Coronavirus: Knowledge sets you free

The coronavirus threat entered our lives quite abruptly, turning our world inside out. Treading this new, unfamiliar, and unchartered territory causes great stress, since we are called upon, practically overnight, to alter our habits and behavior, while feeling vulnerable and unprepared. 

The stress response is not only normal in such situations, but it is essential for survival. When sensing danger, all animals mobilize their body and nervous system in an effort to assess the exact threat and respond accordingly, whether by fight or flight. The body recruits all its energy reserves, adrenaline goes through the roof, the heart beats faster, extra blood is pumped to the brain. To put it colloquially, it makes our blood boil. It is also important, however, that this state of alert is not prolonged as it takes a toll on our system, using up all our energy reserves.

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