“The fight or flight response, or stress response, is triggered by a release of hormones either prompting us to stay and fight or run away and flee,” ...1/1LeftArrowPreviousRightArrowNextWhatHappenstoYourBodyDuringtheFightorFlightResponse?Thefightorflightresponseistriggeredbyareleaseofhormoneseitherpromptingustostayandfightorrunawayandfleefromastressfulsituation.Butwhathappensifthisresponseispromptedoveranxietyfromnon-lifethreateningthings?Sharethisarticleviaemailwithoneormorepeopleusingtheformbelow.To*From*Yes!SendmeexpertinsightseachweekinHealthEssentialsNewsSubmitSkiptocontentCoronavirus:NowcontactingpatientstoscheduleCOVID-19vaccineappointments.Learnmoreaboutvaccineavailability.icon-arrow--blueHealthEssentialsfromClevelandClinicMenuPrimaryMenuAdvertisingPolicyHealth&WellnessTipsFitness,healthandwellnesstipssenttoyouweeklyYouhavesuccessfullysubscribedtoournewsletter.Someonecutyouoffonthehighwayandyouhadtoswerveandnarrowlyavoidedacollision.AdvertisingPolicyClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices.PolicyWhileoutforamorningrun,anangrydogjumpsoutontoyourpathandstartsgrowlingandbarkingatyou.Inthesecondbeforeyouturnedonthelightsinyouremptyhouse,yourcoatracklookedlikeitwasapersonstandingrightnexttoyou.Allthreeofthesescenarioscantriggeryourbody’snaturalfightorflightresponse,whichisdrivenfromyoursympatheticnervoussystem.Thisresponseisyourbody’sreactiontodangerandwasdesignedtohelpyousurvivestressfulandlife-threatingsituations. “Thefightorflightresponse,orstressresponse,istriggeredbyareleaseofhormoneseitherpromptingustostayandfightorrunawayandflee,”explainspsychologistCarolynFisher,PhD.“Duringtheresponse,allbodilysystemsareworkingtokeepusaliveinwhatwe’veperceivedasadangeroussituation.”Withoutyoueventellingitwhattodo,yourbodyisassessingwhat’sgoingonaroundyouanddeterminingyouroptionsonhowyoumostlikelycouldsurvivetheevent.Here’swhatcanhappenduringthestressresponse:Yourheartr