stressor and defense mechanisms, at which the body manages to more or less compensate for the damage from the negative impact. This stage can be experienced by an athlete in the middle of a long distance, the head of a company during the implementation of a responsible project, or a student in the first half of the exam session.

However, being in a state of stress cannot last indefinitely, since the reserves of adaptive energy, according to Selye’s teachings, are limited. Therefore, if the stressor continues to affect the body, physiological stress is replaced by pathological stress, in other words, the person gets sick. Such psychosomatic diseases

like arterial hypertension, nonspecific colitis, gastric ulcer and a number of other diseases, are frequent complications of prolonged psychological stress.

G). The role of the cardiovascular system in the formation of stress reactions

According to the results of numerous clinical observations and experimental studies, the cardiovascular system primarily responds to stress, and also becomes one of the first targets of stress. According to most researchers, the leading pathogenic factor in relation to the cardiovascular system under stress is the activation of catecholamine and adrenocordicoid mechanisms, which, through impaired permeability of the membranes of cardiac cells, lead to disorders of their metabolism and hypoxia. At the same time, researchers emphasize the two-way relationship between stress and ischemia of the heart muscle.

: on the one hand, ischemia often occurs as a result of a stress reaction, causing spasm and thrombosis of the coronary vessels, and on the other hand, ischemia due to any reason causes pain, fear of death, and ultimately severe emotional stress.

Psychological stress

1). Introduction of the concept of psychological (emotional) stress

The mental manifestations of the syndrome described by G. Selye were given the name psychological stress. R. Lazarus and R. Lanier in their works defined it as a person’s reaction to the peculiarities of interaction between the individual and the surrounding world. Later, this definition was clarified: psychological stress is a reaction or process in which the demands of the environment are considered by the individual, based on his resources and the likelihood of resolving the emerging problem situation, which determines individual differences in the reaction to a stressful situation. In addition to the term “psychological stress,” the literature also uses the terms “emotional stress” and “psycho-emotional stress.” Various researchers (sociologists, psychologists, physiologists, psychiatrists) put their own meaning into this term, which, of course, makes it difficult to create a unified concept of psycho-emotional stress. Some researchers note that the emergence of this term emphasizes the inextricable connection between stress and emotions and even the primacy of emotions in a complex reaction.

The content of this term includes both primary emotional and behavioral reactions to extreme influences of the biological or social environment, as well as the physiological mechanisms underlying them.

Most often, emotional stress was understood as negative affective experiences

, accompanying stress and leading to unfavorable changes in the human body.

Subsequently, it was found that unexpected and strong beneficial changes can also cause typical signs of stress in the body. Accordingly, emotional stress began to be understood as a wide range of mental phenomena of both a negative and positive nature.

Despite the similarity of the concepts of “psychological” and “emotional” stress, it makes sense to more accurately define their content due to the following circumstances:

+ emotional stress is inherent not only to humans, but also to animals

, while psychological stress occurs only in a person with his developed psyche;

+ emotional stress is accompanied by pronounced emotional reactions

, and in the development of psychological stress the cognitive component predominates (analysis of the situation, assessment of available resources, making a forecast of further events, etc.);

+ the term “emotional stress” is more often used by physiologists, and the term “psychological stress” by psychologists.

At the same time, both of these types of stress have a common developmental pattern, include similar neurohumoral mechanisms of adaptive reactions and in their development, as a rule, go through three “classical” stages - anxiety, adaptation and exhaustion.

However, taking into account the specifics of the subject of the course, as well as the leading role of the psyche in the formation of human stress reactions, in the future we will mainly use the term “psychological stress”, retaining the term “emotional stress” only when citing other authors.

It should be noted that the authors of many basic textbooks on various branches of psychology often give rather vague and arbitrary definitions of stress, mixing the concepts of biological, psychological and emotional stress. Thus, the author of a three-volume textbook on psychology, R. S. Nemov, combines the concepts of “stress” and “affect,” which differ fundamentally both in strength and duration.

2). Features of psychological stress

Table. Difference between biological and psychological stress

Psychological stress, in contrast to biological stress described in the classical works of G. Selye, has a number of specific features, among which several important* features can be identified. In particular, this type of stress can be triggered not only by actually existing ones, but also by probabilistic events that have not yet occurred, but the occurrence of which the subject is afraid of. Unlike animals, humans react not only to actual physical danger, but also to a threat or reminder of it. As a result, it happens that in a poorly performing student, the mere thought of a likely unsatisfactory grade sometimes causes stronger vegetative reactions than receiving it on the exam.

Another feature of psychological stress is the essential importance of a person’s assessment of the degree of his participation in actively influencing a problem situation in order to neutralize it. It has been shown that an active life position, or at least awareness of the possibility of influencing a stressor, leads to the activation of the predominantly sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, while the passive role of the subject in the current situation determines the predominance of parasympathetic reactions

The mechanism of development of psychological stress can be demonstrated using the example of a student preparing to defend his thesis project. The degree of severity of signs of stress will depend on a number of factors: his expectations, motivation, attitudes, past experience, etc. The expected forecast for the development of events is modified in accordance with existing information and attitudes, after which a final assessment of the situation occurs. If the conscious (or subconscious) assesses the situation as dangerous, then stress develops. In parallel with this process, an emotional assessment of the event occurs. The initial triggering of an emotional reaction develops at a subconscious level, and then an emotional reaction made on the basis of rational analysis is added to it.

3). Differentiating between stress and other conditions

The differentiation of stress and other emotional states is quite complex and in most cases arbitrary. The states closest to stress are negative emotions, fatigue, overload and emotional tension.

