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CHAPTER 5

PHYSICAL REACTIONS

Our internal organs are controlled and regulated, without our conscious effort, by the autonomic (or vegetative) nervous system (ANS). The ANS consists of two antagonistic sets of nerves, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. The former connects the internal organs to the brain by spinal nerves; it prepares the organism for fight or flight when stress occurs. The nerve fibres of the parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, consist of cranial nerves and lumbar spinal nerves and have the task of getting the body back to normal after it has been aroused by the sympathetic nervous system.

This means that the sympathetic nervous system, once it is aroused, will set in motion a number of physical processes such as general muscle tension, dilation of the pupils, restriction of the flow of saliva in the mouth, dilation of the bronchi, opening of the pores and increased perspiration, constriction of the bowels and loosening of the bladder. In addition, the liver is activated to release sugar into the blood to produce extra energy, and hormones such as adrenalin and corticosteroids are pumped out into the system, accelerating breathing and increasing the heart rate. While all this is going on the autonomic nervous system slows down digestion processes.

Once the stress-inducing situation is over, the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system reverses all the above processes – the pupils contract again, saliva starts flowing freely once more, the bronchi contract, the heart rate slows down, the pores close, the bladder contracts and digestion is stimulated, as is the release of bile which helps digest fats.

To help you understand these physical processes we will take a look at a typical situation that produces some common stress symptoms.

SITUATION

You are worried about having to give a talk in front of a group of people. As you prepare for it, you become aware of the following physical reactions in yourself:

 your mouth goes dry and your voice becomes more high-pitched (flow of saliva restricted, muscles in throat tense)

 your heart beats faster and your breathing becomes irregular (chest muscles tense up and bronchi dilate, adrenalin is released)

 you need to go to the toilet to pass water more often than usual (bladder loosened)

 you are constipated or have stomach cramps (muscles tense up)

 your hands feel clammy (pores open and perspiration increases)

 you feel anxious and have ‘butterflies’ in your stomach (adrenalin is pumping through your system)

 you feel restless and pace up and down, your hands shaking and your knees trembling (blood sugar levels are up to provide more energy; adrenalin and corticosteroids accelerate body processes).

As you can see, these physical symptoms are not all in the mind but are caused by very real changes in your blood chemistry, activated by the sympathetic nervous system. However, it is your mind that ultimately determines how strongly your body reacts to change or unusual circumstances. Depending on your attitudes, beliefs and general predisposition you will assess a situation as either harmless or dangerous. Some people positively thrive on challenges and are at their best when they need to deal with unforeseen situations; others will feel threatened and stressed.

The effects of the sympathetic nervous system can be very beneficial, provided they do not come into play too often or too excessively. A slight increase in body tension, together with higher energy levels and the associated faster reaction time, is of great value if you have to perform well; it is when these reactions become excessive that problems result and we are less likely to cope well.

When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated repeatedly and over a long period of time, your body may be able to adapt for a while, but as soon as any additional demands are made on it – such as those brought about by an unhealthy diet, smoking, drinking or lack of sleep – your system gets overloaded and can break down. Being in physical overdrive can become a habit, and if there is never a chance for the parasympathetic nervous system to kick into gear and reverse the process, you wear down your inner organs. This is analogous to driving your car at high speed in a low gear all the time – eventually you have problems with the engine.

Even though both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are functioning on an involuntary level, we can activate the parasympathetic system by setting some time aside each day to relax properly – and this is not the same thing as putting up your feet and lighting a cigarette! Adapting your diet so that it contains more easily digestible foods also helps (here), as does working on becoming more confident (here) and developing a more positive outlook (see Chapter 17).

WARNING SIGNS

PHYSICAL STRESS SYMPTOMS

 tension (in the throat, chest, stomach, shoulders, neck, jaws)

 headache and migraine

 backache

 neck ache

 irregular breathing

 palpitations

 breathlessness even when at rest

 restlessness and fidgeting

 tics (face, eyes, mouth, etc.)

 dry mouth

 high-pitched voice

 sweating

 cold hands and feet

 shakiness

 dizziness

 exhaustion

 stomach ache and ‘butterflies’ in stomach

 indigestion

 nausea

 increased need to urinate

 diarrhoea

 sleeping problems

 sexual problems

 ulcers

 increased sensitivity to noise

SUCCESSFUL STRESS MANAGEMENT

CASE HISTORY: PALPITATIONS

(All names used in this and the other case histories in this book have been changed to ensure confidentiality.) Gary (42) was running his own business and was doing well financially, but all was not well at home. He had recently married; his wife, Jenny, had two teenage children from a previous marriage. Even though Gary was fond of the children, he was not getting on with them as well as he had hoped. Arguments erupted frequently, not only between Gary and the children but also between Gary and Jenny. Gary felt that Jenny was spoiling the children by being too lenient with them, whereas Jenny accused Gary of being jealous of her affection for them.

After six months of rows and arguments Gary began to notice that every time he sat down to rest or go to sleep his heart would start racing. When these palpitations became more frequent he started to worry that there might be something wrong with his heart, but after a thorough check-up his doctor assured Gary that his heart was perfectly all right and that the symptoms were stress-related.

Gary decided that, rather than take beta blockers or sedatives, he was going to try to work through his problems with Jenny. Together they visited a marriage guidance counsellor, who helped them develop a workable, co-operative strategy for dealing with the children. Gary also took a few lessons in relaxation to bring his stress level down. After six weeks his palpitations had decreased considerably; after a further four weeks they had disappeared altogether.

(More about the methods Gary used can be found here [relaxation] and here [addressing problems].)