Stress is one of the most overlooked factors which affects our health. In today’s fast-paced world, busyness and stress have been normalised, often fuelled by pressure to keep pushing and to do more. Stress can greatly affects our health, recovery from illness, and our body composition goals. Studies suggest that 75-90% of diseases are linked to stress (Liu et al., 2017).
How full is your stress bucket?
Society in general prizes busyness over rest, however our body requires sufficient rest in order to restore, repair and heal. The accumulation of busyness, daily pressures, life stressors, lack of self-time, and challenges in interpersonal relationships, can steadily increase until our stress bucket reaches it's threshold and essentially overflows.
When our accumulated stress is greater than our ability to alleviate stress, then our stress bucket rises. These accumulated stressors may then reach a level that feels overwhelming and challenging within our everyday life.
How Stress Affects the Body
A full stress bucket means that your sympathetic nervous system is in a chronic state of fight or flight activation, more frequently than your parasympathetic nervous system is in a state of rest and relaxation. Long-term stress elevates cortisol and impacts health in several ways:
Weakened immune function
Poor sleep
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
Fatigue
Hormone imbalances (irregular or painful periods, thyroid issues)
Poor gut health
Inflammation, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and blood sugar issues.
Mood changes
How to Identify Stress
When the body senses stress, it priorities safety and survival over functions like weight loss, sleep, increasing immunity, and digestion. The body registers all stress the same, whether that is a high workload or running from a tiger, the exact same stress response is initiated.
The body often doesn't feel safe and supported to change in the midst of heightened or prolonged stress.
If you notice weight loss stagnation or health issues not improving, try evaluating your stress levels and prioritise stress management activities. Here are some signs you might be stressed:
Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or worried
Clenching your jaw or grinding teeth
Tight neck and shoulder muscles
Shallow breathing from the chest, or the tendency to hold your breath
Trouble calming down or racing thoughts
Difficulty sleeping
Lack of "you-time"
Feeling reactive, emotional, or stuck in negative self-talk
You lack a feeling of safety or support
Digestive issues
Answering “yes” to several of these may indicate your body is in a stressed state.
Tips to Reduce Stress
Stress management should be prioritised in your daily life just like nutrition and exercise. Incorporating daily stress management practices helps regulate the nervous system and supports our overall health.
1) Don't Ignore or bottle up your stress:
Ignoring stress doesn’t make it go away—it compounds over time and can impact your health in numerous ways. Instead, find ways healthy ways to express and manage your emotions like; talking to a trusted friend or loved one, journaling, or consulting with a health professional. Acknowledging stress is the first step to managing it.
2) Adopt DAILY stress management practices:
Managing stress isn’t something performed when overwhelmed—it’s requires a daily commitment. Just as you spend time to exercise and eat well, stress reduction should become a regular part of your routine. Some effective daily practices include:
Meditation: Helps calm the mind and lowers cortisol levels.
Walking in nature: Promotes relaxation, improves mood, and reduces anxiety.
Deep breathing exercises: Activates your parasympathetic nervous system to counteract stress.
Creative activities or joyful hobbies: Doing something you love boosts serotonin and helps you unwind.
Connecting with loved ones: Emotional connection with others can ease stress and provide a sense of belonging.
Rest and prioritise self-time: Regular downtime allows your body to recharge.
3) Journal to gain insight into your stress:
Journaling is a powerful tool to process emotions and better understand your stress triggers. Writing things down allows you to reflect on your experiences, recognise patterns, and explore solutions. Here are a few journal prompts that you can use to start unpacking your stress:
What situation or event today triggered my stress?
How did this make me feel emotionally and physically?
What was I needing in that moment that I didn’t receive? (eg acknowledgement, understanding, compassion, to be prioritised, comfort etc)
What is one positive thing I can do for myself to help me feel better?
What can I do differently next time, or how can I resolve this situation?
4) Seek Connection and Support
As humans, we crave to feel seen, heard and understood. It is important that we reach out to people for support and understanding during times of stress, such as a friend, family member, or a trusted health professional or coach. You don’t have to face things alone. Having a support system can significantly impact how you handle stress and how quickly you recover from it.
Would you like support with nervous system regulation to improve your health and goals? Do reach out for a complimentary discovery Health Strategy Call here
Reference:
Liu, Y. Z., Wang, Y, X., & Jiang, C. L. (2017). Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress Related Diseases. Fronteirs of Human Neuroscience, 11: 316. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00316
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