How Does Chronic Stress Affect our health?
Stress is a part of our lives. It is omnipresent. Our body has different ways of dealing with stress.
The GAS model (General Adaptation Syndrome), given by Selye, captures the body's response to stress adequately. There are three stages in GAS-
The Alarm Stage - During the first phase the Autonomic nervous system is activated by the stressor (event/events that causes stress).
The Resistance stage - The body adapts to stress by using various coping mechanisms.
Exhaustion stage - If the stress persists and the body is unable to handle it then there is exhaustion in which the body suffers damage .
Autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in stress. It is part of the peripheral nervous system. It regulates the muscles and glands.
It is involved in the crucial functions such as digestion, respiration, blood circulation etc. It has two divisions. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system prepares the organism for fight or flight response during emergency. It increases the blood pressure and the heart rate while slowing down the digestion process.
The parasympathetic nervous system on the other hand slows down the body's functions and conserves energy. It brings down the heart rate, the blood pressure, etc and enhances digestion. During stress the ANS stimulates the adrenal glands which release cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol works in replenishing energy supplies to the body. Adrenaline levels increase when there is stress. The cortisol level is also high during stress. These are adaptive resources that maintain stability during change and emergency.
However the real problem occurs when the systems involved in maintaining stability don't stop. They remain active even when not needed. This is what happens in chronic stress. The over-activity of ANS leads to physiological problems such as hyperglycemia (high level of cortisol leads to increased sugar in the blood), high blood pressure, cholesterol increase, gastritis and other physical problems.
How can EFT help?
EFT is a compelling tool for stress. It can reduce high stress levels, decrease anxiety, chronic worry and keep your mind in the present moment.
With the help of tapping/EFT we can come out of the worry loop and stay grounded.
Tapping on the acu-points and saying affirmations helps in sending deactivating signals to the amygdala, thus calming your emotional brain. It helps in bringing more clarity and focus in your day to day life.
EFT equips you with tools that you can apply anytime & anywhere.
It deceases anxiety in minutes and is a great way to manage stress.
Daily use of EFT on the stress producing events and thoughts can reduce your stress levels immensely.