With sufficient intensity and duration, emotional phenomena such as fear, anxiety, frustration, psychological discomfort and tension can be considered as a psychological reflection of stress, as they are accompanied by all manifestations of the stress response: from behavioral disorganization to adaptation syndrome. Most often the question arises about differentiating stress from the process of fatigue. This task is made easier by the fact that these two conditions have different physiological basis: stress is associated with humoral and autonomic changes, and fatigue is determined by the higher levels of the nervous system, primarily by the cerebral cortex. Fatigue has the ability to accumulate, gradually turning into a qualitatively new state - overwork.

Some experts in the field of stress identify another condition that is close to stress, but different from it: overload

. According to this author, although stress and overload are two independent phenomena, they are closely interrelated. Casandra Williams notes that overload can lead to increased stress, since it causes fears and worries - fear that a person will no longer withstand such a pace, fear of not living up to expectations, etc. Close to the state of psychological stress, according to some researchers, is also state of emotional tension. These authors believe that emotional tension, like stress, goes through three stages: emotional arousal, emotional tension and emotional tension.


Phases of stress

The development of stress occurs in three phases:

1. Mobilization. The body reacts to a stressor with anxiety and mobilizes its defenses and resources to withstand the stress factor.
2. Confrontation. The body resists a stressful situation, the person actively seeks a way out of it.
3. Exhaustion. With a long duration of influence of a stress factor on a person, the body begins to deplete and becomes vulnerable to secondary threats (various diseases).

The structure of the development of physiological stress

Any stressful condition, when it occurs, goes through three stages: anxiety, adaptation, exhaustion. These processes are physiological mechanisms of stress.

The first reaction that accompanies the physiology of stress is a state of anxiety. Here, the autonomic nervous system is directly involved in the process, which a person is not able to control on his own. It immediately reacts to all changes in the environment, and the degree of change in its work depends on the strength of the resulting reaction. It is thanks to the influence of the autonomic nervous system that our body is able to adapt to external factors. So, in the dark the pupils dilate, and in bright light the pupils constrict, the hand withdraws from the hot surface, and so on. Next, the endocrine system “turns on” in the process; it is this system that allows the production of the hormone adrenaline. This hormone “saves” the changes that have occurred.

The next stage is longer. This reaction already occurs with the participation of the brain, the amount of glucose in the blood increases, energy production increases, and much more.

There are two possible options for completing this stage - either the body adapts to new realities, or the resources will come to an end, and the third stage will begin - the period of exhaustion. This phase of stress development is what causes all the unpleasant changes. Strength is running low, resistance is reduced, and the physical consequences of stress arise. If the irritant is not eliminated at this stage, death is possible.

Stress-related reactions occur in the human brain

Causes of stress

External sources of stress and anxiety: moving to a new place of residence, changing jobs, death of a loved one, divorce, everyday troubles associated with money problems, fulfilling obligations by a certain deadline, disputes, family relationships, lack of sleep.

Internal sources of stress and anxiety: life values ​​and beliefs, loyalty to your word, self-esteem.

Risk factors

Stress can be triggered by a variety of reasons, but psychologists have identified 6 main sources of risk.

1. Too much workload, conflicts with colleagues or superiors, lack of work and the risk of losing it... All these troubles can significantly ruin our nerves.
2. Diseases, bad habits, expensive treatment, decreased quality of life are the main sources of stress.
3. If a person feels vulnerable, has no back and is deprived of protection from loved ones, he experiences enormous nervous tension.
4. A stress factor can be family troubles, divorce or other problems with one of the family members. Lack of family and failures in your personal life also lead to stress.
5. Suppression of will and restriction of freedom are quite common companions in the family and team. They significantly harm psychological health. Moreover, both their absence and their presence. Eternal need causes no less trouble than the fear of losing your savings.

Main stages

Experts identify 3 main stages of stress development:

• The first is that internal tension increases, adrenaline is released into the blood, and a person’s cognitive activity and speed of information perception improves.
• The second is that the condition develops into a latent form. Visible signs are no longer noticeable. The person becomes maladaptive.
• The third - leads to severe nervous exhaustion and serious diseases of all body systems.

The initial stage of stress does not require the help of a doctor. When adrenaline subsides, the body's functioning returns to normal. But stage 3 requires the work of a specialist (psychologist, neurologist or psychotherapist). Without timely help, a person can fall into severe depression, against which serious illnesses will develop (arrhythmia, psychosis, heart failure).

Three stages of stress

Stress

- one of the normal states of the body, since it is associated with an increase in adaptation mechanisms.
Stress is an integral part of life. Stress reactions have phylogenetically helped humans cope with difficulties, so stress reactions are useful in this aspect. However, when stress is pronounced and lasts for a long time, it causes harm to human health. Types of stress
According to the type of impact, stress can be systemic and mental. Systemic stress reflects the body's response to injury, inflammation, infection, etc. Mental stress first causes changes in the psycho-emotional sphere, and then manifests itself at the biological level.

Selye's observations

Hans Selye is considered the founder of the theory of biological stress. Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome model provides a clear biological explanation of how the body reacts and adapts to stress.

In his research, Selye observed that the body adapts to external stressors in terms of a biological model that attempts to restore and maintain internal balance. In its attempt to maintain homeostasis, the body uses a hormonal response that directly combats the stressor. The body's struggle against stress is the main theme of the general adaptation syndrome.

Another observation that Selye discovered was that stress reactions have their limits. The body's limited supply of energy to adapt to a stressful environment is depleted when the body is continually exposed to a stressor.

Three phases of the stress response
General adaptation syndrome is a model that consists of three elements or phases that describe the body's response to stress:
1. Anxiety stage

During the alarm reaction stage, a distress signal is sent to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus releases hormones called glucocorticoids.

Glucocorticoids trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline gives a person a boost of energy: the heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and blood sugar levels also rise. These physiological changes are regulated by a part of the human autonomic nervous system called the sympathetic branch.

