Stress is an unavoidable part of life, and while it often carries a negative connotation, it is actually a fundamental survival mechanism. When faced with a perceived threat, whether physical or emotional, the body instinctively reacts to protect itself. This automatic response is commonly known as the "fight, flight, or freeze" response. While it serves an essential function in dangerous situations, chronic activation of this response due to daily stressors can have significant consequences for mental and physical health.

The body’s response to stress is rooted in human evolution. When our ancestors encountered a predator, their nervous systems immediately prepared them to either confront the threat (fight), escape to safety (flight), or become still and unnoticed (freeze). While modern-day stressors may not include wild animals, our nervous system reacts similarly to job pressures, financial worries, or social conflicts.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is the body's response to change, activating a physiological reaction that helps us adapt and protect ourselves. While short-term stress can be beneficial, prolonged exposure can lead to an overactive stress response, negatively impacting overall well-being.

The Three Stress Responses: Fight, Flight, and Freeze

1. Fight

The fight response prepares the body for direct action. When triggered, the nervous system releases adrenaline, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. While this reaction once helped early humans fend off predators, today it manifests as irritability, frustration, or aggression.

For instance, the employee who has experienced too much workload may work extremely long hours just to succeed. In short term, the action may produce good results but mostly ends in burnout, anxiety, and physical illness, for example, tension headache or digestion problems.

2. Fight

The flight response triggers an intense need to remove oneself from a stressful situation. Just as our ancestors would flee from danger, modern individuals may avoid conflict, quit jobs impulsively, or detach from relationships when overwhelmed.

Flight mode is linked with restlessness and anxiety. Individuals may have a sense of needing to get up and go-pacing, changing environments constantly, or avoiding tasks that seem too overwhelming. Someone with a flight response might have the desire to change jobs constantly, relocate constantly, or become reclusive in order to avoid perceived dangers.

3. Freeze

The freeze response occurs when the nervous system perceives a threat as too overwhelming to fight or flee. Rather than taking action, individuals shut down, feeling numb, disconnected, or paralyzed by fear.

Unlike fight or flight, which involve heightened activation, freeze mode slows down physiological functions. A person experiencing freeze mode may feel physically unable to move, struggle to make decisions, or find themselves dissociating from their emotions. This can manifest in situations such as public speaking anxiety, where someone might "blank out" or feel stuck in the moment.

What Happens in the Body During A Stressful Event?

When faced with a stressor, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activates, triggering physiological changes, including:

• Increased heart rate and breathing: The body pumps more oxygen to muscles and the brain in case action is needed.
• Muscle tension: The body prepares for movement, sometimes causing trembling or stiffness.
• Dilated pupils: Vision sharpens to detect potential threats.
• Dry mouth: Saliva production decreases as the body redirects energy to essential functions.
• Changes in skin tone: Blood flow is directed to vital organs, sometimes making the skin appear pale or flushed.

For those experiencing the freeze response, the body undergoes a different reaction, often reducing heart rate and causing physical immobility rather than heightened activation.

Strategies for Coping and Managing the Stress Response

While the stress response is necessary for survival, frequent activation due to daily stressors can take a toll on health. Recognizing your default response—whether fight, flight, or freeze—can help in developing effective coping mechanisms.

1. Moving to a Safe Space

If possible, changing your environment can help signal to your brain that the threat has passed. Stepping outside for fresh air, finding a quiet place, or distancing yourself from overwhelming stimuli can help regulate emotions.

2. Practicing Controlled Breathing

Deep, slow breathing can be used to counteract the stress response by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or the 4-7-8 method (inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight) can be particularly effective in calming the body.

3. Engaging in Physical Activity

This helps release pent-up energy and aids in the endorphin cascade, natural boosters for our mood.

4. Seeking Social Support

Relieving oneself from stress can come in many ways, but sharing it with trusted friends, a family member, or a good therapist will sure give that psychological boost of hope. Social support is an especially effective way of cushioning people against the stressors that they are subjected to in chronic forms.

When to Seek Professional Help

While occasional stress is normal, chronic activation of the fight, flight, or freeze response can indicate underlying mental health concerns, such as anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If stress is affecting daily life—leading to sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, or persistent feelings of fear—it may be time to consult a mental health professional.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer and stated that he is “in excellent physical condition” now and that there is "no trace left of it".

