Stress and human body

Stress is the word which is known to everyone. We often use the term in our daily lives. In modern era of urbanization and globalization, people are involved in variety of activities and try to co-ordinate their own self as well as their work, family, society and the other related fields. When the individual requirements are not fulfilled or they are not successful to meet the desired requirement and they feel stressed. Stress has been positive and negative impact. Every one irrespective of age, sex, education, occupation, socio-economic, status, whether lives in rural or urban area face stress. Stress effect body, mind, behaviour in many ways and everyone experiences stress differently. It adversely affects a wide range of health condition. Stress is a usual reaction to a life threatening condition. When an individual perceives any intimidation the brain sets off an alert of fight or flight reaction. This leads to a number of internal changes in our body. The adrenal glands discharge the hormone called cortisol which increases glucose in the blood stream. The heart rate becomes faster and blood pressure rises. It disturbs our body's immune system and digestive process till the stress got passed. Stress is our body's physical and emotional reaction that frightens, irritate, confuse endanger or excite us and place demands on the body. Stress can be caused by events that are pleasing as well as events that create crises in our lives. But stress is a normal part of daily life and the effects of stress are not always negative. In small qualities stress is good; it can motivate us and help us to become more productive but too much stress or a strong response to stress can be harmful. The chapter defines stress, its stages, types, causes, common effects sign and symptoms, stress physiology, physiological changes, effects on systems and psychological system.