The adrenal glands begin to actively produce increased amounts of cortisol and are in a state of hyperfunction. This condition can be confirmed using a pattern of changes in the hormonal profile of saliva, which will show the following indicators: elevated cortisol levels/normal DHEA levels.

2. Resistance stage

During the resistance stage, the body attempts to counteract the physiological changes that occurred during the anxiety reaction stage. The resistance stage is regulated by a part of the autonomic nervous system called the parasympathetic.

The parasympathetic nervous system tries to return the body to normal: the amount of cortisol produced decreases, heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal. The body's resistance level is much higher than usual. At this stage, a balanced expenditure of adaptation resources is carried out.

If the stressful situation ends, during the resistance stage the body returns to its normal state. However, if the stress factor remains, the body remains on alert to fight its manifestations.

The adrenal glands adapt to this stage by already using a mechanism called “pregnenolone uptake.” Pregnenolone is a metabolite of cholesterol and is the precursor chemical for the production of both cortisol and sex hormones, including testosterone. When the metabolism of pregnenolone changes, the level of testosterone produced in the body decreases. At this stage, the hormonal profile pattern in saliva will be represented by the following indicators: increased cortisol levels / low DHEA levels.

3. Exhaustion stage

At this stage, stress persists for a long period. The body begins to lose the ability to fight the stressor and reduce its harmful effects, as all adaptive capacity is depleted. The exhaustion stage can lead to stress overload and health problems if they are not addressed immediately.

At this stage, the adrenal glands are no longer able to adapt to stress and have exhausted their functionality. Initially, a salivary hormonal profile will show normal cortisol/low DHEA levels (or hyperfunction/underfunction cortisol levels combined with normal DHEA levels). When the adrenal glands are exhausted, they will detect: low cortisol levels/low DHEA levels.

If stress continues to occur, the cofactors needed to produce cortisol are depleted, causing the body to break the pregnenolone bypass mechanism and switch back to producing DHEA. This pattern would be represented by low cortisol/normal DHEA levels.

First signs of illness

Like any disease, stress has its own development factors and certain symptoms; it is natural that for each person and for each specific situation, the symptoms may vary, as well as the individual perception of the problem.

Common signs of stress include:

• increased irritability and emotional decline;
• constant insomnia;
• pessimistic moods and indifference;
• impaired concentration memory;
• decreased or increased appetite;
• headaches fatigue.

If we take into consideration stressful conditions and certain signs inherent only to a specific type, we can clearly distinguish between male stress and female stress, which may have their own symptoms.

How can you find out if you are stressed?

Of course, if your favorite dress is torn or a stern boss ignores your greeting, you should not immediately run to a psychoanalyst. But if symptoms such as:

• lethargy and weakness;
• constant headaches;
• increased irritability;
• state of despondency;
• chronic underachievement and lack of concentration;

In this case, it’s worth thinking: maybe it’s stress after all. Sometimes a person does not attach importance to the simplest reasons, the occurrence of which subsequently causes events to arise that cause the destructive effect of a tornado on a functional and psychological background. Of course, it is impossible to check every step you take, fearing that in the future it will lead to depression. Actually, this is where it will begin.

Signs of stress

Physiological signs of stress are not the first to appear. Most often, the following changes in the patient’s behavior are observed, which are noticeable to others:

• aggressiveness, inability to adequately assess the situation: a person cannot stay in one place for a long time (behavior is caused by the body’s defensive reaction to what is happening);
• passivity, reluctance to see people, communicate with them: gradually these signs become more obvious and bring the person closer to persistent clinical depression;
• a person exhibits both the first and second symptoms at the same time: his brain is at the limit, it seems that he is about to break down, but the patient sharply rejects all attempts to help, tries to avoid communication, because obsessive thoughts and images do not allow the brain to relax even a little give me a sec.

The effect of stress on the body

External indicators

Changes in behavior are external, behavioral manifestations of stress that are especially important to be aware of. A person under stress does not always pay enough attention to his health. Diagnosis of stress is greatly facilitated by knowledge of the main external manifestations of this condition. You will be able to take steps in time to normalize the condition of your loved one, preventing the occurrence of somatic diseases.

• There are frequent attempts to reduce stress with alcohol or cigarettes. A sharp increase in their consumption by an apparently prosperous person is an alarming sign.
• Another option for avoiding stress is workaholism. Immersion in work at the expense of family, friends, and sometimes health should alert you.
• Inattention, absent-mindedness, including in appearance. In work, this is manifested by a deterioration in labor results and an increase in the number of errors.
• An unstable emotional state leads to a large number of conflicts, both at home and at work.

Behavioral responses to stress

Behavioral change is also a type of stress response. This process happens differently for everyone. Someone’s psychomotor function is impaired, that is, handwriting changes, muscles tense, breathing quickens, etc. Other people experience disruptions to their daily routine: they may sleep for long periods of time or suffer from insomnia.

Behavioral changes are common even to pragmatic people. They may develop professional violations: decreased productivity at work, making mistakes that are unusual for them.

Often in stressful situations, social role functions can change. The victim avoids communication with friends and loved ones, becomes conflicted, and his behavior becomes abnormal, and adaptation in the social environment is lost.

Symptoms

When we are faced with such unusually difficult, and what is important – long-term situations, a reaction adequate to fatigue and stress arises. Yes, from the outside it will seem that you are not yourself. Well, the circumstances are atypical. Ignoring the body's signals (headache, hand tremors, the desire to send the boss with her quarterly report) - all this results in tangible symptoms of stress:

• difficulty remembering;
• it becomes difficult to concentrate on anything;
• anxiety and internal tension arise;
• emotional instability - you want to cry, or kill things, or an incomprehensible laugh breaks out;
• obsessive thoughts of alarming and negative content appear;
• it seems that everyone around is watching, discussing behind their back;
• constant drowsiness, which is replaced by insomnia;
• it is impossible to calm down and relax;
• irritability appears;
• the general condition resembles depression, apathy;
• is not able to take care of oneself normally (eat, rest);
• isolation and escape into loneliness;
• Chronic diseases and psychosomatics are getting worse;
• bad habits appear (alcohol, smoking, nail biting);
• anxiety borders on guilt;
• immunity decreases.

