Understanding Stress
One of the themes we’ve come back to time and time again is stress. We’ve discussed various ways in which you can manage stress - from journaling, to getting outside, to getting enough physical activity each day. But if you learn a little bit more about what’s happening inside your body when you’re feeling stressed, you will more easily be able to recognize it, so you can manage it quickly and appropriately.
So what exactly is stress?
You might be surprised to learn that stress is actually a good thing! Stress is an evolutionary mechanism so that you can recognize and react to a threat appropriately. When you perceive something as threatening or dangerous (e.g. facing a sabre tooth tiger, your car hitting a patch of ice, etc.), your sympathetic system (or “fight or flight” response) kicks into action.
Hormones like epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol (stress hormone) are dumped into the blood stream from the adrenal glands. These hormones increase the activity of various organs and systems (e.g. cardiovascular system), while decreasing the activity of others (e.g. digestive system). Sugar is dumped from the liver into the blood stream so you have an increase in energy supply, your pupils are dilated, and your senses are heightened. The brain will also activate the body’s immune system, which fights off invaders like viruses, bacteria, and other microbes. This is all beneficial. This cascade of events needs to occur to give yourself the best chance of survival. This type of stress is also beneficial for boosting performance, such as an athletic event or if you’re about to deliver a presentation.
The problem is that this day and age, we often don’t know the difference between a real and perceived threat, and we can get into a state of chronic stress. During chronic stress, our immune system gets depleted and we become more susceptible to illness and infection. Chronic high blood pressure can lead to damaged blood vessels and risk of heart attack and stroke. Chronic stress can also lead to anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Long story short: you can’t be working at that high level all the time. Eventually your body wears down.
On the other hand, when our parasympathetic ("rest and digest”) system is activated, there is a decrease in our breathing, heart rate, and adrenaline. Obviously this isn’t where you want to be if you’re about to run a 10k race, however this is good for you when you’re trying to calm your body down (e.g. to go to sleep).
The challenge is trying to find that balance between our sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. Not enough stress can cause boredom and decreased performance, and too much stress can cause burnout and illness.
So if stress is sometimes a good thing, how do you know when it becomes too much? How can you recognize when you’re in a state of chronic stress?
You can recognize if you’re in a state of chronic stress if you are finding it is not going away. If you find that you’re so crippled by stress that it is significantly affecting your life. Maybe it’s affecting your day-to-day activities, maybe you can’t engage with friends and family the way you used to, or maybe your anxious thoughts are continuous. So what can you do about this?
Your physical responses to stress are the easiest to recognize. When you feel like your heart is racing or breathing is elevated when it’s not for any specific reason, you are likely in a chronic state of stress. The good news is you can also reduce these feelings quickly and effectively. Here are a few techniques:
1. Belly breathing. We’ve discussed this technique before because it’s so powerful! Using diaphragmatic or “belly breathing” is a very effective strategy to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and calm your body down. To do this, consciously expanding your lungs downwards towards your belly. Take three deep, slow breaths. Inhale for 3 seconds, hold your breath for 1 second, and exhale for 3 seconds. Just doing this a few times throughout the day can help decrease stress and anxiety.
2. Body scan. Take a moment and notice how your body feels. Are your hands clenched? Are you contracting your shoulders or clenching your jaw? Sit or lie down, close your eyes, and relax every part of your body. Start at the top of your head and move down your body, consciously relaxing your face, shoulders, hands, stomach, back, legs, and feet.
3. Smile! When you’re feeling stressed, forcing yourself to smile is actually a great technique. Smiling can instantly alter your mood and promote relaxation of muscles.
And remember, acute stress is good and important for performance! So if you’re feeling nervous before a test, presentation, or big event - that’s okay! The cascade of events happening in your body are preparing your body to perform at your best! So you can use this feeling of stress to your advantage! Just remember to calm your body back down after the event.
Life can be stressful (especially over the last few months!), and we are often in a state of chronic stress. When we take the time to really slow down and activate our parasympathetic system, we can mitigate our stress levels and find a healthy balance.
What are we finding in the research?
JMIR Mental Health is a journal that focuses on digital and technological innovations for mental health. A recently published study looked at the effects of web-based relaxation interventions in an Italian population during COVID-19. The researchers wanted to compare the effects of three different relaxation techniques: 1) Calming sounds (rain/water), 2) Deep breathing, and 3) Body scan. Participants were randomly assigned to one of these three conditions and were guided through a 7-minute audio clip. The participants completed a self-assessment of their stress levels before and after the intervention.
The researchers found that all three interventions led to improvements in perceived relaxation, stress, and preoccupation related to COVID-19, with the body scan and breathing exercises being particularly helpful for lowering perceived stress.
The researchers suggest that web-based interventions to help people relax and destress are effective and a viable option for people who are isolated and unable to have in-person sessions during COVID-19.
