How Much is Stress Really Impacting Your Health?
I think we’ll all agree that modern life is stressful right?!
It just feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything we have on our to-do lists.
But, not all stress is bad; stress is a perfectly normal reaction to external events and a very intelligent survival technique. Healthy stress is actually meant to protect us. Imagine a bear is chasing you – you really want your legs moving! For that, you need cortisol and adrenaline which are released as part of our fight or flight response which is signalled by the sympathetic nervous system.
Now, imagine a bear was chasing you for a whole week! Just imagine the havoc this would wreak in your body. Problem is, your body cannot distinguish between a bear or a work deadline so the same cortisol and adrenaline hormones will be released in these instances. Your body is constantly trying to get to a state of balance. However, if the stress reactions are either too strong or triggered too often, your body will remain on high alert and this will build up a resistance and tolerance to coexist with continuous stressors.
Some of the adverse effects this extended-release of stress hormones have on your body:
reduced ability to fight and recover from illness due to lowered immunity (ever noticed that after a very stressful week you end up with a cold?)
increased blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol and risk of heart attack
increased fat storage and disrupted hunger cues
mood issues (like anger and depression)
lack of energy and sleep issues
accelerated ageing
just to name a few…
Ultimately, if you do not offer your body the opportunity to recover and return to a state of homeostasis, you’ll end up burnt out.
Top Tips to Return To a State of Balance After Stressful Events
Just as the sympathetic nervous system switches on your fight or flight response, the parasympathetic nervous system turns it off:
I truly hope this inspires you to be more mindful of stressful times and supports you in adopting small, simple rituals to return to a state of balance.
If this resonated with you or you have any questions, just get in touch!
In love and gratitude, always
Vera x