The small tumor was discovered during a routine checkup, the 76-year-old leader informed on the social media platform X.

Netanyahu had a surgery on his prostate in 2024 after he was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection resulting from a benign prostate enlargement. Since then, he has been under routine medical monitoring.

“In the last monitoring, a tiny spot of less than a centimeter was discovered in the prostate,” he said in the post, adding that it was “a very early stage of a malignant tumor, with no spread or metastases”.

Netanyahu noted that his doctors gave him two options – either not to treat and keep monitoring or to “undergo treatment and remove the problem”.

However, sensing a “potential danger, I want to address it immediately,” he said, citing his character, which stands “true on the national level and also on the personal level”.

“I underwent targeted treatment that removed the problem and left no trace of it. I went to a few short treatments, read a book, and continued working. The spot disappeared completely. Thank God, I overcame this too,” the Israeli Prime Minister said while thanking doctors.

Netanyahu also advised people to “take care of health. Get checked, and follow the doctors' instructions”.

What Is Prostate Cancer?

The prostate is the walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system that makes seminal fluid.

Dr. Srikanth Munna, Consultant Urology, Andrologist, Laparoscopy and Penile Implant Surgeon at KIMS Hospital, Hyderabad, told HealthandMe that it is the most common type of slow-growing cancer in men that sees the abnormal growth of cells in the gland.

Importantly, if detected early, it is very much curable.

Age, family history, or lifestyle choices are the most common risk factors.

Prostate cancer treatment guidelines have shifted their path a bit in recent years, with many men opting for active surveillance rather than immediate treatment for slow-growing tumors.

However, about 50 per cent of men on "watchful waiting" will require further treatment within 5 years because of the tumour progression. A simple Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test can help rule out the risk, Dr Munna said

Read: What Every Indian Man Should Know About Prostate Cancer

The expert noted that some early-stage symptoms of the disease include

• blood in the urine or semen,
• trouble urinating
• erectile dysfunction.

• Decreased force in the stream of urine
• Bone pain
• Losing weight without trying.

Not All Prostate Issues Are Indicative Of Cancer

Also read: Bob Harris: BBC Radio 2 Host Hospitalized For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Not all prostate problems are indicative of cancer. While prostate cancer is a serious concern, other conditions can cause similar symptoms but are non-cancerous. One common condition is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Experts state that nearly every individual with a prostate will experience BPH as they age. It leads to the enlargement of the prostate gland but does not increase the risk of cancer.

Another condition is prostatitis, which primarily affects men under 50. It is characterized by inflammation and swelling of the prostate, often due to bacterial infections. Early diagnosis can help manage these conditions effectively.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is becoming an increasingly important health issue among IT professionals, who are specifically at risk because of certain factors present in corporate culture. There has been a gradual rise in the prevalence of IBS among these individuals over the last ten years, due not only to better diagnosis but also to the accumulation of stress, erratic lifestyles, and physical inactivity.

What is contributing to IBS cases in the IT industry?

Dr Sudha Subhana Desai, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine and Critical Care at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune, said, "The first factor contributing to the development of IBS in the IT environment is constant psychological stress. Working in the information technology industry requires the ability to meet tight deadlines, maintain high-level performance, and spend many hours in front of a computer while coordinating with colleagues from different time zones. All these activities affect normal circadian rhythms, placing an individual's body under constant stress. This becomes particularly relevant as the connection between the central nervous system and the digestive tract via the gut-brain axis is involved in this mechanism. Thus, constant stress can lead to disturbances in gut motility, increased sensitisation, and an imbalance of the flora. Hence, individuals develop common IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, or an alternation between these."

How do dietary habits of IT professionals worsen IBS?

Further, Dr Desai spoke about how the dietary practices common among employees in IT professions exacerbate the issue. The expert said that the hectic nature of their work schedules often forces them to resort to unhealthy eating practices, including eating out at fast food restaurants. Their diet often consists of foods lacking dietary fibre but containing high levels of fats, sugars, and additives. This is unhealthy not only because it is nutritionally unbalanced but also because such foods may cause gastrointestinal problems. In addition, their unpredictable work hours make their diet and sleep habits less regular, thus disrupting digestive processes.

