Whenever I'm stressed, common body reactions I experience are headaches, a faster heart rate, and a little bit of handshaking. These clinical manifestations occur during the three stages of stress response of the endocrine system: The fight-or-flight response, resistance reaction, and exhaustion. In the first stage, the fight-or-flight response, the hypothalamus gland prepares the body to face danger by sending nerve impulses to the sympathetic nervous system. The effects of this response are the production of glucose and oxygen for essential organs such as the brain which experiences high alertness, the skeletal system, and the heart which pumps blood faster. The following stage would be the resistance stage where the hypothalamus starts to release its own hormones: corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). The release of these hormones may cause an increase in cortisol which can be attributed to the headache and shaky hands caused by anxiety that a person may experience when stressed. Lastly, the last stage is exhaustion where the resources of the body are depleted.
Hi Allen! I was intrigued by your bodily reactions, especially the handshaking. I had no idea until now that the common stress responses of the body are also responsible for this body reaction. I was only aware of the other manifestations, such as a faster heartbeat and heavy perspiration. I appreciate the extra information; I wish you good luck managing your stressors!