Why is stress more different and more dangerous in the 21st century?
The nature of stress for modern man is more emotional than physical and is associated with acute reactions over which we have no control that were originally designed to be beneficial. The archaic “fight or flight” response to such events as getting stuck in traffic or conflict at work can now cause tremendous physical damage over time and even be deadly. During episodes of stress, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels increase, blood is shunted to the large muscles of the arms and legs, and there is an increase in clotting. An outpouring of adrenaline, cortisol, and other stress related hormones causes many of the effects of stress. Repeated incidents can contribute to hypertension, diabetes, ulcers, and neck and back pain and lead to an inflammatory process that causes serious physical effects throughout the body.