The role of lifestyle habits in IBS risk

Other lifestyle behaviours typical of employees in IT professions put them at higher risk. Firstly, a lack of exercise, which results from long working days, prolonged sitting, and little physical activity, slows down intestinal motility and decreases overall metabolism. Secondly, long screen exposure and sedentary behaviour have the same effect. Thirdly, poor sleep quality, experienced by night shift workers and those responsible for international projects, adversely impacts the hormonal balance necessary for healthy digestion. Lastly, high caffeine intake is typical of these employees, as they use coffee and energy drinks to alleviate fatigue.

While there is increased health consciousness, along with improved availability of medical care, the increase in IBS can only be partially explained by increased diagnoses. Rather, there is an actual increase due to stress factors and living patterns associated with the working environment of the IT industry.

Treating IBS among IT professionals

In the treatment of IBS among IT professionals, a number of factors must be addressed in order to help individuals cope with their conditions. One such factor is stress management. Professionals must be taught various methods of coping with stress, ranging from exercises such as yoga and breathing techniques to more structured interventions. The environment must also be conducive to health and well-being. In other words, organisations must facilitate a healthy working environment and encourage individuals to achieve a work-life balance while reducing any workload stresses. Professionals must also make alterations to their dietary habits, including eating regularly, having fibre-rich meals, and avoiding highly processed foods.

Iron deficiency, or anaemia, is a common occurrence these days, especially in women. However, a study’s findings will make you stop normalising low iron levels—it turns out that anaemic people are more likely to develop dementia later in life. Experts have long warned about low iron levels and advised rectifying the condition as soon as it is diagnosed. Swedish scientists have recently found that anaemic people are 60 per cent more likely to develop dementia later in life.

How does iron deficiency raise dementia risk later?

Writing in the journal JAMA Network Open, scientists noted that dangerously low levels of iron can dramatically raise the risk of dementia in old age. Research suggests that people who are severely anaemic are more likely to face problems with thinking, understanding, and memory later in life. For this, Swedish researchers tracked thousands of people aged 60 years and above for about a decade and discovered that people living with anaemia were 60 per cent more likely to develop dementia later in life.

Researchers said that the findings were important for understanding that anaemia could also qualify as a risk factor for dementia, apart from family history. However, the study does not conclusively prove that anaemia triggers dementia later in life. Experts from theKarolinska Institute said that anaemia patients exhibit a higher risk of dementia, along with elevated levels of Alzheimer’s-related blood biomarkers. The findings, therefore, suggest that anaemia is a relevant factor to consider in dementia prevention strategies.

Study’s findings explained

In the study, researchers tracked 2,282 volunteers aged 60 years and above who showed no symptoms of dementia. Blood samples were also analysed to check for levels of tau, a toxic protein that spreads in the brain. Experts found that clumps of this protein and amyloid can form tangles in the brain, thereby resulting in Alzheimer’s-like symptoms.

Are men more prone to anaemia-related dementia?

While evaluating blood samples for haemoglobin levels to diagnose anaemia, researchers followed up for over nine years and found that 362 of the participants had developed the condition. Compared to people with normal haemoglobin levels, anaemic people had higher levels of tau. During the follow-up period, anaemic people were 66 per cent more likely to develop dementia. Experts also noted that anaemia was associated with a higher risk of dementia in men compared to women, despite anaemia being a concern more often for women. This could be because, in men, anaemia is often driven by inflammation or chronic diseases.

What is anaemia?

Anaemia is a condition characterised by iron deficiency—in this condition, the number of red blood cells or haemoglobin is lower than normal. Iron is essential for the creation of red blood cells that help transport oxygen in the body. The symptoms of anaemia include palpitations, shortness of breath, or pale skin. Other symptoms include hair loss, mouth ulcers, or tinnitus.

What triggers anaemia?

Sometimes, anaemia can be triggered by excessive bleeding during periods or bleeding in the intestines or stomach. Overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs can also trigger the condition. Doctors say that eating iron-rich foods like leafy greens, red meat, and lentils can boost iron levels in the body.