Insight #8: What Is Stress?

How the Body's Stress Response Works

When we’re in dangerous or stressful situations, our sympathetic nervous system kicks in. This is responsible for directing our rapid involuntary responses and causing a flash flood of hormones, such as adrenalin and the “stress hormone” cortisol to be produced in the adrenal glands. As a result, blood sugar levels rise, heart rate soars and extra blood is sent to the muscles in order to escape any "danger" the body thinks is present.

While this is an insanely smart mechanism, ensuring we’re alert and ready when we need to be, it can also be detrimental to our health if it occurs too regularly. One place this happens is in esports. Due to its competitive nature, with players perpetually risking success or failure, and anticipating any "dangers'' in fighting threats and opponents, gaming can cause this heightened state of mind to be constant during extended periods.

Esports is therefore a demanding activity for the nervous system, especially since many athletes train for hours, often late into the night when the body needs to be resting. This can negatively affect the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle and production of the sleep hormone melatonin, potentially leading to an imbalance in cortisol levels, which causes spikes in blood sugar levels.

These can all have a detrimental effect on your concentration, responsiveness and communication skills, negatively impacting your ability to perform, but - more importantly - your health.