What Are Stress Hormones?

Stress is a common word that keeps echoing every now and then, it is known as any situation that tends to disturb the equilibrium between living organisms and the environment. Especially during this phase where we are all surrounded by different kinds of stressful situations. It is the body’s response to any kind of danger or demand. As soon as our body perceives stress, the adrenal glands make and release stress hormones.

In a way, stress can be helpful too as the stress response is the body's way of protecting you. It helps you to stay alert, focused, and energetic. It even gives you extra strength to help you defend yourself. But stress is helpful only to a limit, beyond a limit it is too dangerous and can cause severe damage to your health, mood, productivity, quality of your life, and your relationships.

The three stress hormones are:

Adrenaline:

It is known as the fight or flight hormone. When a stressful situation comes up adrenaline is produced by the adrenal glands after receiving a message from the brain. Adrenaline is responsible for the immediate reaction that we feel when we are under stress.

Imagine you're trying to change lanes in your car, says Amit Sood, M.D., director of research at the Complementary and Integrative Medicine and chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative at Mayo Clinic. Suddenly, from your blind spot, comes a car racing at 100 miles per hour. You return to your original lane and your heart is pounding. Your muscles are tense, you're breathing faster, you may start sweating. That's adrenaline.

It increases your heart rate and gives a surge of energy that might help you to run away from a dangerous situation and helps you to focus your attention.

Norepinephrine:

It is a hormone that is similar to adrenaline. It is released from the brain in the adrenal glands. Like adrenaline, even the primary goal of norepinephrine is arousal. Together with adrenaline, norepinephrine increases heart rate and blood pumping from the heart. It increases blood pressure.

Sood says that when we are stressed we tend to become more awake, aware, and focused, "you are just generally more responsive."

Cortisol:

It is known as the steroid hormone commonly known as the stress hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. It increases sugar in the bloodstream. Cortisol is the reason behind high blood pressure, stroke, and anxiety.

Since it takes a multi-step process with two additional minor hormones, it takes a little more time for you to feel the effect of cortisol in the face of stress.

These are the three stress hormones. If you need any help or further information contact us at www.steffiprasad.com