Stress Management

The bodies central nervous system is comprised of the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic system. The sympathetic nervous system kicks in when there is a perceived threat. It releases neurotransmitters to tell our body we need to run or fight. This is our "fight or flight" part of the central nervous system. In this state, our pupils dilate to see better, our mouths get dry, our heart rate increases, our airways relax to get more oxygen, our digestion stops, and our bladders relax to hold more urine. Our bodies are reacting to a "threat". This is certainly important if we are in danger. The problem comes in with the fact that our modern-day lives keep us in a fight or flight state most of our waking hours and into the hours we need to be getting restorative sleep. And we are not in danger. In fact, we are creating a dangerous outcome on our bodies because we are in a constant stressed state. Here's a fact for sure: when we are in fight or flight, cortisol is released, and cortisol spikes blood sugar. See the connection with one process? In constant stress, we provide a base for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).