What happens in the body during stressful times?

Feeling overwhelmed or panicked has an effect on your central nervous system, which controls most of your important bodily functions. “The body’s central nervous system is split into the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems,” explains Lauren. “The former is in charge of your ‘rest and digest’ activities when your body is relaxed. The latter is the ‘flight or fight’ system that produces hormones to help us escape danger, which is the system we revert to in times of stress.” Put simply, when your body perceives a threat to your safety, it diverts resources from vital systems, such as digestion, and instead prepares to help you start running. While this is obviously useful if you find yourself in physical danger

(a car coming at you down the street, for example), it’s not great for prolonged periods when you’re worrying about other things.

“The three main stress hormones are adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine,” says Lauren. “Adrenaline works with norepinephrine to generate your flight or fight reaction – causing a fast heart rate, and possibly sweating – quick reactions, and a laser focus on the thing that is immediately stressing you. Cortisol helps maintain fluid balance and blood pressure. But when it is continuously released it can impact your immune system, leading to raised blood pressure and blood sugar. This can contribute to weight gain, and a reduction in libido.” While small, normal doses of stress shouldn’t have much of an effect, if your worrying is getting out of control – leaving your heart racing, your digestive system out of whack, or feeling tired all the time – you must take positive action.