What really happens inside the body when stress hits? Let's learn about the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis) in a simple way!

There are times when you feel a lot of pressure, whether it's because you have an exam coming up, or you've been assigned a big task at the office, or you've had a problem at home? Your chest is pounding, you're sweating, and you feel a strange sense of anxiety. At times like these, we say, "I'm stressed." But have you ever wondered what actually happens inside our bodies when this 'stress' hits? Behind all this is a very amazing, automatic control system in our body. Today we're going to talk about that.

Simply put, what is the HPA axis?

The HPA Axis is a very important communication network in our body. To be precise, it is a connection between three major organs in our body. It is the main system that manages stress in our body. Think of it as an emergency management team inside our body. There are three leaders of this team. They send messages to each other and work in coordination. We call this system the HPA axis.

In medical terms, the HPA axis is a neuroendocrine system. That is, it is a system that releases chemical messengers called hormones into the bloodstream in response to signals from our nervous system. These hormones tell our bodies how to deal with stress.

Who are the three leaders of this group?

As we said earlier, there are three main organs of this system. These three are the ones who run this entire process. Let's see who these three are and what their duties are.

How do these three work together?

The arrangement of these three is very neat. It's like a chain reaction. Let's understand with an example.

Imagine that you are walking down the street and suddenly a dog jumps up on you. You are scared. Within a few seconds, these things happen inside your body:

1. First step: Your brain interprets what your eyes see as "This is danger!" Immediately, a message is sent to the hypothalamus (the main control room) via the autonomic nervous system. The hypothalamus immediately releases a chemical message called `CRH` (Corticotrophin-releasing hormone).

2. Step 2: This `CRH` message goes directly to the pituitary gland (the manager) . Upon receiving that message, the pituitary gland releases another hormone called `ACTH` (Adrenocorticotropic hormone) into the blood. This is like a command to "Go!"

3. Step 3: The hormone `ACTH`, which travels through the blood, reaches the adrenal glands (the acting unit) . Upon receiving that command, the adrenal glands produce and release large amounts of our main stress hormone, cortisol, into the blood.

But this system shouldn't be on all the time. After the dog leaves, that is, after the danger has passed, this system should stop. And it happens in a very strange way. When the cortisol level in the blood increases, it sends a signal back to the brain (the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland) saying, "Okay, now the problem is solved, stop sending those `CRH` and `ACTH` messages." This is what we call a negative feedback loop . It's like turning off a switch when the job is done.

Is it possible that this system is malfunctioning?

Yes, it definitely can. There are two main ways that this delicately balanced system can be disrupted. One is by over-activity, and the other is by under-activity.

HPA Axis Dysfunction

Imagine, you are stressed all the time. It's like dogs jumping all the time. Problems at the office, problems at home, money problems... When you have this kind of long-term, chronic stress, that system has no rest. It's constantly on. Then the cortisol level is constantly high . This is very harmful to our body.

Additionally, researchers believe that long-term HPA axis dysfunction may contribute to memory impairment and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease .

HPA Axis Suppression

This is the other side. That is, the system does not function properly even when it is supposed to respond to stress. The main reason for this is some types of medications that are taken from outside.

This condition can occur, especially when taking corticosteroids (e.g., Prednisolone), which are used for conditions such as asthma, COPD, arthritis, cancer, and after organ transplants, for a long time.

What happens is simply this: when we give ourselves these medications externally, our bodies think, "Oh, we don't need to make cortisol anymore, we can get it from the outside." Then our adrenal glands (factories) get a little lazy and reduce the production of cortisol.

That's why a doctor says not to suddenly stop taking steroid medications. You should do so according to your doctor's instructions, gradually reducing the dosage.

So how do we protect this valuable system?

Research on the HPA axis is still ongoing, but the best way to manage stress is to manage it properly . We can't eliminate stress from our lives completely. But we can control it so that it doesn't get out of our control. Here are some simple things you can do to help:

• Do things that calm the mind: Practice things like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises daily.
• Take good care of your body: Eat nutritious foods, exercise daily, and get enough sleep. These three are very important.
• Think positively: Think about the good things in life. Accept that you can't control everything. Worrying about things you can't change will only increase your stress.
• Get used to saying "no": Don't take on new responsibilities when you're overwhelmed.
• Maintain social connections: It's a great relief to talk about your feelings with a close, understanding friend or family member.

If you're still having trouble managing your stress after doing these things, don't be ashamed of it or suffer alone. Talk to your family doctor about it. He or she will be able to give you the guidance you need to overcome this situation.