Emotional symptoms

A person begins to experience feelings of loneliness and fatigue, demonstrating to others his capriciousness and irritability. It becomes impossible to relax and calm down.

Stress: how it affects the body and what can be done

The most important part of any treatment protocol is reducing stress, the main culprit of systemic inflammation in the body and unattractive appearance. We will understand what hormones are released during stress, how they affect the body and, of course, how to help yourself in moments of emotional stress.

Neurochemistry of stress

The stress response begins in the brain. When you encounter something that may threaten your peace of mind and safety (often not only physical, but also emotional), the eyes or ears (sense organs) send information to the amygdala, an area of ​​the brain part of the limbic system that comes into action in response to the threat. The amygdala remains vigilant, interpreting sights and sounds at breakneck speed, and when it eventually detects potential danger (from an obvious physical threat, such as an attack, to a threat to your self-esteem), it instantly sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.

The hypothalamus is a la command center, responsible for many functions. It “manages” hunger and satiety, maintains body temperature, regulates sleep, is responsible for your relationships with others and aggression, as a result, and generally forms many emotions.

The hypothalamus is also part of the limbic system and is responsible for conveying information to the entire body about what emotion is currently dominant and how to respond to it. This area of ​​the brain communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system, which controls body functions such as breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, digestion, etc.

The autonomic nervous system consists of two components: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is activated when we are under stress - this is one of the mechanisms of the stress response. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, mobilizing the body to respond to danger. The parasympathetic nervous system acts as... a brake, helping to “extinguish” the stress response, relax and finally do your usual activities.

After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system. The adrenal glands, as if on cue, release large amounts of adrenaline and norepinephrine into the blood, which bind to adrenergic receptors in various tissues, resulting in the characteristic “fight or flight” effect. The increase in these hormones leads to physiological changes: the heart begins to beat faster than normal, blood flow to the muscles increases, breathing becomes faster, increasing the consumption of oxygen, especially to supply the brain, increasing alertness, due to which vision, hearing and other senses become sharper to you were able to instantly react to danger and save your life.

The frontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for logic, also activates when a threat arises. However, there is often no time for analysis, and the amygdala can “bypass” the frontal cortex. And if you are very frightened, the amygdala simply turns off the upper layer of the brain, leaving you the opportunity to act only on the basis of primitive instincts, for which sometimes you end up ashamed. All these changes in the body occur in a matter of seconds. That is why in stressful and dangerous situations we are able to instantly react to danger and save our lives.

Acute and chronic stress

At the second stage of the reaction, if the brain still sees danger, the hypothalamus begins to secrete corticotropin-releasing hormone, then the pituitary gland secretes the hormone adrenocorticotropin. This causes the adrenal glands to secrete the main stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol raises blood sugar levels to provide the body with energy for the fight-or-flight response.

In this way, the body remains in an aroused state of high alert until the threat is eliminated. In cases of acute stress, cortisol, being somewhat of an anti-inflammatory hormone, prepares our body for possible physical damage. This is an example of acute stress, which has a beginning and an end, which often passes for the body without serious consequences. In contrast to chronic stress, which leads to a permanent increase in cortisol levels, and not the most pleasant changes in the end.

With chronic stress, it is difficult to lose weight: high cortisol → high insulin and triglycerides → low androgen levels → increased activity of aromatase and 5-alpha reductase, “draining” already low testosterone into estrogens and DHT.

For most people, high cortisol increases appetite and triggers cravings for high-carbohydrate foods. Thus, high cortisol in combination with insulin provokes abdominal obesity, the cause of many diseases. Long-term elevated cortisol is the enemy of muscle mass and a beautiful body; this hormone triggers inflammatory and autoimmune processes in the body, reduces immunity, and leads to gastrointestinal diseases and ineffective digestion.

High cortisol reduces libido; leads to depression and anxiety; impairs memory and reduces learning ability; retains fluid in the body, causes swelling, disrupts the menstrual cycle, provokes obesity and carbohydrate metabolism disorders, leads to premature aging, adrenal exhaustion and chronic fatigue, as the next stage.

An antelope running away from a pack of lions is a clear example of the reaction of the sympathetic system. If the antelope manages to escape, after 5 minutes it simply begins to pinch the grass, forgetting about what happened - the parasympathetic system “relax and digest” “turns on.” In nature, everything is harmonious and balanced. A person in the modern world is in the place of an antelope, only after stress he emotionally “scrolls” the picture in his mind for a long time, straining the limbic system.

What is chronic stress

Chronic stress is being in a state of stress for a long time. Women especially love to drive themselves crazy with endless nit-picking about their own appearance and qualities, putting up with an unloved partner, going to a job they hate, and regularly replaying negative events in their heads.

People who have such unproductive qualities as the inability to quickly switch from one thing to another are most susceptible to the development of chronic stress; pessimism and negativism; laziness; excessive tendency to criticism and self-criticism.

Symptoms of chronic stress:

• feeling of constant and incessant fatigue;
• lack of confidence in one’s strengths and abilities, suspiciousness;
• social phobia and loss of social connections;
• insomnia and other sleep disorders;
• mood swings, attacks of aggression, and, conversely, unjustified passivity;
• problems with memory and concentration;
• high nervous excitability and sudden mood swings;
• headaches, blood pressure problems;
• digestive disorders, as well as eating behavior.

