The stress response begins in the brain.. 

When it anticipates or perceives a danger, the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus (in a different part of the brain) which tells the adrenal glands (that sit just on top of the kidneys) to release the stress hormone cortisol.  

This communication triggers a very fast cascade of hormonal reactions and physiological changes that we know as the ‘fight or flight’ response, activated by the sympathetic nervous system.

The heart beats faster, the pulse and blood pressure rise, breathing becomes quicker, alertness in the brain and senses increase and glucose and fat (from your stores) supply energy to every part of your body for you to fight the danger or run from it to safety. 

Prehistorically that danger would have been a sabre tooth tiger. The brain would activate the fight or flight response for you to fight the tiger or flee to the safety of your cave. Once safe, the parasympathetic nervous system would activate the ‘rest and digest’ response, calming the physiological changes and resetting the hormonal reactions.

Of course, life has evolved, and the sabre tooth tiger is no longer our greatest life-threatening danger. There are so many other things we react to or anticipate as a danger and, whilst most of them are not life-threatening dangers, the body respond to them as though they are.  

Whilst I strongly recommend you reduce your exposure to environmental stressors, you also need to learn how to MANAGE your own physical and emotional stress. 

Again there is no ‘one size fits all’ for this and I hate to be the bearer of more bad news but a large glass of wine and bar of chocolate whilst scrolling through social media is NOT a stress management strategy. It is just another way to produce even more cortisol. 

Manging stress means ACTIVELY de-stressing EVERYDAY to bring the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems into balance.  This brings the body out of the ‘fight or flight’ state and into the ‘rest and digest’ state. 

As I’ve outlined, the adrenal glands are responsible for releasing the stress hormone, cortisol, when the brain anticipates a danger but they do so much more. 

The adrenals are the foundation of hormonal balance, producing the DHEA hormone which is the pre-curser for the main sex hormones, estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. They help to regulate your blood sugar level and burn fat but they are also the back-up for producing the sex hormones when the ovaries begin to slow down as we age. 

If the adrenals are exhausted from constantly producing cortisol during your 30’s and into your 40’s, they have nothing to give when needed later on. This means it is vital that you prioritise your adrenal health as early as possible. 

When the adrenals are out of balance you may find yourself:

• Getting a second wind at 10pm
• Waking up at 2am
• Reaching for a large glass of wine each evening in an attempt to quieten or distract your busy mind
• Grabbing sweet sugary snacks mid-afternoon to give you enough energy to get through the rest of the day

You may also experience: 

• Chronic headaches
• Wounds that don’t heal
• Difficulty waking up in the morning
• Fatigue or low energy
• Acne or other skin problems 
• Low mood or irritability 

Restoring and supporting your adrenal health is vital for your wellbeing but it does take time. If your adrenals have been working flat out for the past 20 years, responding to continual low-level stresses, they will not repair overnight. 

It will take months, maybe even a year or more, but please believe me when I say it is worth giving them your attention and the support they need, particularly if you are in your late 30s or early 40s. If you start to do the work now you will have the strongest foundations when you really need it.