How Stress Harms Your Health: and how acupuncture can restore harmony
The parasympathetic & sympathetic branches of your nervous system function in unison. Stimulation of one inhibits the other. We need both to survive and therefore we need to be able to shift back and forth readily.
The stress response begins in the brain. When someone confronts an incoming danger, the eyes or ears (or both) send the information to the amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing. The amygdala interprets the images and sounds. When it perceives danger, it instantly sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.
Before we dive deeper lets talk about “perceived” danger, because stress can be a very subjective experience and doesn’t always have to involve a present physical threat. Stress can come in the form of a looming deadline, an interaction you’re not looking forward to, potential financial burden on the horizon, and much more. We differ from much of the animal kingdom in that we stress about things that have yet to, and may never even, come to fruition.
Okay, back to the science lesson...
The hypothalamus is a bit like a command center. This area of the brain communicates with the rest of the body through the autonomic nervous system, which controls such involuntary body functions as breathing, blood pressure, heartbeat, and the dilation or constriction of key blood vessels and small airways in the lungs called bronchioles.
The autonomic nervous system has two components, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system functions like a gas pedal in a car. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, providing the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond to perceived dangers. The parasympathetic nervous system acts like a brake. It promotes the "rest and digest" response that calms the body down after the danger has passed.
After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system by sending signals through the autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands. These glands respond by pumping the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) into the bloodstream. As epinephrine circulates through the body, it brings on a number of physiological changes. The heart beats faster than normal, pushing blood to the muscles, heart, and other vital organs. Pulse rate & blood pressure go up. The person undergoing these changes also starts to breathe more rapidly. Small airways in the lungs open wide. This way, the lungs can take in as much oxygen as possible with each breath. Extra oxygen is sent to the brain, increasing alertness. Sight, hearing, and other senses become sharper. Meanwhile, epinephrine triggers the release of blood sugar (glucose) and fats from temporary storage sites in the body. These nutrients flood into the bloodstream, supplying energy to all parts of the body.
The HPA axis relies on a series of hormonal signals to keep the sympathetic nervous system — the "gas pedal" — pressed down. If the brain continues to perceive something as dangerous, the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), which travels to the pituitary gland, triggering the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone travels to the adrenal glands, prompting them to release cortisol. The body thus stays revved up and on high alert. When the threat passes, cortisol levels fall. The parasympathetic nervous system — the "brake" — then dampens the stress response.
What happens if you’re unable to find a way to put the brakes on stress? Chronic low-level stress keeps the HPA axis activated. After a while, this has an effect on the body that contributes to the health problems associated with chronic stress. Persistent epinephrine surges can damage blood vessels and arteries, increasing blood pressure and raising risk of heart attacks or strokes. Elevated cortisol levels create physiological changes that help to replenish the body's energy stores that are depleted during the stress response. But they inadvertently contribute to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain. For example, cortisol increases appetite, so that people will want to eat more to obtain extra energy. It also increases storage of unused nutrients as fat.
How can acupuncture help? That’s a lot, I know. But it’s not all bad news. Acupuncture increases circulation, floods the brain with endogenous opioids, releases serotonin and Noradrenalin, and calms the nervous system simultaneously. It’s important to take a multi-pronged approach to regulating your system after a long bout of stress. Exercise, meditation, Qi Gong, mindfulness practices, therapy, and dietary and lifestyle changes are some of the tool you can incorporate.
The longer you’ve been experiencing chronic stress, the longer it may take to regulate your nervous system. It can take weeks or even months for cortisol dysregulation to return to normal after chronic stress. The important thing is to be patient, stick with it, and trust your body’s innate ability to heal/regulate.