Stress: how we cope with our semi-traumatic lives

We’ve all heard it or said it a million times.  We get it.. we’re all stressed and stress is bad for us.  But what is stress exactly? And why is it bad for us? And how on earth do we avoid stress?

The body’s stress response is a built-in survival system. It involves a cascade of hormones- cortisol and adrenaline- which trigger a variety of physical reactions in the body. We relied on this “fight or flight” response to run from a predator back in the day. However, nowadays this “fight or flight” response is being triggered all too often, but instead of running from a predator it’s in the form of rushing to get the kids to school and make it to work on time. Or a disagreement with a loved one or friend.  Or even good stressors like getting ready for a new date or packing for a vacation or preparing for a speaking engagement. 

Think of the last time you felt stressed. Likely you felt your heart racing, maybe a knot in your stomach and perhaps some anxiety or irritability.  Maybe you felt overwhelmed, or couldn’t think clearly. Your body was weighing the options: run vs hide, freeze vs fight. These are all great options if you really are experiencing a real threat.   

“Our body is designed to cope with this stress response on a short term basis, i.e. you wouldn’t be running from a predator all day, every day. ”

The problem is that this well-designed system is being triggered all too often with the daily multitude of stressors.

So what happens when this response is triggered over and over?  A lot. When our body is in a state of constant fight or flight and we don’t slow down and let the body rest, those reactive responses persist.  We can have elevated blood pressure, reduced stomach acid and impaired digestion, impaired metabolism (which causes weight gain), infertility, mood and concentration disturbances, fatigue and insomnia (remember it’s designed as a survival response: would you sleep easily if you were being hunted?)... just to name a few! 

Then to cope with these reactions, we respond by drinking a glass of wine or two, taking antacids, drinking coffee, increase our work outs, taking other medications which cause their own side effects. 

Tracy Harrison of the School for Applied Functional Medicine states, “ We are not designed to be stressed, toxic, inflamed, undernourished, and unrested, and yet still easily thrive, grow, reproduce, be thin, feel well, eat anything we want, and have a great libido” 

So what can we do?   Try incorporating a few or all of the following ideas into your life and you will see a big difference in how you feel and your overall health:

🚺 Slow down. Even for just a few minutes. Close your eyes and take 3 slow, deep breaths… in and out.  Tell yourself “everything is ok… I am safe.” 

🚺 Keep your blood sugar balanced.  When your blood sugar drops from skipping a meal or eating quick carbs or sweets, your body instantly goes into survival mode.  The best way to avoid this and maintain energy and focus throughout the day is to eat a snack or meal every 3 to 4 hours that includes protein, healthy fats and a small amount of healthy carbs.

🚺 Do something fun.  Joy is one of the ultimate healing vibrations and just plain feels good.  A walk, a dance party with your kids, call a friend (yes, call them on the phone, not a text), cuddle with a pet, stand outside for a few minutes and look up at the sky.  There are millions of things to do that require little effort and no expense. 

🚺 Feel gratitude.  When life feels overwhelming or out of control, try to take a moment and take into account the things that are working for you and that you are grateful for.   Your bed, a peaceful, quiet night, your loved ones, your pet, your safety, our earth. Again, there are likely more things than you think. 

🚺 Sleep.  It’s the most undervalued remedy in our society, in my opinion.  Make it a hard priority. Sleep is the most crucial time for your body to repair and recover. It’s when many of our hormones are restored and surge to give us vitality during the day.  Hint.. it’s imperative to have regular, good sleep for a normal metabolism. 

These are just a few suggestions and while, some may take practice ( or simply just remembering to do them), they aren’t difficult and will benefit your health and wellbeing in so many ways.