All diseases from nerves, or adrenal exhaustion

Our body is completely unsuited to living in chronic stress without consequences. We are not able to withstand stress for a long time without damage to our health, alas, and our sympathetic system cannot differentiate external threats, be it a collision with a bandit or an obsession with the thought that you will be left without money/without a job/without a man, etc. d.

During prolonged stress, the adrenal glands are able to increase their functional activity and size so that the endocrine system does not fail, and this situation can even continue for years, but sooner or later, if you do not learn to give the correct response to stress and do not reduce the load, “exhaustion” will occur. adrenal glands and loss of ability to adapt to stress.

The adrenal glands synthesize many hormones and are also responsible for adaptation to stress, regulate metabolic processes, etc. The function of the adrenal glands during the exhaustion stage is limited, which leads to disruption of many systems, and there is also a sharp decrease in the level of glucocorticoid hormones, for example, cortisol, due to the adequate level of which we wake up in the morning. At a minimum, there is weakness, lack of strength and energy, often this condition is accompanied by inflammation and pain in the joints and muscles.

When exhausted, large amounts of water and salts are lost, which leads to disruption of the functioning of many organs and systems, and there is a tendency to dehydration and severe swelling. Exhaustion is also accompanied by hypotension, hypoglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

• strong cravings for sweet/salty foods;
• emotional hypersensitivity, you literally take everything to heart;
• inability to concentrate, “foggy” consciousness;
• hypothyroidism;
• elevated temperature as a result of low aldosterone;
• weakness during the day and feeling better in the evening;
• hypersensitive skin that cannot be touched;
• frequent urination.

Conclusion: high cortisol (chronic stress) is bad, low cortisol (exhaustion phase) is even worse. The good news is that everything can be treated and restored, albeit in the long term.

Activation of the parasympathetic system, or How to quickly calm down

Your breathing under stress determines your emotional state. During moments of anxiety, breathing quickens and becomes shallow. At rest, the normal rate is from 9 to 15 breaths per minute, but in a state of severe stress or panic attack, the number can increase to 25-30 breaths.

Rapid breathing causes the heart rate to increase, which makes a person even more anxious. Conversely, slowing down your breathing causes your heart rate to slow down, which promotes calm and relaxation. Increased breathing during stress leads to hyperventilation and unpleasant physiological changes. When we hyperventilate, we inhale too much oxygen, which leads to a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which helps maintain an optimal acid-base balance (pH level) in the blood.

When hyperventilation occurs, nerve cells become more excitable, which increases anxiety and panic attacks. Rapid breathing over a long period of time leads to a significant decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which causes respiratory alkalosis. As a result, the blood vessels narrow and the blood supply to many organs and tissues deteriorates. There may be dizziness, a feeling of unreality due to constriction of the blood vessels in the brain, tremors, lightheadedness, etc., which aggravates stress, anxiety and panic attack due to the fact that in this state we begin to breathe even more often.

Using deep belly breathing, you can switch from the sympathetic nervous system to the parasympathetic. Slowing your heart rate will slow down neural reactions and activate neurochemical systems that will reduce the activity of the rebel amygdala and the limbic system in general.

Inhalation and exhalation affect the body differently. Inhalation stimulates the nervous system, and exhalation calms it. During stress and anxiety, people inhale longer than exhale. To calm your nerves, you need to concentrate on exhaling and make it longer.

Here is the most correctly and accessible described version of the belly breathing technique

:

1. Place your hand on your stomach and feel if your stomach moves as you breathe. Imagine that there is a balloon in your stomach. As you inhale, it inflates and the stomach stretches. As you exhale, the ball descends and the stomach decreases in size.
2. Please note that the exhalation occurs by itself: you do not need to do anything for this. You simply relax your muscles and the result is an exhalation. There is no need to force it, to “squeeze” the air out of yourself, tensing your muscles and exhaling with tension. Let the exhalation happen by itself, softly and smoothly.
3. Breathe like this for 1-2 minutes, and then, when you get used to this type of breathing, begin to slightly lengthen the exhalation so that it becomes longer than the inhalation. In this exercise, you should strive for deep, soft breathing with your stomach; the duration of exhalation should prevail over the duration of inhalation.
4. Close your eyes and breathe like this for 3-5 minutes. Direct all your attention to simple sensations associated with breathing: how the stomach moves during the breathing process, how the air moves inside the body, etc. Feel how such breathing affects your internal state. Usually 3-5 minutes is enough to feel relaxed.

You can practice deep breathing using the video tutorial.

A few more effective ways to quickly calm down

Holding your breath

Some people find it helpful to practice holding their breath for 10-15 seconds and at this moment lightly move their fingertips over their lips - this also activates parasympathetics. You can repeat this for 3-5 minutes.

Speaking out emotions

Talking through your emotions also helps, just admit to yourself the whole nightmare that you are experiencing at the moment.

Exercises

A quick way to release tension and activate the parasympathetic nervous system is to stretch while breathing deeply. Let's say you're in an office or break room, you have no more than five minutes to complete the exercise. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend over and reach your hands towards your toes. It's great if you can touch them. If not, no big deal. Feel the muscles stretch. Slowly straighten up, raise your arms to the sides and up in a V shape. Take a deep breath. Standing straight with your arms raised, hold your breath for ten seconds and then slowly lower your straightened arms. Take a deep breath, try to exhale more than you can. Keeping your arms in an inverted V shape, repeat again.

But the simplest and most effective method, of course, is the belly breathing technique. If you perform the technique in a calm environment and a relaxed posture, which also activates the parasympathetic system, the effectiveness increases. Remember: deep breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system - it helps you recover from prolonged stress. It also prepares the body for relaxation, digestion of food, sleep, sex and other activities related to pleasure.

In everything, the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is important. 90% of people in the modern world live mostly with an active sympathetic system, without using the parasympathetic system properly, which leads to various health problems.

