A Brief Overview of Stress

Without a measure of stress (often termed eustress) in our daily lives we would not be alert and able to react to our environment. When in danger a stress response in which sympathetic nervous system causes the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released causing physiological changes to gear us up for fight or flight. when the danger is past then the parasympathetic system bring the body back into a normal functioning balance.

However, when we are exposed to stress that we are unable to fight or flee from the sympathetic nervous system remains dominant, the levels of circulating stress hormones remains high keeping the body in stress mode, in time this will cause physical and psychological harm.