Autism Parents: Stess Hormones in our Bodies can be Counteracted

To learn other ways you can reduce your stress levels and prepare you better for parenting loved ones with autism throughout the lifespan, go to www.myarchway.org

This article deals with the many triggers or events we experience each and every day that cause stress reactions in all of us. It is not possible to really understand stress, without understanding the physical responses caused by "fight or flight", a process that creates a chain reaction in our body chemistry. Following this article, I will soon be submitting an article that will discuss the many actions and activities we can undertake each day that will counteract the stress hormones and provide antidotes when done on a regular basis. So stay tuned for Antidotes to Stress.

From: MIND\BODY EDUCATION CENTER (excellent articles on fight or flight)

Fight or Flight is the fundamental physiologic response that forms the foundation of modern day stress medicine; It is our body’s primitive, automatic, in-born response that prepares the body to “fight or “flee” from perceived attack, harm, or threat to our survival (or when a demand is placed upon us);

Discovered by Harvard Physiologist Walter Cannon, this response is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm;

Once a threat is perceived, an alarm goes off in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which-when-stimulated, initiates a sequence of nerve cell firing and chemical releases that prepares our body for running or fighting;

This alarm sends a message to our adrenal glands and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are released into our bloodstream. Within seconds, we can run faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, think faster, and jump higher;

These nerve cell firing and chemical release cause our bodies to undergo a series of dramatic changes:

-Our heart rate increases 2 to 3 times the normal speed;

-Blood is shunted away from the digestive tract and directed into muscles and limbs

-Blood is drawn away from extremities and concentrates in deep muscle groups (which require extra fuel for running and fighting);

-Tiny blood vessels under the surface of our skin close down (so we can sustain surface wounds and not bleed to death)...sending blood pressure soaring;

-Pupils dilate; our awareness intensifies, our sight sharpens, our impulse quickens;-Jaw clenches;

-Muscle tension increases;-Adrenaline, sugar, and fat pour into the bloodstream (just in case we need extra fuel)

-Breathing shifts from slow, deep, diaphragmatic breathing to shallow chest breathing;

-Our perception of pain diminishes;

-When we become “hyper-vigilant and release a powerful chemical called cortisol: blood pressure rises slowly and steadily; we begin to retain vital chemicals such as sodium; metabolism drops; if necessary, excess waste is eliminated to make us lighter; gastric acid increases to maximize the calories we get from food; blood clotting agents are released in our bloodstream; energy is diverted from the immune system-white blood cells are lowered and our immune system decreases it’s effectiveness;

-Non-essentials such as sex hormones are suppressed.

On a daily basis, toxic stress hormones flow through our bodies for events that pose no threat to our survival; Unnecessary activation of the fight or flight response will wear the body out, and if you activate this response over and over...you will begin to experience symptoms;

CHRONIC STRESS = CHRONIC VIGILANCE: The body prepares for the long-term challenge.

In our early ancestors, this was in response to climatic catastrophe, depletion of vital resources, long-term struggle, displacement (or trying not to get eaten by a saber-toothed tiger);

For most of us, real physical danger or environmental catastrophes are rare events, never-the-less, “hot reactors” code our every day life stresses, as if we were under threat of starvation or as if we were dinosaur bait.

1001 small stressors each day set off our alarms for the fight or flight response to occur. This happens whether we like it or not. It is automatic.

-We have to sit in traffic and just “deal with it”;

-We have to wait until the bank opens to “handle” a bounced check;

-We have to wait for a chronically late school bus, first thing each morning;

-We worry and anticipate future events that never materialize;

-Six categories of stressors: environmental, social, institutional, self-imposed, daily hassles, and life changes/events;

-Dealing with the kids;

-Friendly competition in sports and leisure activities such as martial arts;

-Completing a work assignment on schedule;

All these stressors can trigger astronomical blood pressure levels because or the hard-wired fight or flight response. There is overwhelming evidence that there is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones. If not properly metabolized over time, excessive stress can lead to disorders of our autonomic nervous system (causing headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure) and disorders of our hormonal and immune systems (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, depression, and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies).

To protect ourselves, we must pay attention to signals telling us whether we are in fight or flight: tension in our muscles, headaches, upset stomach, racing heartbeat, deep sighing, shallow breathing, anxiety, poor concentration, eye twitching, teeth grinding; and depression, frustration, anger, sadness, and fear.

