Mental stress can cause a great many responses within the human body. As noted earlier, the CNS plays a large role in all of this, including those in the body as well as mind. A fight-or-flight response is a reaction from the CNS, when adrenaline is released, urging your body to react and giving immediate direction. …show more content…
In return, your heart rate increases, blood pressure rising to get that newly-oxygenated blood to both your heart and brain, increasing energy for the aforementioned fight-or-flight response. Your liver produces extra glucose, also to aid with that boost of energy and any that isn't used is reabsorbed into the body. Chronic stress however, can increase the chance of type 2 diabetes if the human body is under constant stress and unable to keep up with the glucose released. Your muscles will tense to protect your body from injury and again, while the response is good for your body, chronic stress can cause body aches in the head, back and shoulders if they do not get adequate chances to relax. As for the reproductive system, it affects both males and females when under chronic stress, testosterone levels drop for men and menstrual cycles may be affected for women. Stress hormones, when short-term, aid the immune system greatly. It promoted healing and even wards off infections. Chronic stress however can inhibit histamine secretion and inflammatory response, leaving your body more susceptible to disease, infections and viral illnesses, such as the flu or common cold.
Stress has both positive and negative effects on a human body, chronic stress being a leading factor in a lot of health problems commonly seen today, such as anxiety,