Hans Selye, a physiologist, was the first to investigate stress scientifically. Dr Selye studied the physical reactions of animals to injury and sickness for many years. Based on his studies, Selye concluded that humans and animals have similar physiological reactions to illness or damage. These changes are our bodies' attempts to cope with the demands of disease or damage.
The alarm reaction is the first stage of physiological (bodily) excitation and preparedness for combating illness or harm. The heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration increase to provide oxygen to the muscles and the brain. The stomach, kidneys, skin, and liver receive more blood, while the stomach, kidneys, skin, and liver receive less. Sexual and immunological (disease-fighting) systems are both impaired. Body compounds that serve as natural painkillers are released into the bloodstream to treat pain. Natural fats and carbohydrates, which are the body's fuel sources, are actively mobilised to provide us with extra energy. Our attention is drawn to the scary incident (if one can be identified), and our senses become more acute. All of these intricately synchronised reactions happen in a flash. The alarm reaction phase lasts a few seconds typically, although it can be as short as a fraction of a second.
The physiological changes associated with the alarm response allow us to react rapidly to threats and, in certain situations, resolve them. In other cases, the alarm response permits us to go far enough away from threats that they no longer pose a threat. On the other hand, some injuries or illnesses cannot be treated or avoided and continue to be a problem.
The alarm response is incredibly 'expensive' to our bodies; it takes a lot of energy to develop and maintain, and it's not practicable or effective to keep doing it indefinitely in response to long-term threats. When presented with a long-term threat, the body shifts from an alert state to a stage when it attempts to respond to the continuous threat's demands. The impacts of the alert phase reduce in this second stage, called adaptation (although the alarm symptoms continue to persist long after the stressor has disappeared). The body continues to fight the illness or damage, but the physiological systems that have been activated do so at a slower rate.
While not as energy-intensive as the alarm reaction, the adaptation phase requires significant energy. If the disease or injury persists for a long time, the body will enter a third phase, weariness, and begin to show signs of wear and tear. Exhaustion is usually reversible rather than permanent. The body can usually recover entirely from weariness if given enough relaxation.
Stress reactions that are prolonged, frequent, or intense can lead to long-term health problems such as ulcers, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, kidney disease, and allergic reactions. On the other hand, extreme tiredness can end in death if the stressor is potent. There are many other biology article submissions on our website.
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