Dr Judith Wurtman is a ? Clinical Psychologist at Massachusetts Institute Technology (MIT) and has spent many years researching the role of food in conditions like stress, anxiety, depression.  There are over 50 powerful hormones manufactured by our brain and no doubt countless more to be identified in the future.  One of these powerful hormones is called serotonin.  Serotonin influences our sleep, mood, appetite, motivation, pain etc., but also has a role in stress.  Dr Wurtman described serotonin as the brains stress management system.

Research has revealed that when the serotonin is low, it has an influence on the part of the autonomic nervous system that controls fight/flight response (sympathetic nervous system making it more sensitive and easily triggered.)

Research has shown that stress can interfere with serotonin synthesis.  Fortunately as Dr Wurtmans research has shown we can to a degree influence serotonin by what we eat, how we think, exercise, relaxation.

References

Include Lovello Stress Book details

1.      Lovallo W. (1997) Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions, Sage Publications.