Serious consequences of prolonged stress

Life in constant stress does not pass without a trace for a person. A stable increase in the concentration of glucocorticoids in the blood affects metabolism, the state of the cardiovascular system, and brain function.

What does stress lead to:

• Cardiac disorders.
• Skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis).
• Peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis.
• Depression, the appearance of suicidal thoughts.
• Obesity or, conversely, severe weight loss associated with anorexia (loss of hunger).
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Degradation of brain cells, decreased intellectual level.

Constant stress often leads to the development of addictions. A person gets rid of nervous tension with the help of alcohol, soft drugs, tranquilizers or sleeping pills. These methods help, but only until the effect of the drug wears off.

Changes in physiological processes under stress

Physiological manifestations of stress affect almost all human organ systems - digestive, cardiovascular and respiratory [3].
However, researchers most often focus on the cardiovascular system, which has increased sensitivity and whose reactions to stress can be relatively easily recorded. During stress, the following objective changes are recorded: - an increase in heart rate or a change in its regularity;

- increased blood pressure, disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract;

- reduction in electrical resistance of the skin, etc.

The authors mentioned above - V. L. Marishchuk and V. I. Evdokimov, describing states of emotional tension (short-term stress), note a sharp increase and disturbance in the rhythm of pulse and breathing, profuse sweating, sudden changes in pupil diameter, vasomotor reactions on the face, a sharp increase in peristalsis, etc. [2].

All these objective changes are reflected in the subjective experiences of a person experiencing stress. A person in a state of psychological stress usually experiences various negative experiences:

♦ pain in the heart and other organs;

♦ difficulty breathing, muscle tension;

♦ discomfort in the area of ​​the digestive organs, etc.

Disturbances in the normal activity of individual organs and their systems, on the one hand, and the reflection of these disturbances in consciousness, on the other hand, lead to complex physiological and biochemical disorders: decreased immunity, increased fatigue, frequent ailments, changes in body weight, etc. ( Fig. 8).

Rice. 8. Physiological signs of stress

According to self-reports of students describing the manifestations of exam stress, it manifests itself most strongly in the form of a headache (5.7 ± 0.4 points), rapid heartbeat or discomfort in the heart (4.2 ± 0.4 points), in the form of excess muscle tension or tremor (3.9 ± 0.4 points). Slightly less stress manifests itself in the form of problems with the gastrointestinal tract (3.5 ± 0.3 points) and in the form of difficulty breathing (2.8 ± 0.3 points) (Fig. 9).

The severity of physiological manifestations of stress correlated very strongly with the internal preconditions of psychological stress (r = 0.45; p

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How to recognize?

Its signs are quite obvious:

• dilated pupils;
• increased heart rate and breathing;
• “sweaty” palms;
• pulsation in temples.

It is impossible to avoid short-term stress, and it is not necessary. Without them, life would become insipid, without emotions. It is important to ensure that such stress does not become chronic or prolonged.

How does a person cope with stressful conditions?

When stressed, the body produces the hormone adrenaline, the main function of which is to make the body survive. Stress is a normal part of human life and is necessary in certain amounts. If there were no stressful situations in our lives, elements of competition, risk, and the desire to work to the limit of our capabilities, life would be much more boring.

Sometimes stress acts as a kind of challenge or motivation, which is necessary to feel the fullness of emotions, even when it comes to survival. If the totality of these challenges and complex tasks becomes very large, then the person’s ability to cope with these tasks is gradually lost.

Anxiety is a state of mind and body associated with worry, tension and nervousness. There are times in every person's life when they experience stress or anxiety. In essence, a state of anxiety helps a person cope with external dangers by forcing the brain to work intensively and bringing the body into a state of readiness for action. When worries and fears begin to overwhelm a person and affect his daily life, so-called anxiety disorders can occur.

Acute stress response

In extreme situations, people develop a different form of perception of events – an acute reaction to stress. Experts who work in first responders and emergency situations say that this type of reaction occurs in two ways, called motor storm and apparent death.

The main difference between these methods is that the first reaction proceeds according to the type of excitation, and the second - according to the type of inhibition.

An acute reaction with symptoms of a motor storm is characterized by behavioral changes, chaotic movements, various gestures and clear facial expressions.

People in a state of motor storm are characterized by the following sensations and type of behavior:

• fear;
• hysterics;
• chills;
• aggression;
• cry;
• nervous tic.

Treatment

If stress is short-term in nature, that is, it occurs periodically, then such a condition cannot be called dangerous. But prolonged and severe stress can lead to serious consequences. Among them are diseases of the digestive system, cardiovascular, endocrine diseases, etc.

Treatment for nervous stress at home includes:

1. Refusal of alcohol, nicotine, strong coffee. They do not solve the problem, but only push it further.
2. The diet should contain foods rich in B vitamins: rice, wheat, raw seeds, dried apricots. Spicy, fried and refined foods should be kept to a minimum.
3. Herbal medicine is another effective method of treating nervous stress.
4. With nervous stress, switching attention from the stimulus to distracting objects helps well.
5. Oils of sage, St. John's wort, and mint heated in an aroma lamp can relax you with their aromas and set you up for positive thinking.

Ways to increase stress resistance

Help increase stress resistance:

• Social connections. With the support of family members and friends, it is much easier to avoid severe stress, and if it does happen, it is easier to cope with it in the company of close people;
• Feeling of control. A self-confident person is able to influence events and overcome difficulties; he is calmer and more easily accepting of any stressful situation;
• Optimism. With such a worldview, the consequences of severe stress are practically neutralized, a person perceives changes as a natural part of his life, believes in goals and higher powers;
• Ability to cope with emotions. If a person does not know how to calm himself down, he is very vulnerable. The ability to bring emotions into a state of balance helps to resist adversity;
• Knowledge and preparation. Understanding what awaits a person after severe stress helps to accept the stressful situation. For example, recovery from surgery will be less traumatic if you learn about its consequences in advance, rather than waiting for a miraculous healing.