Here is one of the many remedies that counteract the hormones related to stress: 20 minutes of undivided, intensive exercise that makes you perspire.
Posted by Karen Kaye Beall

Autism Parents: Antidotes to Stress - Alpha Waves

Visit out website at www.myarchway.org

In a recent article, I discussed the process called “fight or flight” which is a chemical reaction in our bodies caused by the many stress events we experience each day. To release another group of natural chemicals in our body that work very effectively to counteract stress hormones, we must first understand a little about brain waves. Once we know something about brain waves, it becomes quickly apparent that people who experience huge amounts of stress would do themselves a favor to include activities in daily life that increase Alpha waves. Later on in this article, we will list many activities that increase Alpha waves.

A machine called an ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) measures four major brain waves; Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta.

DELTA: Is seen only in the deepest stages of sleep (sleep stages 3&4). It is the slowest oscillating waves 0-4 cycles per second. Problems with insomnia if Delta and Theta can’t be turned on.

THETA: Is seen in light sleep and drowsiness (sleep stages 1&2). 4-7 waves per second. Caffeine suppresses Theta and Alpha while promoting Beta

ALPHA: Is seen in wakefulness where there is a relaxed and effortless alertness. 8-13cycles per second.

-Stronger immune systems-Creative inspiration
-Peak performance
-No Alpha waves found in fear and anger
-No Alpha waves found in deep sleep
-Less anxiety

BETA: Is seen in highly stressful situations and where there is difficult mental concentration and focus. 13-40 cycles per second.

BRAIN WAVE STUDIES: Numerous brainwave studies of meditation established that meditators could exert profound control over their brain waves.

Dr. Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response is basically meditation in its simplest form. In the past 30 years, over 600 studies have been done on the effect of transcendental meditation (or any other meditation for that matter) and its positive effects in reducing stress. You can see some of those studies by doing a search on Transcendental Meditation and you will find those studies on their website. Herbert Benson, M.D., is the founder of the Mind/Body Institute.

Dr. Benson is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Benson is the author or co-author of more than 170 scientific publications and seven books. Dr. Benson is a pioneer in mind/body medicine, as well as in bringing spirituality and healing into medicine. Through his 35+ year career, he defined the relaxation response and continues to lead teaching and research into its efficacy in counteracting the harmful effects of stress. The recipient of numerous national and international awards, Dr. Benson lectures widely about mind/body medicine and the M/BMI's work. Go to his website: http://www.relaxationresponse.org/index.htm

If you want to feel less stress and anxiety, you should increase the amount of Alpha waves you experience.

Another fascinating study on stress was done at Cornell University and talks about the fact that our molecules have a built in memory of prior stress events and this is an important concept as it relates to prior incidents of fight or flight. The article is called Tuning The 'Fight-Or-Flight ' Response: Molecular Memory Of Stress Prompts Adrenaline Surges, Cornell Study Shows.

Another great article published in Megabrain Reports, May, 1994, by James V. Hardt, Ph.D, of the The Biocybernaut Institute, edited for the web is called Alpha Feedback Training May Be Closer To Zen Than To Yoga, Part 7 - continued from part 6.

MYSTIC THETA: Was a type of brain wave found in people who have consistently meditated for 21+ years.

Meditators with 21- 40 years experience demonstrated a new and non-drowsy type of Theta wave (Mystic Theta) which oscillates with Alpha waves and spreads from the back of the head to the frontal lobes.

Meditators with 6 -20 years experience showed Alpha waves spreading from the back of the head to the frontal lobes.

Research has determined that Alpha waves are present when you:

-Laugh: watch a funny movie (Norman Cousins “Anatomy of an Illness”)

-Listen to music-Walk in nature and beauty

-Smell flowers

-Walk by a babbling brook

-Get a massage

-Walk on a beach and listen to waves

-Pet puppies

-Go into a forest at night and hear nothing but the sound of crickets

-Take a warm, lightly scented bubble bath, Jacuzzi, hot tub

-Also drinking water helps reduce stress symptoms

So try and do some of these Alpha wave activities each day, along with practicing a simple form of meditation called the Relaxation Response by Dr. Benson and you will be reducing your stress greatly.