Today’s fast paced world offers no shortage of stimuli to our brains. And much of that stimuli is seen in the form of bad news and negative events.
When our brains register a reaction to these stimuli, several things happen as a result. Up to 80% of the blood can be preferentially diverted from the prefrontal cortex of the brain to the muscles, heart, lung and kidneys.
The production of adrenalin goes up to allow for increased blood pressure and heart rate in order to run or fight. Blood sugar goes up to feed the cells; insulin levels can also go up. Cortisol levels go up as well. Cortisol is designed for the short term. It can give a boost of energy and dull the effects of pain. Two important systems in our body are negatively affected when this happens, however – the gastrointestinal and reproductive systems.
