Stop the World--I want to get off!
"Fisherman have always known that the sea is dangerous and the storm is terrible, but they've never considered those sufficient reasons to remain ashore."
Vincent Van Gogh
No question life is stressful. But that doesn't mean we can't rise to the challenge and find ways to not only weather those stressful and stormy days, but also practice the fine art of sailing through difficulties to arrive at calmer shores.
Bouncing back after particularly stressful times requires us to consciously stop and start over~After we wind ourselves up we must consciously unwind.
After you step into the water at the high tide of stress you must consciously and deliberately step back into still waters to rest.
Train Your Body to Bounce Back from Stress
We're always training our bodies through the choices we make. To have the health and energy to cope and thrive despite experiencing world-wide and personal crises, we need to engage in activities that bring our stress hormones--like adrenaline and cortisol--back down to resting levels--especially after dealing with particularly stressful experiences.
The good news is humans have adapted to effectively deal with stress. We're especially equipped to deal with the stress that is life. Our bodies are built to get better and better at dealing with stress the more we're challenged by life's difficulties. But it's up to us to take the actions that train our bodies to be resilient so we're strengthened, not weakened by our experiences.
Stress Won't Kill You--But not taking care of it will!
Think of stress as a perceived sense of:
👉Threat;
👉Loss of control;
👉Helplessness;
👉Hopelessness; and/or
👉Unpredictability
The instant something catches you off guard your brain downshifts into your lower brain-- moving you into a fight or flight mode (stress response)--and sets in motion the release of stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. This is a good thing.
Stress-hormones help you react quickly by raising your heart rate and blood pressure, and releasing energy sources into the bloodstream, such as sugar, to make fuel available to your muscles. This is how your body helps you get through your daily crises.
But too much of a good thing becomes a problem if you fail to give your body time to recover from being in this high-stress mode.
Maintaining chronically high levels of the stress-hormone cortisol leads to three health damaging effects:
💥High blood sugar, leading to insulin resistance;
💥High blood pressure, and
💥An increase in abdominal fat.
Fat deposited around your belly is associated with more health problems than fat deposited elsewhere, including an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
To calm your cortisol and other stress-hormone levels you must recognize you're stressed, and engage in self-calming activities that produce the relaxation response in your body.
You're either stressed or relaxed...you can't be both
The good news is it's physiologically impossible for you to be stressed and relaxed at the same time. When you make the decision to participate in activities that produce the relaxation response, your body will bounce back and re-balance.
How Do I Know if I'm Suffering from Chronic Stress?
We're not always aware when we're in a constant state of stress. Sometimes we're working so hard to deal with the issues we ignore the signs and symptoms. Furthermore, when our heart rate goes above 100, our bodies release adrenaline that creates an emotional and mental fog that sends clear thinking out the window.
We all have a stress signature that we can learn to cue us it's time to stop, unwind and participate in self-calming activities. You don't need to pay attention to every sign and symptoms of stress, you just have to pick out one and let that be your guide to readjusting what you're doing.
Do You Experience Any of these Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Stress?
☂ Chronic fatigue
☂ TMJ problems--clenching of teeth
☂ Moodiness
☂ Anxiety and Irritability
☂ Anger (fear managed by anger)
☂ Depression
☂ Hardening of the attitudes
☂ Feeling a loss of control
☂ Tearfulness
☂ Joint and muscle pain
☂ Digestive difficulties
☂ Sleeping difficulties
☂ Increased deposit of fat in the belly
☂ Craving carbohydrates
☂ Binge eating
☂ Preoccupation with a stressful situation
☂ Getting ill after finals or completion of a stressful work project
☂ Getting sick on vacation
The Art of the Bounce Back
Begin by identifying the signs and symptoms you experience in response to stress, then choose one to be mindful of in your daily life. When you notice your stress signal is present, act, don't react to the information; and describe, don't judge what is going on.
Everyone gets stressed. If you discover you're chronically stressed, it doesn't mean you are weak, incompetent, out of control or a bad person. Leave the judgment out--describe what is going on and chose one immediate step to help you take a moment to relax.
Cortisol and Stress Calming Suggestions
💓Control what you can control.
💙Take action on the little things.
💚Exercise for relaxation, not for hard core fitness.
💛Take a 5-15 minute walk break.
💓Find things to laugh about. Experiencing humor and laughter can lower cortisol levels.
💙Enjoy relaxing music.
💚Confide in a trusted friend or family member.
💛Get a good night's rest. If you're having difficulty sleeping, at least rest and practice focusing on your breathing, consciously slowing down your inhales and exhales.
💜Cry. Crying may be our bodies' way of eliminating stress-hormones from our system.
💓Supplement with magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids (found in fish oil, krill oil and flax seeds)
Don't let life difficulties beat you down. Choose to take actions that contribute to your self-confidence and well-being. You're worth it.
The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
The courage to change the things I can;
And the wisdom to know the difference.
