Stress physiology refers to the physical and chemical responses organisms have to stress. The “fight or flight response” is a crucial part of stress physiology, increasing blood flow and metabolism to enable physical activity. Hormones like adrenaline and norepinephrine facilitate this response.
Stress physiology is an umbrella term used to describe the physiological responses that various organisms experience when placed in stress-inducing situations. When placed under stressful situations, the body tends to experience a substantial chemical and physical response aimed at redirecting the body’s resources in order to deal with the source of the stress. While stress physiology tends not to be particularly effective in stress-causing situations in many modern humans, it is an effective survival mechanism for organisms facing predators and other physical threats. One of the most important parts of stress physiology is known as the “fight or flight response” and involves a series of physiological changes intended to enable an organism to fight or flee from a given threat.
The fight-or-flight response is among the most commonly studied and researched aspects of stress physiology due to its prevalence in the stress responses of many organisms in a variety of different situations. In the fight or flight response, blood flow is increased to the muscles and respiratory system to allow for more physical activity. Metabolism increases to provide a high level of usable energy to the body. Overall, the body is optimized for the rapid and strong muscular and cardiovascular activity needed to escape or fight off potential threats.
Many parts of the body are largely unnecessary for fight-or-flight activities, so the physiology of stress includes a reduction in activity in some areas. For example, blood supply is reduced to some parts of the body, including the digestive system and some parts of the brain. Digestion of food and brain functions such as those that enable speech are generally not needed during fight-or-flight situations.
There are, in some cases, different phases of the physiology of stress. Upon sensing a potential threat, an animal may enter a state of heightened sensory awareness prior to the full fight-or-flight response. This allows the animal to accurately determine whether or not there is a threat. Once a threat is positively identified, the full fight-or-flight response begins, allowing for the necessary rapid muscle action.
One of the major elements of stress physiology that facilitates the fight or flight response is the release of hormones, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine. These hormones are chemical signals that, when released into the bloodstream, initiate the various changes involved in the physiology of stress. Adrenaline, produced in the adrenal gland, is one of the most important chemical signals involved in the human stress response.
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