Thoughts on Stress & How It Impacts Your Body
Stress is one of those hot topics right now. Well, talking about "managing it" is really what is hot, it seems. But rightly so! Stress is one of those things we all deal with probably every day, and it's also one of those things that has such an impact on your body! We'll dive into all that.
I wanted to talk about stress today because I was very in the dark about just how much it impacts our bodies. I also was in the dark for a long time about all the things that cause stress on the body. Learning how stress impacts my body was part of what helped me change my thoughts about food and exercise and helped me move forward in recovery from disordered eating and dieting. Let me explain...So what do you think of when you hear the word stress? Maybe you think of a crazy work assignment or getting through TSA at the airport. But there are other things that cause stress on your body that maybe aren't the first to come to your head...
Doing a spin class.
Eating too few calories.
Doing a juice cleanse.
Losing weight quickly.
Being underweight (more so than being "overweight").
What stress does to your body is it sends it into "fight or flight" mode, or sympathetic mode where your nervous system kicks into high gear. Heart rate increases, breathing increases, eyesight becomes more keen...but also,digestion slows down,reproductive function stops or becomes irregular,& thyroid function decreases.
All in all, stress inhibits our body's normal functioning. Basically, your body focuses on getting you through whatever it is that's putting stress on it so normal functioning is put on hold. Because, though stress is normal and a part of life, it's not meant to be a constant in our lives.
Because, though stress is normal and a part of life, it's not meant to be a constant in our lives.
So what does living aware of stress look like? Each of us has different thresholds for what we can tolerate when it comes to stress on our bodies. Typically men can tolerate more physical stress through more hard-core exercise and such while women do best with more gentle movements. That's not to say a woman can't run a marathon...many women kill it at marathon running! But it's just something to be aware of, that a woman's body is more easily affected by stress. We see this when women develop hypothalamic amenorrhea, or loss of their period due to exercising too much and/or eating too little. We see it when women develop thyroid issues due to adrenal fatigue, a condition where hormones secreted by your adrenal glands such as cortisol (your body's stress hormone) are continually released keeping your body in a "ready to fight" type mode. With the constant stress on your adrenals, studies show that your hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA axis for short) is depressed leading to depression of thyroid hormones as well. Here's some suggestions for ways to decrease stress on your body as well as how to become more aware of stressors...
1. First off, make sure you're getting enough sleep. 8 hours is ideal, but know that you should be feeling well rested throughout the day and if you're not it may be an indicator that you need more sleep. On this note also, make your bed and bedroom a place you want to rest in. Treat yourself to a new pillow or, if it's been a while, a new mattress (we just bought a Casper mattress and LOVE IT! If you're in need of a new mattress I highly recommend...not an affiliate, just love!) would be something to look into. Also, be sure to decrease blue light before bed. Turn off computers, put your phone away, and have some time away from all screens before you are ready to sleep which helps tell your body it's time to sleep.
2. Wake up with enough time to not rush out of the house. Give yourself some leeway time, time to fix yourself breakfast, drink your coffee, have some quiet time...whatever your morning routine looks like or you'd like to look like. Rushing out of the house sets your day up for stress. Maybe you take a few moments while you're putting on your makeup to do some deep breathing. Find a way to slowly start your day.
3. Practice the simple act of deep breathing throughout the day. And this isn't just your normal breathing but a little deeper. I mean, really take a deep inhale with as much air as you can, hold for a second at the top, and then slowly release until all the air is pushed from your lungs. Don't pass out, but this type of breathing should be much deeper than your normal breathing. What this action does is it puts your body in more of a parasympathetic mode, or your "rest and digest" mode. This will naturally help with improved digestion, lower blood pressure, and less cortisol coursing through your body which has it's own benefits on it's own. Whether you're the "meditative type" or not, deep breathing should be something we're all doing.
4. Be interospective. Learning to tune into your body and recognize stressful states takes slowing down, in and of itself. It takes practice for some, but practice asking yourself questions throughout the day about how you're feeling. Ask yourself, "Am I stressed out right now?", "How am I feeling?", "Am I doing too much?", "What do I need right now?".
5. That last question leads me to this point of meeting your basic needs. When your basic needs are met, your need for sleep and rest, adequate nutrition and calories, relationships and community, you'll naturally be less stressed out and be able to manage your stress better. What need do you need to meet right now that will help you decrease stress? I hope this post helps you better understand stress and how to decrease it in your own life. Totally getting rid of stress is just not going to happen. It's a part of life. But not living our lives in total stress is an important thing to practice for our overall health and well being.What can you start practicing today to decrease stress? Share your tips and thoughts in the comments below!