Our Body and Stress

Cats Feel Stress Too

Have you seen a cat get scared?
A dog runs by.
Another cat comes near.
The cat jumps up fast!
Its body knows what to do.
The cat did not have to think.
This is called "fight or flight."

Animals have this too.
A porcupine puts up its quills.
A dog will growl.
People have "fight or flight" too.
It is built into our bodies.

What Happens Inside Us

Our body makes special helpers.
They are called hormones.
Hormones are chemicals.
Glands make hormones.
Blood carries hormones around our body.
Hormones tell our body parts what to do.

Some parts of our brain help too.
They are called the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.
We also have adrenal glands.
They sit on top of our kidneys.

Here is how it works.
The hypothalamus sends a signal.
It tells the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland tells the adrenal glands.
Then the adrenal glands make stress hormones.
These hormones are epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol.

These hormones make our heart beat faster.
They make us breathe faster too.
This gives us quick energy.
We can fight or run away.

How Stress Feels in Our Body

Stress can make our hands feel cold.
Blood moves away from our skin.
It goes to our heart and muscles instead.

Stress can make it hard to swallow.
Our throat is a muscle.
It can get tight.

Stress can make our tummy feel sick.
Cortisol slows down our stomach.

Stress can make our mouth feel dry.
Blood goes to our important body parts.
Less goes to our mouth.

Stress can make our heart beat fast.
Blood moves much quicker than normal.

Stress can make it hard to focus.
Our brain is busy watching for danger.

Long stress can give us a headache.
Our head and neck muscles get tight.
Blood vessels get smaller too.

Long stress can make it hard to sleep.
Our body keeps making "go" hormones.
This blocks the hormone that helps us sleep.

Long stress can change how hungry we feel.
Some people want more food.
Some people want less food.

Long stress can make us feel angry fast.
We may not feel very patient.

It's Okay to Feel This Way

These feelings are normal.
Our body is just doing its job.
Learning why can help us feel better.

But stress is not an excuse.
We should still be kind to others.
We should still do our work.

Ways to Feel Better

There are ways to help with stress.
We can learn tips to feel calm.
We can eat healthy food.
Healthy food gives us good energy.