Noradrenaline, Procrastination, And Feelings Of Confidence And Determination?

lvysaur

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Mar 15, 2014
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When confronted with an objective task (usually academic) that needs to be completed in a short amount of time, I've found that I have two basic reactions:

1. I get very panicked by the prospect of a bad grade and find it hard to think clearly.

2. I easily ignore the possibility of a bad grade, and focus intensely on the actual subject matter.

Reaction 2 happened more in my teen years, while reaction 1 happens more nowadays (early 20s). Reaction 2 also happened a lot more when I was 16 - 19 than when I was 13 - 15, even though the academic work of a 17 year old is much harder and more stressful than that of a 14 year old.

Meeting procrastinated deadlines is extremely stressful, so I'll assume that when
we do something while pressed for time, we release high quantities of stress hormones.

My question is whether the ability to perform tasks under stress is mainly a direct function of thyroid level, or if it is also heavily influenced by specific hormones. For instance, noradrenaline does the following:
In the brain, norepinephrine increases arousal and alertness, promotes vigilance, enhances formation and retrieval of memory, and focuses attention; it also increases restlessness and anxiety. In the rest of the body, norepinephrine increases heart rate and blood pressure, triggers the release of glucose from energy stores

The sympathetic effects of norepinephrine include:

  • In the eyes, an increase in production of tears, making the eyes more moist.[12]
  • In the heart, an increase in the amount of blood pumped.[13]
  • In brown adipose tissue, an increase in calories burned to generate body heat.[14]
  • Multiple effects on the immune system. The sympathetic nervous system is the primary path of interaction between the immune system and the brain, and several components receive sympathetic inputs, including the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. However the effects are complex, with some immune processes activated while others are inhibited.[15]
  • In the arteries, constriction of blood vessels, causing an increase in blood pressure.[16]
  • In the kidneys, release of renin and retention of sodium in the bloodstream.[17]
  • In the liver, an increase in production of glucose, either by glycogenolysis after a meal or by gluconeogenesis when food has not recently been consumed.[17] Glucose is the body's main energy source in most conditions.
  • In the pancreas, increased release of glucagon, a hormone whose main effect is to increase the production of glucose by the liver.[17]
  • In skeletal muscles, an increase in glucose uptake.[17]
  • In adipose tissue (i. e., fat cells), an increase in lipolysis, that is, conversion of fat to substances that can be used directly as energy sources by muscles and other tissues.[17]
  • In the stomach and intestines, a reduction in digestive activity. This results from a generally inhibitory effect of norepinephrine on the enteric nervous system, causing decreases in gastrointestinal mobility, blood flow, and secretion of digestive substances.[18]

While usually handling milk very well, I become slightly lactose intolerant when I experience reaction 2 (mentioned at the beginning of my post). I am also very warm, everywhere, down to the tips of my toes. When I start to feel reaction 1, I become lactose intolerant, but I also get cold feet (I finally understand where that expression comes from now).

If I eat something while experiencing reaction 2, (let's call this the noradrenaline reaction), my mental output noticeably declines afterward. I think this is due to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (resting, digestion, inhibitory, etc.)

On the other hand, if I defecate, my mental output makes a very noticeable upward turn. This probably has a lot to do with bowel estrogen excretion.

In general, my response to high stress is much better. I can't know for sure whether this is more due to good habits (pooping often), eating more sugar and thus having more glycogen for my body to beat stress with, or because my bodyfat is now relatively saturated from avoiding PUFAs for a few years.
 

DaveFoster

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Jul 23, 2015
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I can relate to what you're saying. I think a lot of the intense focus you speak of in a stressful situation is mediated by estrogen and the cholinergic system (similar to how Adderall interacts with the neuron.)
 

CCHealthQuest

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Jan 4, 2017
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Just got my MB (Methylene Blue) in the mail. I've gotten it in the hope of mediating anxiety issues. While waiting for the MB to arrive in the mail I added a liquid vitamin A (10,000 iu's) to my routine and it's taken off the edge a bit. Does that make sense? Also...My next question may be unusual, but I'm also very interested in ozonation. So, naturally I put a drop of MB in a 12 oz glass of water and dropped my vegetable ozonating stone in the water, and the Blue water became clear. Why? Is this drinkable or did I ruin the effectiveness of that cup? Please advise.
 

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