Outside Reading #2: Brain Rules ch. 8 Stress

Another chapter of reading out of John Medina's Brain Rules focuses solely on stress. Stress is proven to have serious effects on the body and the brain. One must wonder about the negative consequences of the long distance hiking. The point of long through hikes is of course to experience some sort of struggle and come out the other end. We could call it a "ritual of affliction." With such rituals, it is expected to gain a new insight to the world and emerge at a higher spiritual level than when one embarked. However, science will tell us that submitting oneself to high levels of stress causes increased adrenaline, which in a hiker's case may be a good thing. The spike in adrenaline may be an essential factor pushing them to continuously place one foot in front of the other. Moreover, stress is also the root of what enables us to survive. Humans need stress to signal our survival instincts, and out in the wilderness on the trail hikers absolutely need to be on high alert. They must stay aware of their surroundings, constantly on the watch for predators. On the other hand, chronic stress could cause a stroke or a heart attack. I wonder how common such ailments are suffered by long distance hikers and pilgrims.