BOSTON—The car next to you suddenly veers over to your lane. You hit the brakes, and it sails ahead. No harm done—except your muscles tense, your heart pounds, and you breathe faster. A cascade of stress hormones has produced a well-orchestrated set of physiological changes sometimes called the “fight-or-flight” response. Over the years, researchers have learned how and why these reactions occur, and have gained insight into the long-term effects stress has on physical and psychological health, reports the March 2011 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter.
The fight-or-flight response began as a survival mechanism that helped humans (and other mammals) react quickly to life-threatening situations. In the modern world, repeated activation of the stress response takes a toll on the body, promoting high blood pressure, the development of artery-clogging plaque, and brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction.
Many people are unable to find a way to put the brakes on stress, notes Dr. Michael Miller, editor in chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter. Chronic low-level stress contributes to a variety of health problems. You can’t always get rid of stress, but you can learn techniques to counter the stress response. For example:
- The relaxation response. You can invoke the opposite of the stress response through such methods as deep abdominal breathing, focus on a soothing word, visualization of tranquil scenes, repetitive prayer, yoga, or tai chi. These approaches are worth trying, but for most people are not a cure-all.
- Physical activity. Exercise deepens breathing and helps relieve muscle tension. Movement therapies such as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong combine fluid motion with deep breathing and mental focus, all of which induce calm.
- Social support. Friends provide a life-enhancing social net; their emotional support helps sustain us at times of stress.
Read the full-length article: “Understanding the stress response” Also in this issue:
- Managing conduct disorder
- Treatment-resistant depression
- Does an Alzheimer’s drug help with delirium?
- Mindfulness and preventing depression relapse
- Stuttering
The Harvard Mental Health Letter is available from Harvard Health Publications (www.health.harvard.edu), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, for $59 per year. Subscribe at www.health.harvard.edu/mental or by calling 877-649-9457 (toll-free).
