- What is Adrenaline?
It is known as the High-Stress Hormone; the fight or flight mechanism – a natural chemical produced in the body; stimulating the heart and dilating the blood vessels.
You have probably felt the rush of adrenaline produced in your body as a result of a high-stress situation; walking into an examination room after a prolonged period of study or winning a competitive sporting event. Adrenaline’s biological purpose allows us to deal with dangerous situations – it’s effects include a heightened pulse rate and a increased level of physical performance. This rush is usually paired with an increase in the production of endorphins which create positive feelings both on an emotional and physical level – this can last up to a period of 12 hours. This as mentioned in an earlier posting is the effect created after doing physical exercise. Adrenaline can be used to push the boundaries of your physical performance. I personally use adrenaline for weight lifting if I want to supersede my performance levels I psyche myself up by thinking of an experience that has angered or agitated me in the past to create an aggressive production of adrenaline. On the flip-side excessive production of adrenaline can cause stress-related diseases and high blood pressure, so operating within a sensible threshold by using adrenaline primarily in physical activity is a sensible option.
- How to use adrenaline
In a stressful situation your breathing and heart rate increases. This is your physical window of opportunity to use the adrenaline surging through your body to maximise your performance – take a deep breath and use the natural boost to push the boundaries of your performance.
The enhanced ability to remember things is also triggered in a emotionally stressful situation. My experience of trying to catch wasps and bees in my hands as a child has left an imprint in my memory cells to leave such creatures to their own devices. I also remember exactly what I was doing when I witnessed the Twin Towers collapsing in NYC – I was in a second had shop with a friend during a university lecture break watching the Twin Towers collapsing on a 42″ second hand TV. The shock of any event that stimulates the production of adrenaline releases glucose stores in your brain which improves your ability to remember specific details and events.
Adrenaline can massively improve your confidence in motivating you to do something that you would not normally do – a parachute jump or breaking a personal best record in any activity mental or physical. It is one of natures gifts that if wielded correctly can separate you from the crowd.
