Are you underestimating the impact of stress?
In our modern fast paced society, we have a tendency to underestimate the amount of stress we are under on a daily basis.
One of the things I ask my clients to think about is how they define stress.
Stress can be anything that places a burden on the body – which can lead to inflammation or imbalance.
Typically when we hear the word “stress” we think of mental or emotional stress, and common things such as challenges within our relationships, whether it’s with a family member, friend or a co-worker, traffic, the loss of someone close to us, trying to meet deadlines, and the list goes on.
But stress can also be:
- Foods that you’re eating that aren’t right for your body or that cause inflammation
- Not getting sufficient sleep or not feeling well rested
- Over exercising or intense exercise when the body is already stressed
- Not exercising or moving your body enough regularly
- Environmental toxins (including phthalates and pesticides)
- Tight muscles or aches and pains
No matter what the stressor might be, the body reacts in the same way, activating the sympathetic nervous system, more commonly known as the “fight or flight response.”
The fight or flight response is a primal instinct to keep us safe from harm. This mechanism was developed to help us deal with acute, or short-term stress, like being attacked by a tiger. It is maladaptive when it is triggered on a daily basis due to perceived threats in our environment that we now encounter on a daily basis.
Here is an example of this primal response:
You are hunting for food and you see a tiger, your body activates the flight or fight response instantly, sending blood flow to your arms and legs in case you need to run or fight. You don’t have to think for a second about this, your body just does it.
While we don’t encounter actual tigers in our daily lives – the body responds to our modern day stressors just the same – directing blood flow outward for quick action, leaving little resources for digestion or the vital actions needed to actually heal the body.
The smallest things in our daily routine can trigger the fight or flight response, resulting in a decreased ability to digest food, combat colds and other viruses, and which can ultimately leading to poor health; weight gain, hormone imbalances, low energy, poor sleep, chronic diseases and generally not feeling like yourself.
Stuff that could be triggering the stress response in your body might be things you wouldn’t even think of, such as consuming processed foods with added sugars, not getting enough sleep and negative self-talk.
Let’s take a look at where you might be encountering subtle stress throughout the day without even realizing it…
Are you always on the run, stacked back-to-back with meetings, trying to get from one place to another on time, or feel like you’re “on” in your job or as a parent or caregiver from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed? This activates the fight or flight response all day long.
Do you find yourself eating breakfast in the car, picking up a donut for breakfast, working through your lunch break, or rushing to get dinner on the table or eating mindlessly? These also activate the fight or flight response.
Do you spend a lot if time watching the news or scrolling through social media – these elicit the fight or flight response too.
See how quickly the amount of stress our body deals with on a daily basis can add up?
Chronic stress keeps the body in a constant fight or flight mode, resulting in minimal resources to aid in digestion (of food and experiences) and healing, leaving the body depleted, and eventually leading to a lack of energy, hormone imbalances, digestive upset and other chronic health issues.
We can’t always control all of the stressors we encounter, but we can manage them with our actions and our thoughts.
To support your ideal health and weight, you want to look for opportunities to slow down in your daily life so you can allow the body to heal.
Here are a few ways you can easily manage your stress throughout the day:
- Do some deep breathing; inhale slowly for a count of 4, hold for 4 and exhale for 4
- Schedule breaks to get outside
- Eat while seated and relaxed and put down your fork in between bites
- Create a daily relaxation routine – meditation, journaling, yoga or reiki
- Practice self-compassion
These small steps can have a BIG impact on your overall health.
Other actions that help to reduce stress include:
- Eating an anti-inflammatory, whole food diet
- Sleeping during the hours of 10pm – 6am
- Exercising at an intensity that is right for you
- Being aware of the negative thoughts and stories you tell yourself
- And minimizing your exposure to stress, inducing environmental toxins and toxic people
Lastly, start to notice how stress shows up in your body, because it’s different for everyone. It could be in the form of aches and pains, skin rashes or breakouts, low energy, disrupted sleep, weight gain and more.
Once you get in tune with the signs of stress in your body, develop a “toolbox” of stress reducing techniques and practice them on a regular basis, that way you can take quick action to manage and reduce your stress in the moment.
If you’d like support so that you can reduce your stress and develop strategies to help you with your health and healing using a holistic approach, then click here to schedule a Discovery Session with me.
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