Читать книгу Indian Head Massage: Discover the power of touch - Narendra Mehta - Страница 20

When someone is subjected to stress, input from the five senses travels through the nervous system and triggers the hypothalamus in the brain to send out signals. These signals reach the pituitary gland, which is the master gland of the endocrine system. A hormonal response sent from the pituitary gland triggers the adrenal glands to release adrenaline into the bloodstream to prepare the body for ‘fight or flight’.

The normal functioning of the body is disrupted, as a body in a state of stress needs to conserve its energy to propel muscles. The adrenaline coursing through the bloodstream causes blood pressure to rise and muscles to tense. Breathing becomes shallow and rapid, sexual desire and hunger are suppressed and digestion stops. The brain becomes hyper-alert.

As a temporary expedient, the stress response is vital, but if the situation is prolonged, with no release of tension, the result can be disastrous. As well as increasing the heart rate and the blood pressure, the body also diverts vital resources from the immune system and cholesterol levels rise. Common symptoms of prolonged stress include fatigue, headache, heartburn, indigestion, hair loss, insomnia and depression.

Some more serious conditions and diseases associated with prolonged stress are acidosis, backache, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, pancreatic and kidney disease and even heart attacks.

‘Regular [head] massage helps people work better. Absenteeism through stress would drop immediately if everyone had a massage at least once a week.’ Daily Mail