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Physiology of stress. What happens in the body under stress?

In the human body it is difficult to imagine any mental reactions that do not lead to somatic changes, and vice versa. That is why a complete understanding of stress is possible only by studying both its mental and physiological manifestations.

Before I start telling the details, I want to give an analogy to make it clear why we need to know in detail the mechanisms of stress and its manifestations.

Many people drive a car, but very few people know how different parts of the car work and what happens in different situations. But all professionals know exactly and thoroughly how it all works and therefore they control the machine much better.

To understand what stress is, we will look at what it is, what stages it has, which of these stages we need, how those body systems that cause stress are structured, what happens during stress with these systems, and what is it for leads.

First, let's give a definition of stress.

Stress is a protective reaction of the body to changes in the conditions in which a living organism exists, in order to maintain the internal environment (homeostasis) within limits suitable for the survival and reproduction of the species.

To maintain the vital functions of the body, a certain stable environment is needed, both external and internal. From the external, we can give an example: a certain ambient temperature, certain nutrients, as a social being, a person needs communication in a certain context, and from the internal, we can cite body temperature, the stability of the quantities and proportions of different substances in the body.

Since the influence of an organism on the external environment is strictly limited, in the course of evolution (or perhaps at the will of the Almighty), living organisms make changes internally to maintain the stability of the internal environment.

All those external stimuli that cause a stress response are called “stressors”. Thus, there are physiological and psychological stressors. Physiological stressors have a direct effect on body tissue. These include painful effects, cold, high temperatures, excessive physical activity, etc. Psychological stressors are stimuli that indicate the biological or social significance of the event. It is worth clarifying that this stimulus becomes such due to cognitive interpretation, that is, the meaning that a person attributes to it. But stress can occur without a person’s awareness of the stressor.

(This is used by specialists using NLP and Ericksonian hypnosis in profiling.)

However, not every stressor can cause a stress response. Some people have what is called psychosomatic immunity, which is caused by physiological or social factors. Also, such immunity may be genetic in nature.

(This immunity is weakened by using the above techniques.)

Based on duration, two types of stress can be distinguished (dichotomous classification by Kitaev-Smyk).

· Short-term - this is a very strong consumption of the so-called superficial adaptive reserves of the body while affecting the deep ones.

· Long-term is a slow, gradual expenditure of both superficial and deep adaptive energy.

Based on stressors, two types of stress can be distinguished:

· Psychological

· Physiological

In profiling, we are interested in short-term stress caused by psychological stressors, since we need to see the reaction “now” and not lead the person to self-destruction. For this reason, we will only consider it.

Psychological stress, in turn, can be informational and emotional.

Information stress is characterized by a person’s inability to make the right decision on time in a short fixed period of time with high responsibility for the decision made, information overload. A person’s information load consists of the volume and complexity of information processed. Stress occurs when a person is interested in doing a job correctly, but it is beyond his ability to do it.

Emotional stress occurs under conditions of negative emotional influences, such as threat, resentment, conflict situations, in which it is impossible to satisfy primary biological or social needs.

Since our goal is to clarify physiology, we will also present the stages of stress and move away from describing the non-physiological aspects of stress.

In its development, stress goes through three stages:

· anxiety stage - characterized by low resistance and sharp reactions to any irritants;

· stage of resistance - during which a person is most adapted and adapted to the conditions of existence;

· stage of exhaustion - a drop in the level of adaptability, which inevitably leads to death.

To understand the physiology of stress, let us turn to the structures and systems of the body through which changes occur in the body.

Stress affects almost all functional systems of the body, but more obvious manifestations affect the autonomic system, which is less adapted to negative influences and is also the most easily imbalanced.

The autonomic nervous system is part of the nervous system that controls processes occurring in the body, regardless of direct or indirect dependence on the conscious activity of a person.

Divisions of the autonomic nervous system are activated in a state of activity and during various stressful conditions of the body. Increases the level of metabolic processes in organs and tissues (Orbeli-Penetsinsky phenomenon). Substances produced by the sympathetic nervous system are called catecholamines: adrenaline and norepinephrine. They are also produced by the adrenal glands. There are receptors on the cells of the body that react to catecholamines, causing changes in metabolism in the cell: adrenergic receptors - alpha 1, alpha 2, beta 1, beta 2.

Provides homeostatic reactions of the body at rest and reactions of a restorative nature. Provides protective reactions of the body (sneezing, coughing, constriction of the pupil). Causes emptying of hollow organs (gastrointestinal tract, gall, bladder); relaxation of sphincters and contraction of smooth muscles of hollow organs. A substance produced by the parasympathetic nervous system is called acetylcholine. The cells of the body have receptors that react to acetylcholine, causing changes in metabolism in the cell: cholinergic receptors - muscarinic and nicotinic.

Metasympathetic nervous system (a set of microganglionic formations located in the wall of various organs. Microganglions include 3 types of neurons: sensory, motor, intercalary.)

The metasympathetic nervous system forms local reflex reactions and includes all components of reflex arcs. Thanks to the metasympathetic nervous system, internal organs can work without the participation of the central nervous system. The metasympathetic nervous system regulates organ blood flow.

The parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems are antagonists, meaning they cause opposite reactions. They are normally always in a balanced state, thus maintaining the vitality of the body. This state changes when the body receives a stimulus, in our case a stressor (provocation).

So what happens in the body under stress?

Let's consider the process of psychological stress.

