Your stress response can be a cause of disease. Thousands for years ago the Buddha said, “life contains suffering.” The source of suffering can be profound, such as losing a loved one or discovering you have a serious illness. More often than not though, our “suffering” comes from the daily hassles of life. You get stuck in a traffic jam or you have a disagreement with a loved one. Maybe your car broke down or the neighbor's dog kept you up last night.
Let's break it down...
These are relatively minor hassles but they can easily trigger your body’s ancient fight-or-flight response, also known as your stress response. When under stress, hormones like cortisol and adrenaline begin to course through your body faster. Your blood sugar rises, your immune system is suppressed, your breathing accelerates, and the blood supply to your digestive organs is reduced. All of these responses are vital if you are actually under some kind of threat to your survival. The problem is that your body is unable to distinguish between a real threat to your survival or one of life’s daily stressors. Your fight-or-flight response prepares your body either to fight the threat or to run away as fast as possible.
Researchers are now discovering that prolonged stress leads to increased inflammation and a much higher risk of health problems. These include:
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High blood pressure and heart disease
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Autoimmune illnesses
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Some forms of cancer
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Migraine headaches
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Depression and anxiety
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Diabetes
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Obesity
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Memory loss
If my pointing this out to you is increasing your stress levels right now, stay tuned for my next e-mail where I explain some of the best ways you can go about reducing and managing your stress. Stay tuned!
Join us at Satsang House, San Diego’s premier meditation center, to learn how to set a solid foundation of mindfulness into your daily life. Or consider coming to one of our classes or signing up for an online course!
