During times of stress, have you noticed that your heartbeat jumps to your throat, your
muscles start to feel like a boa constrictor is coiling around you, and your breath rapidly
fires leaving you gasping? You can thank your sympathetic nervous system for
recognizing imminent danger as it begins the process of a quick response to protect you
from danger.

The hypothalamus gland sends the danger signal to your adrenal glands that lie atop
the kidneys. The adrenals send adrenaline that sounds the alarm to the rest of the body
and says, “Get to safety now”. Cortisol, a stress hormone, stimulates the body’s ability
to convert sugar (glucose) into energy, heightened brain function, clear vision, and to
stimulate more circulation throughout the body to send life-saving substances that are
needed in the event of injury and recovery to restore the body back to its normal state
after the stressor is gone.

During that initial reaction phase, your blood pressure goes up to get those substances
circulated and to provide the much-needed oxygen and glucose to the muscles and
heart. The lungs, in turn, increase their output to increase oxygen. And instantly, you
have a full-blown assault on the cardiovascular system to enable you to react quickly to
get to safety.

Chronic stress is when the stressor never leaves, such as work or home-life changes,
good or bad, and financial or health-related stresses. The reality is that the body was
never meant for ongoing attacks of stress. It has a recovery phase that calls on the
immune system for healing wounds and the effects of the stress on the body, but if we
don’t free ourselves of the things that our body perceives as a threat, the body starts to
wear down. Things like anxiety, depression, mood alterations, heart attacks, high blood
pressure, headaches and other illnesses brought on from a depleted immune system
develop and start a downward spiral of health. The antidote to reversing these effects is
endorphins, our natural tranquilizer and equalizer in restoring the systems back into
balance.

Massage therapy can stimulate the pituitary gland in the brain to release endorphins
that reduce pain and can give a euphoric-like and analgesic effect. In the same way,
studies have shown that massage improves blood flow, oxygen, nutrients to the tissues,
and increases red blood cells. In turn, it lowers heart rate and blood pressure, while
promoting better sleep and immune function. All of this allows the body to do what it
does best, that is to heal itself when given an opportunity to do so. Some people have
reported having to take less heart medication by taking care of their stress levels
through diet, exercise, meditation, and massage. If you give your heart a hug, it will hug
you back, one beat at a time.

By Sandy Saldano, Owner Therapeutic Kneads