Stress Can Kill

Changing times leads to increasing stress. A survey done in
2005 on over 1,000 executives from Singapore, US, Hong
Kong, Britain and Australia revealed that a high percentage
of Singaporean managers, are more prone to information
overload stress.

They remain pessimistic that such situation will only
worsen over the next two years. And this is not only
happening to executives, in fact all humans at any age,
will face stress, the only difference is in the level of
stress which can be very individualistic.

Technology is not helping as it should. Remember those days
when handphones/internet are not so common. Once we are out
of office, we can choose to be sheltered from events by
virtue that we are isolated because we cannot communicate.

Now with handphones, internet and so on, we remain
contactable and unless we make it a point not to touch
those gadgets, it becomes an invisible pressure to continue
responding to those information/people, while we are away.

When we are under stress, the HYPOTHALAMUS which is part of
the brain that controls body temperature, hunger and
thirst, gets triggered. The HYPOTHALAMUS then adds pressure
to the PITUITARY GLANDS to release a hormone chemical ACTH
(adrenocorticotrophic hormone) into the bloodstream. This
further stimulates the ADRENAL GLAND to secrete more
chemicals (eg CORTISOL) that affect various part of our
body.

The net results : our bodies become charged on full alert
for a fight or flight response ; tense and highly strung.
We will feel cold, hot or thirsty suddenly and have a
queasy feeling in our stomach.

If our stress is prolonged without control, it can weaken
our immune system, causing us to be vulnerable to infection.

This is partly due to the CORTISOL released during stress
which kills the good killer cells, MACROPHAGES in our body.
MACROPHAGES "eats" invading bacteria, keeping us healthy.
It also badly affects the functionality of THYMUS GLAND
which plays a key role in the body's immune system. THYMUS
GLAND pumps out millions of LYMPHOCYTES each day which also
kills invading bacteria.

Apart from physical illness, some experience emotional
exhaustion as well. Too much stress leads to burnout, which
is characterised by emotional and physical exhaustion. What
follows would be all kinds of illness, emotional and
physical as well.

In more serious cases, some choose to end their lives…it's
sad and frightening, isn't it?

Who are under more stress ? Men or Women ?

Studies have shown that sex hormones somehow modulate the
stress response, causing stresssed females to secrete more
of the trigger chemicals than do males. Men may protest but
more often, women have so much more to cope with than men -
parents, children, other family members, their jobs and
their health.

The stress associated with the interpersonal relationships
for women tend to be ongoing for long periods of time. So
they become worn out from it all more visibly and sooner.

A healthy individual knows when to cut off, and what to
prioritise. Going for relaxation, meditation, exercise and
prayer do help.

Learn to Be good to yourself, starting TODAY.

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