To define the term stress is not an easy task. Looking at the physical body it can be defined as the pressure or force it has to experience in a certain situation. Psychologically it can be interpreted as the demand on an organism to adapt to an event and how the mind copes and adjusts to these changes.
The stimulus that occurs to the body can almost be anything, an event, a toxin, a certain temperature (hot/cold), an accident etc. The body can either have a necessary and helpful response (eustress) or a harmful response (distress) to these stressors. The body’s reaction to counteract stress to restore homeostasis, the general adaption syndrome (GAS), happens in three stages: 1) the alarm reaction or fight or flight response, 2) the resistance reaction and lastly 3) the exhaustion stage. In the alarm reaction the body is brought into action to defend itself against the stressor and a cocktail of stress chemicals is released into the blood streams which triggers a cascade of reactions.
Increased heart rate, tense muscles, alert and focused mind, mobilised energy stores (glycogen release) and slowed down digestion etc. This phase is managed by the sympathetic nervous system and initiated by the hypothalamus in the brain. The phase is generally very brief and cannot be maintained for long. As soon as the threat is over the body’s activities return to normal.
The resistance stage, however, is initiated by the release of hormones and is a longer lasting response, so the body can draw on its resources even after the fight or flight event has passed. If the body does not succeed in getting rid of the stressor, we move into the exhaustion phase, when the body’s resources are depleted and can no longer sustain the resistance stage. High levels of hormones, such as cortisol, cause the wasting of muscles, suppression of the immune system, ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract and failure of pancreatic beta cells and can lead to a wide range of diseases, such as malfunctioning of the immune system, IBS, hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, anxiety, depression, gastritis, cardiovascular disorders and cancer. People under stress are at much greater risk of developing chronic illnesses. The mental or cognitive response to a stressor can include distractibility and impaired task performance and individuals confronted with stress often experience anger, hostility, embarrassment, depression, helplessness and anxiety.
The fight or flight response can be a useful tool when faced with immediate danger. The mind is focused on defense and riddance of the stressor. The body is prepared to either run away from the danger or fight it. But in our modern world the fight or flight response is activated on a daily basis, such as getting the children to school in the morning, having to prepare a last minute presentation, commuting to and from work, paying overdue bills. These events leave the body in a constant overdrive and over time will lead to chronic stress, which is a common occurrence today. In a functional stress response loop the body will go back to its calm state after an occurrence of elevated stress. This rest and relaxation phase falls under the parasympathetic nervous system. This system works at a much slower pace and helps the body to digest food appropriately, relaxes the muscles and supports a restful sleep. In contrast, with chronic stress the production of cortisol and adrenaline is in overdrive which can lead to the system to be less sensitive to its signals, resulting in a dysfunctional feedback loop. The rest and relaxation stage, which usually follows the alarm reaction, is no longer activated. With all these mini stressors happening throughout the day, the body feels under attack and is in constant emergency mode. This can have various harmful effects, such as a slow digestion, too much energy (glucose) in your bloodstream which then can lead to weight gain, sleep disruption, diabetes and an impaired immune system.
Essential Oils can help combat the effects of stress. For example you can add a few drops of Essential oils into a diffuser to inhale the aroma. Or you can create a roll on with 10ml of a carrier oil (olive, sweet almond, grapeseed etc.) and 9 drops of Essential oils and apply onto pulse points (wrists, neck, temples). And for a relaxing evening bath just combine 2 cups of Epsom salts, 5ml of carrier oil and 8 drops of Essential oils of your choice.
Beneficial Essential Oils for Stress:
- Bergamot
- Geranium
- Clary Sage
- Lavender
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Vetiver
- Sweet Marjoram
- Petitgrain
- Rose
- Neroli
- Ylang Ylang
