Chronic Stress Manifests in Mind & Body
Nobody is immune to stress, we all experience it daily but do you ever stop to evaluate how severe or how often stress occurs in your life? If you had to rate your stress on a scale of 1-10, what would you say? How about your stress levels over the last few weeks or months? What are you doing to manage your stress? Now that you’ve answered these questions for yourself, how would you feel if I told you stress can be fatal?
What is Chronic Stress?
Stress is innately a survival mechanism, for instance when being chased be a tiger your "fight or flight" response (sympathetic nervous system; SNS) is activated. Unfortunately, however, your body doesn't differentiate between being chased by a tiger and modern day stressors like being yelled at by your boss. Small stressors accumulate quickly -- daily pressures, sensory overload, continuous demands to do more, & general overwhelm. It is even possible to experience stress physiologically while remaining unaware or numb to it because it's so ingrained in our society. As these daily stressors mount they become chronic resulting in uninterrupted SNS activation, which is destructive to our physiology. And so, ironically, what was meant as a survival mechanism acutely can actually become fatal if left unchecked.
Why is Chronic Stress so detrimental?
When our system becomes alarmed it triggers a cascade of biochemical events. Adrenal glands secrete hormones, including cortisol (the stress hormone) & epinephrine (adrenaline), which signal a number of physiological changes. Blood flow & nutrients are adverted from "unnecessary" areas such as digestion, reproduction, hair/skin/nails & concentrated on increasing heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. After the initial response, your body attempts to stabilize to maintain homeostasis, but if the stressor is too intense or continuously occurring cortisol levels remain high, which results in adrenal fatigue. Your body burns out & becomes unable to cope with physiological demands. Over time, cells become insensitive to cortisol & the body can even lose the ability to regulate the resulting inflammatory response. Ultimately, the induced pro-inflammatory state impairs immune function & contributes to a myriad of diseases.
How can Chronic Stress manifest physiologically?
Due to it's powerful physiological effects, chronic stress can negatively impact every aspect of our being: physically, mentally, emotionally, behaviorally, & cognitively. Chronic stress has been linked to:
How to handle Chronic Stress?
Well, just as there is a system (SNS) designed to turn on the stress response, there is a system (Parasympathetic Nervous System; PSNS) designed to turn it off -- you might have heard it referred to as “rest & digest” mode. When the PSNS is activated serotonin (the happy chemical) increases & cortisol decreases, producing natural relaxation. By becoming aware of our emotions, thoughts, & attitudes in the moment we can tune into feelings of overwhelm & choose to evoke calm. We have the power to promote the relaxation response at any time simply by bringing intention and depth to our breathing. We can also control how we respond to stressful situations, & therefore how it effects us, through mindfulness & grounding techniques which signal the body to return to normal function. Stressful situations will always arise, & while we may not be able to change our situations we can manage the impact they have on us.
Calming behaviors to try:
Grounding exercises
Laugh
Have good sex
Get a massage
Meditation
Read a book
Aromatherapy - candles or essential oils
Cook a nourishing meal
Listen to music
Breathing techniques
Organize
Journal
Give yourself an at home facial
Play with a pet
Worry briefly then refocus
Seek professional support
Call a friend
Create a gratitude list
Disconnect rom technology
Take a nap/rest
Movement - walking, yoga, etc.
Take a bath
Go outside
Drink a cup of tea
Essential nutrients to alleviate & heal Chronic Stress:
Magnesium - stress depletes stores & low levels increase stress response: a dangerous cycle.
Dark leafy greens (spinach, swiss chard, etc.), avocados, almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, bananas, cashews, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate, chamomile tea, artichokes, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, & beans), sesame seeds
Potassium: lowers cortisol & blood pressure; stress drastically lowers availability
Bananas, pistachios, chia seeds, tumeric, artichokes, sweet potatoes, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, & beans)
Vitamin A - antioxidant; supports a healthy nervous system & reduces stress response
Spinach, blueberries, tumeric, bell peppers, sweet potatoes
B-Vitamins: help regulate cortisol levels & calm the nervous system
B6 - potent anti-inflammatory; plays a role in serotonin production
Cashews, walnuts, pistachios, beans, broccoli, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, salmon
B3 - anti-inflammatory; helps create serotonin; depleted by high stress levels
Chia seeds, salmon, turmeric, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, & beans)
B5 - supports adrenal glands & reduces stress
Avocado, sunflower seeds, salmon, sweet potatoes, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, & beans)
Vitamin C - antioxidant & anti-inflammatory; regulates cortisol levels; prevents oxidative damage to nervous system
Tumeric, bell peppers, citrus, artichokes, sweet potatoes
Vitamin E - antioxidant & anti-inflammatory; stress increases utilization, depletes stores, & intensifies stress response
Blueberries, avocado, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - anti-inflammatory; supports brain function; increases serotonin
Avocado, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, salmon
Zinc - stabilizes cortisol levels & inhibits further production; stress depletes concentrations
Cashews, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate, turmeric, legumes (chickpeas, lentils, & beans), sesame seeds
Apigenin - antioxidant & anti-inflammatory; produces a calming effect
Chamomile Tea, artichokes
Theanine - promotes relaxation; lowers heart rate & blood pressure
Green Tea, matcha powder
*Antioxidants & anti-inflammatories: increase serotonin, reduce stress related cellular damage, & reduce cortisol levels
Feeling empowered to manage how you respond to stress? Choose one tool from above & incorporate it into your day. Pay attention to how your sensations shift. You only need 1 minute to begin to deescalate your stress response - remember the power is in your ability to breathe deeply.
I'd love to hear about your experience with stress, how it's affected you, & what changes you've made to find your calm -- comment below or connect with me on Instagram.