What is adrenaline and why it is important

What is adrenaline?

Adrenaline and noradrenline are two separate but related hormones and neurotransmitters.They are produced in the centre (medulla) of the adrenal glands and in some neurons of the central nervous system. They are released into the bloodstream and serve as chemical mediators, and also convey the nerve impulses to various organs.

Adrenaline has many different actions depending on the type of cells it is acting upon. However, the overall effect of adrenaline is to prepare the body for the ‘fight or flight’ response in times of stress, i.e. for vigorous and/or sudden action. Key actions of adrenaline include increasing the heart rate, increasing blood pressure, expanding the air passages of the lungs, enlarging the pupil in the eye (see photo), redistributing blood to the muscles and altering the body’s metabolism, so as to maximize blood glucose levels (primarily for the brain).
A closely related hormone, noradrenaline, is released mainly from the nerve endings of the sympathetic nervous system (as well as in relatively small amounts from the adrenal medulla). There is a continuous low level of activity of the sympathetic nervous system resulting in release of noradrenaline into the circulation, but adrenaline release is only increased at times of acute stress.

Why adrenaline is important?

Most people are exposed to stressful situations on occasion and so most of us are familiar with the typical symptoms of adrenaline release, such as: rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, anxiety, weight loss, excessive sweating and palpitations. However, this is a normal response of the body which is intended to help us respond to a stressful situation; once the acute stress is over, the symptoms quickly disappear as adrenaline hyper-secretion stops. people with obesity and untreated obstructive sleep apnea may be exposed to high levels of noradrenaline/adrenaline each night as they struggle to breathe; this might play a role in the development of high blood pressure in such people.

Suffering from too little adrenaline is very unusual, even if you have lost both adrenal glands through disease or surgery. Since 90% of the body’s noradrenaline comes from the nervous system, the loss of 10% via the adrenal glands is not really significant. 'Adrenaline deficiency' therefore does not really show up as a medical disorder except perhaps in exceedingly rare and unusual genetic catecholamine enzyme deficiencies.

Some facts about adrenaline

1. It can block the sensation of pain.

Adrenaline stops the brain from sending pain signals to help you handle the stress of an acute injury. When adrenaline is flowing, you might not even know you’re injured. The pain sets in after the rush wears off.

2. It makes us more alert.

Adrenaline helps you think and react quickly in stressful situations.

3. It makes “hysterical strength” possible.

Increased blood flow to the muscles makes people temporarily stronger to do things like lift cars off injured people.

4. It can stop an allergic reaction.

Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is the ingredient in EpiPens that stops deadly allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis causes blood pressure to drop and swelling in the airway that makes breathing difficult. Epinephrine increases blood pressure and relaxes muscles in the airway so you can breathe easier.

5. It can restart a stopped heart.

Adrenaline is used in advanced cardiac life support to resuscitate patients in some cases of cardiac arrest.

6. It stabilizes blood pressure.

Man-made adrenaline is one of the medications used to maintain blood pressure in extremely ill patients in critical care units.

How to get adrenaline?

Do any activity that is something that you find frightening or just outside your normal comfort zone. Afraid of heights?, go rappelling. Afraid of drowning?, learn to swim. Afraid of the dark?, go for a hike through the woods at 3am. The list is literally endless and is different for everyone.

There are also organized activities such as paintball, whitewater rafting, snowboarding, zip-lining etc that provide wonderful surges of adrenaline.

Skydiving:

It is amongst the most popular extreme activities. Free falls from great heights can definitely give you an adrenaline rush. Though this activity requires guts and courage required for any other adventure activity, it is not necessarily a dangerous sport. The fatalities which take place in skydiving are just one behind every 100,000 jumps. The major risk involved in this is that of mid-air maneuvers going awry. Otherwise, it is a great sport if performed with the all the necessary precautions, and most importantly, with proper knowledge and patience.

Paragliding:

Paragliding is considered to be relatively safer than other adventure sports. However, this activity should give you an adrenaline rush, with the thrill of flying over mountains and other scenic landscapes. Paragliding is performed in the countryside and the take off points are located atop mountains. All this makes for a perfect experience.

Cliff Jumping:

This activity is very much similar to skydiving, though the height from which one jumps is lesser in comparison to skydiving. However, the thrill involved in cliff jumping is no lesser. The feeling of entering water followed by jumping from a great height can be absolutely thrilling. One might find this activity addictive, owing to the great amount of thrill that one experiences.

Downhill Skiing:

Skiing involves the use of planks (under the feet) and poles (in hands) to slide down a snow-clad mountain slope. The speed which one gathers as he/she slides downhill triggers an adrenaline rush. Moreover, one can increase the speed and change the direction with the help of poles.

Other Adventure Sports
There are a list of adventure sports that one can use to experience the thrill of taking risks. Most of the activities mentioned below share a common factor, i.e., speed. Also different kind of flying activities may give you adrenaline https://parlidosanu.lv/iespejas-lidot/