How Do We Define Stress?

Stress is the body’s physical reaction to real or perceived threat situations, which induces what is colloquially referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ reflex.

People in stressful situations may feel their heart rate increase, their breathing quicken and their muscles tighten.

It’s useful to remember that stress serves a useful function and isn’t inherently bad.

A stress reaction can trigger you to move quickly out of the way of a fast-moving car, or heighten your responses in a potentially dangerous situation. We’ve evolved to deploy stress as a survival tool.

What can harm us is chronic or long-lasting stress responses, out of line with physical danger. Increasingly, our modern lifestyles are triggering stress at a disproportionate rate and for longer periods of time. This is where stress begins to pose a risk to our health.

What are the Key Symptoms of Stress?

Stress can induce a number of physical reactions including:

• Headache.
• Digestive disorders.
• Insomnia.
• Frequent infections.
• Chest pain and rapid heartbeat.

An interesting research review published in 2017, ‘The impact of stress on body function: A review’ suggested that ‘stress can exert various actions on the body ranging from alterations in homeostasis to life-threatening effects and death’.

It shared previously confirmed links between stress responses and:

• Brain function, including memory and cognition.
• The immune system.
• Gastrointestinal complications.

Crucially, it lists a number of studies that define the impact of stress on the cardiovascular system.

B-Secur and ECG Biometrics for Health and Wellness

At B-Secur, we’re unlocking valuable heart health insights, using ECG biometrics.

Everyone’s ECG is completely unique, which makes it a powerful data metric.

We’ve been working closely with cardiac specialists and leading device manufacturers to bring the transformative power of ECG biometrics to wearables, smart clothing - and even cars.

Our algorithms can monitor stress levels from the ECG, empowering people with vital health monitoring and bringing advanced wellness measurements to their daily lives.

Chronic stress can take a huge physical toll on us but with greater health monitoring and smarter embedded technology, we can empower early detection and mitigate its risks.

We're establishing the partnerships to take this technology into the connected world.