Stress 101
Stress. That shit is everywhere.
I wish I could tell you the secret to managing stress is learning to avoid it so you never have to feel stressed out ever again. But that’s not the reality we live in and denial only takes us so far. I’m not going to deceive you like that!
Stress is just a fact of life. So we had better figure it out.
Ok, fine! What is stress?
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When we experience something alarming our body and mind respond in all sorts of ways. This response might be triggered by an external stressor (e.g., traffic), or an internal one (e.g., worry). Our nervous system interprets these stressors as threat and activates bodily functions designed to help you adapt and survive. That’s stress in a nutshell!
There’s more to it though…
Of course, not all stress is bad. Some stress is essential and helpful.
Think of a time when you were challenged to learn something new or solve a problem. Maybe you had to figure out how to change a flat tire, market your new business, or coordinate conflicting schedules.
Your internal alarm system got triggered by the challenge and your body adjusted, producing the appropriate chemicals and launching the processes needed, driving you to solve the issue at hand.
That's positive stress and life would be pretty boring without it.
Positive stress is how we grow. It’s the good stuff!
But let's say you're experiencing challenges in a more prolonged way. Maybe you're having financial difficulties, relationship struggles, or you are unhappy at work.
These drawn out experiences might be considered tolerable if you have supportive relationships contributing to your wellness. This type of stress isn’t exactly helping you grow by challenging you in positive ways, but with that awesome social buffer in place it’s not hurting you either.
A social support network buffers you from stress by providing a sense of belonging and security. We are social animals and being in connection with people is powerful.
Stress is also more tolerable when you have the healthy stress management skills needed to cope adaptively, and you're able to use them.
But when these enduring stressors become too overwhelming stress can cross over into the realm of toxic.
In case you can’t tell by the name, toxic stress is not good.
This is particularly true if you lack the protection provided by a support network and you have a tendency to rely on unhealthy coping methods.
I’m so sorry to say, there is such a thing as too much wine and chocolate.
Ugh. I know.
Pervasive isolation resulting from the pandemic has had a huge impact on our global mental health, turning otherwise tolerable stress toxic. But insufficient social support is not exclusive to the current times - loneliness was a pandemic long before Covid-19.
If left unchecked, toxic stress can wreak havoc on your physical and mental health (I'll link some #science down below).
But I'm not writing this in an effort to scare you and stress you out even more. I'm writing this to remind you that you have the power to manage your health. If you're becoming aware of an abundance of stress, there are simple steps you can take to reduce the impacts of it, even in the face of a pandemic - whether that's Covid 19 or loneliness.
So how do we manage inevitable stress?
To ensure you are in the best position to manage the stressors that will inevitably come up, you'll want to start with fundamental self-care. That is, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and movement.
You wouldn't try to drive across the country without putting gas in the tank. Proper nutrition, sleep, movement, and hydration are critical components of a well-functioning body and mind.
If there is one thing you take away from this post, please let it be this: exercise is the most accessible and affordable medicine for mental health.
Find something you love doing.
Photo by Eric Nopanen on Unsplash
It doesn't matter whether it's riding a unicycle, smashing the crap out of your friends at roller derby, a killer pole dance class, Ultimate Frisbee, or yoga, or whatever. Find the thing that keeps you coming back.
The second most important take away for you is this: dehydration is clearly linked to anxiety and depression.
Water is needed for every little thing our bodies do. It’s such a simple way to show up for yourself. Go! Go right now! Hydrate that beautiful body of yours!!
Seriously.
Go get some water.
Sleep, nutrition, and coping skills are all massive topics I plan to touch on in future posts.
In the mean time…
Here’s some #sceince on stress for my fellow nerds.