The cerebral cortex receives a signal from the external environment (provocation). The signal, which has undergone neocortical-limbic interpretation and is assessed as threatening, is transmitted along neural pathways either to the posterior parts of the hypothalamus (with sympathetic activation) or to the anterior parts (with parasympathetic activation). Next, the nerve impulse descends along the sympathetic nerve pathways through the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord, through a chain of sympathetic ganglia into the corresponding internal organs, where norepinephrine is released and a somatic response occurs. In addition to the release of norepinephrine by the nerve endings, when the adrenal glands are stimulated by the sympathetic nerves, adrenaline is also released in the body under stress, which has the same effect as norepinephrine.

Along the parasympathetic nerve pathways, it descends through the cranial and sacral parts of the spinal cord to the end organs, where acetylcholine is released and a somatic response occurs.

Sympathetic activation represents general stimulation of an internal organ. The sympathetic response mobilizes the body's resources, prepares the muscles for active action, allowing the individual to either fight the threat or escape from it.

Activation through the parasympathetic system causes inhibition, slowing down or normalization (after excessive excitation) of the functioning of the organ, a “trophotropic” reaction.

In humans, the sympathetic arousal reaction occurs more often during stress, but with a strong degree of emotional and autonomic reaction, it is replaced by parasympathetic inhibition, which returns the internal organs to their normal functioning.

Thus, we are interested in the reaction caused during anxiety (fear). And we must be careful not to push the subject to the second stage (although unlikely).

The anxiety stage is characterized by the mobilization of general adaptation resources and a sharp drop in resistance to stress. There are three clearly defined periods in its course. The first period is a sharp activation of the body’s defense mechanisms, accompanied by sthenic emotions and increased performance. This period is short-term, calculated in minutes or hours. The second is the formation of a new “functional” level that would allow the body to exist in changed conditions. There is a general deterioration in a person’s condition and a drop in performance, which, however, can be compensated by high motivation. However, with severe overexertion, chronic diseases can worsen. In general, both of these periods last 11 days, which is a constant value that does not depend on the intensity or type of stress.

The third period is an unstable adaptation, lasting approximately 20-60 days, after which the stage of resistance begins, in which the body can feel relatively comfortable for a long time.

Let's move on to the changes that occur in different systems of the body.

These changes occur in all organs, but we are interested in those that can be noticed, that is, in the brain, skin, cardiovascular system, digestive system and muscles.

We will describe in general terms what is happening in the body, and along the way we will describe the external signs of these changes.

Under the influence of an irritant that causes a clear emotional reaction, noticeable changes in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract are observed, although the reaction of the gastrointestinal tract to emotional arousal varies among different subjects: emotions such as fear, jealousy, disappointment, irritation, pain, grief, cause a weakening of muscle tension in the walls of the stomach and duodenum, surprise - increased tension, and joy, delight and amazement did not cause any recorded changes.

When the gastrointestinal tract is inhibited, you may notice dry mouth (increased swallowing, licking and touching lips, and increased need for liquids).

When the gastrointestinal tract is activated, you may notice profuse salivation and hear intestinal rumbling (frequent and loud swallowing, frequent touching of the abdomen).

Changes in the activity of internal organs also depend on the modality of emotional states accompanying stress. An increase in blood pressure occurs in cases where readiness for action predominates (tension, anger); when, despite the presence of a harmful factor, a person does not take any action, when he feels that he is in a hopeless situation and experiences a sense of his own powerlessness, blood pressure may drop. It was revealed that the emotions of fear and anger entail various changes in the functional state of the subjects. In a state of anger, diastolic pressure increased more significantly, and cases of temporary slowing of the heart were more often observed. And with fear, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate increase. There is an assumption that the emotion of anger is accompanied by the release of the hormone norepinephrine into the blood, and the emotion of fear is accompanied by adrenaline, which causes this difference.

Changes in the circulatory system are most noticeable when emotional arousal occurs. This mainly concerns blood pressure, lumens of blood vessels, and heart rate. Surprise, surprise, and anticipation usually cause a short-term increase in blood pressure, constriction of blood vessels in the abdominal area, dilation of blood vessels in the skeletal muscles and brain, and sometimes an increase in heart rate. Emotions accompanying critical or threatening situations for the individual, as well as painful stimuli, cause an increase in blood pressure. Strong positive emotions can cause a noticeable increase in heart rate, while a state of apathy and depression, on the contrary, can cause it to decrease.

When the cardiovascular system is inhibited, you can notice a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate.

When the cardiovascular system is activated, you can notice an increase in blood pressure and pulse rate (you can see a pronounced pulsation of the carotid arteries in the neck, pallor of the skin, against the background of pallor, a reddish-bluish coloration of the face).

In the respiratory system, the frequency and amplitude of breathing, as well as the ratio between inhalation and exhalation, are subject to changes. Strong emotional arousal of any modality leads to increased breathing and also makes it deeper. Sharp stimuli cause a short-term holding of breath, which may subsequently be accompanied by some irregularity. A stressful situation that threatens an individual entails an increase in the duration of inhalation. All these changes can be seen by observing the chest, supraclavicular areas, and hearing the sound of breathing.

Skeletal muscles respond to increased emotional stress by increasing muscle tone. This is more typical for the muscles of the neck, nose, and mouth. Constant tension of these muscles, when it is impossible for an individual to directly express emotions, can cause chronic headaches (migraines), often accompanying a stressful state. All these changes can be seen. You can also see trembling, since unconsciously the tone increases, and consciously the individual tries to weaken the muscles. These changes also cause changes in the voice due to tension in the laryngeal muscles.

The skin reacts by changing the blood supply and changing the galvanic response. The skin becomes pale and sweating increases.

Other, non-localized changes caused by a prolonged stress response include changes in body temperature, dilation of the pupils, a decrease in the amount and change in the composition of saliva, urine, and sweat.

Source: Source: Spartak Petrosyan “How to recognize lies and deception”