Stress in Your Body Systems Template

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The Nervous System:

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• The autonomic nervous system has a direct role in physical response to stress and is divided into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). When the body is stressed, the SNS contributes to what is known as the "fight or flight" response.
• The SNS signals the adrenal glands to release hormones called adrenalin (epinephrine) and cortisol. These hormones, together with direct actions of autonomic nerves, cause the heart to beat faster, respiration rate to increase, blood vessels in the arms and legs to dilate, digestive process to change and glucose levels (sugar energy) in the bloodstream to increase to deal with the emergency.
• The SNS response is fairly sudden in order to prepare the body to respond to an emergency situation or acute stress— short term stressors.
• Recovery is signaled by the PNS once the stressor is over

Female Reproductive System

• Menstruation---In females high levels of stress may be associated with absent or irregular menstrual cycles, more painful periods, and changes in the length of cycles
• Pregnancy --- Stress can negatively impact a woman's ability to conceive, the health of her pregnancy, and her postpartum adjustment.
• Premenstrual Symptoms -- stress symptoms include cramping, fluid retention and bloating, negative mood (feeling irritable and "blue") and mood swings.

The Musculoskeletal System:

• When the body is stressed the muscles tense up
• Muscle tension is a reflex reaction to stress and is the body's way of guarding against injury and pain
• When the stress passes the tension is released
• Chronic stress causes the muscles in the body to be in a more or less constant state of alertness and tenseness
• "Both tension-type headache and migraine headache are associated with chronic muscle tension in the area of the shoulders, neck ,and head"

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