What is Stress?
Stress is a common human emotion that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. In truth, the human body is built to recognise, respond to stress, and subsequently take the necessary stress management actions. In response to changes or obstacles, your body generates physical and mental responses (stressors). That’s how it feels when you’re stressed. The stress responses in your body help you adjust to new situations.
Stress can be beneficial in that it keeps us attentive, motivated, and equipped to avoid danger. When stressors persist without reprieve or moments of relaxation, it becomes a problem. The autonomic nervous system regulates your heart rate, respiration, vision, and other bodily functions. The “fight-or-flight response,” the body’s built-in stress response, aid the body in dealing with stressful situations. When a person is under long-term (chronic) stress, the stress response is constantly activated, causing wear and tear on the body. Physical, emotional, and behavioural manifestations are all examples of symptoms.
How is stress diagnosed? Stress is a subjective sensation that cannot be quantified by tests. Only the individual who is having it can tell if it is present and how terrible it is. Questionnaires may be used by a healthcare provider to better understand your stress and how it affects your life. Your healthcare professional can assess stress-related symptoms if you have chronic stress. High blood pressure, for example, can be identified and treated.
Your genetics as part of stress management
Some people are susceptible to higher stress levels due to their genetic makeup. While we all experience stress at some point in our lives, some people experience it more regularly. It all comes down to genetics in the end. Your genes code for proteins that control how your body works. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are little variations in your genes that alter the hormones and enzymes that control your psychological responses. Certain genes cause people to have a stronger response to stressful situations, making them more sensitive than others. Find out your genetic profile with myPreciseDNA, to reveal how stress-prone you are and how you cope in difficult conditions. With it, you can develop a personalised stress management plan based on this information to reduce stress in your daily life. COMT and BDNF are the two primary genes linked to your stress response.
COMT: How does your heritage influence your stress management capabilities?
There is a shifting range of responses when it comes to performance under duress. Catechol-O-Methyltransferase is responsible for this (COMT). COMT is an enzyme that aids in the breakdown of dopamine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine in the brain. Your reward response is influenced by dopamine. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are responsible for your fight or flight reaction, which is triggered when you are under a lot of stress. The COMT gene aids in the regulation of dopamine synthesis in the brain. This has an impact on how we make decisions under duress.
BDNF: How do your genes play a role in your stress tolerance?
BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) is a protein that helps neurons operate better by stimulating cell development and preventing premature cell death. It also binds to receptors in your brain, increasing and boosting neuronal communication. When it comes to your stress response, BDNF plays a role in your stress resilience. Your ability to tolerate and adapt to unfavourable or stressful events is referred to as resilience. It’s basically how you deal with high-stress levels. Knowing your stress resilience can help you increase your ability to handle high-pressure situations without sacrificing your work quality, health, or well-being. You’ll either be genetically predisposed to high or low-stress resilience. Knowing if you have a genetic propensity to low-stress resilience might help you identify areas where you can improve your mental fitness. You can reduce your chance of unfavourable stress impacts on your health by learning efficient stress-relieving practices.
Endorphins: The stress relievers
The pituitary gland and the central nervous system release endorphins such as anandamide and serotonin. Endorphins are a type of neurotransmitter that helps people cope with stress and pain.
Anandamide is a form of endorphin that helps to regulate stress. Stress is more likely if you don’t get enough of it. There’s also some evidence that anandamide is linked to BDNF. As previously stated, BDNF is required for the maintenance of healthy neurons as well as the formation of new ones. When it comes to reducing stress, the creation of BDNF is critical. Exercise can help you make more anandamide, which can help you produce more BDNF.
Serotonin is the chemical messenger that makes us feel good. Serotonin deficiency has been linked to the development of depression. When it comes to staying motivated and feeling joyful, a boost in serotonin can make all the difference, and it just so happens that exercise boosts its release. Aerobic workouts, such as running and biking, have been shown in studies to increase serotonin levels.
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