5 facts about stress & natural ways to unwind
I know for myself, stress has always been an issue. I tend to internalize a lot of things and keep pushing through when sometimes the thing that would fix it all would be just pausing, resting and resetting. Anyone with me?!
April is National Stress Awareness month so this blog is dedicated to the topic that we all are probably so familiar with but we may not know all the facts! Despite living with constant stress (money stress, financial stress, family & relationship stress, stress from work - I mean the list can go on and on!) we often times just keep going pedal to the metal instead of pausing and reflecting on our relationship with stress. Have you ever stopped to think about what your relationship with stress is?
Here are a few facts below that I found super interesting about stress that prompted me to think differently about how I deal with stress but also look at what is stress actually!
5 facts about stress:
1). your body can be addicted to stress
Not going to lie the first time I heard this - it stopped my scroll. So many times when we think of addiction we think of drugs, alcohol etc. but did you know that your body can actually be addicted to stress? When you are stressed, your body produces different chemicals. These chemicals / hormones etc. affect your mood, how you respond to situations and how you feel. When you are in a constant state of stress your body gets “hooked” on those chemicals and the stress responses become not only a natural reaction but over time, the brain learns to associate stressful situations with a sense of reward or relief, reinforcing the behavior of seeking out stress-inducing situations. CRAZY RIGHT?! Our body will always choose a familiar Hell vs. an unfamiliar pleasure - we are creatures of habit and if your “normal” state is a state of stress over time, that becomes your natural baseline.
This intrigued me but it also made me feel like “okay this is not my fault!” and also confirmed that I am not crazy. We have so much pressure these days all around us it is hard to not be in a constant state of stress. BUT if we are consciously aware of these patterns - we can take control back and reset.
2). stress chemicals = hormones
The fact that we can become addicted to stress leads me to my next point … we all know that stress is “bad” for long periods of time but have you ever wondered why? Stress “chemicals” are hormones that our natural that our body produces but in large amounts - it begins to throw off all of your other hormones which can lead to long term health issues, adrenal fatigue, insulin resistance and overtime hormonal imbalances can even create more risk for certain cancers. When your hormones become imbalanced it affects EVERY part of your life from your mood to your blood sugar, irregular menstrual cycles, fertility issues, weight (ability to gain or lose weight) and even your immune system.
Have you had any blood sugar issues? Chronic fatigue? Getting sick more often? Trouble losing weight? Brain fog? Menstrual irregularities? Gi problems? It could be a hormonal imbalance!
3). Chronic stress can affect your ability to sleep
When you are stressed have you noticed your inability to get restful sleep? Stress can disrupt the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. In women especially, melatonin levels may be particularly affected by stress, leading to sleep disturbances such as insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns. When you are struggling to sleep (and by sleep I mean actually get into a deep REM sleep where you dream) this can affect your ability to focus, create brain fog, and create a chain reaction with your hormones leading to more troubles!
4). Chronic stress alters your stress response
You might think well “duh” when you see that chronic stress affects your stress response but it is true and I feel like we all need that reminder. It is like our body needs more of the stress chemicals to regulate itself (same concept for when you are addicted to a drug etc.) which leads to more production of cortisol, adrenaline etc. and over time it will affect your response to stressful situations.
A stress response is something that your body needs in order to alert you to trouble. The problem comes in when our body is reacting the same way to having a tough day on the job as if a bear is chasing us. Overtime, your body in a constant fight or flight state will start to break down.
5). There is a good stress… in small doses
Have you heard the quote “A diamond earns its sparkle from the pressure it endures”? Everyone needs a little bit of pressure in order to grow. When you go to the gym to workout - you are putting stress on your muscles to break them down in order to make them stronger. In the same respect, stress or pressure for a short amount of time will make you grow stronger in life. It will teach you lessons on how to handle situations, grow, evolve and build confidence as you go through challenges. The problem comes in when we stay in that stressful state. If we are stuck in fight or flight mode, out adrenals will eventually burnout - out bodies and immune systems will begin to fail and we won’t be able to continue on until we make a change.
When we shift the focus and become aware of our body’s responses, we are able to shift and become a diamond by using that pressure FOR us rather than against us.
break out of the fight or flight
Connect with Nature
This is something that we often take for granted - We have become so disconnected from nature that we often do not get out and just ground ourselves. One of the quickest, most effective ways for us to reset our bodies is to ground ourselves by being outside. Take a walk, go to the beach, hike, walk with your dogs, sit by a stream, walk barefoot in the grass or even sit in your yard and listen to the birds etc. The sounds of nature, water and being in the fresh air and sunlight will make all the difference in the world.
LIMIT BLUE LIGHT
Today, we are often on our phones the second we wake up then we sit at a computer all day and to decompress at night we either scroll social media or watch tv. Blue light is artificial light and waking up and looking at our phone affects our cortisol awakening response. We are designed to wake up with the sun light which is both natural and gradual. Staring at a screen all day and then having blue light leading up to when you go to bed is keeping you from getting into a deep sleep which will affect your body being able to detox / reset / balance your hormones etc.
In addition all of those things are constantly stimulating our brain at a rate that our mind cannot (and was not meant to) keep up with. our brain can process a large amount of information and images but we are constantly bombarded in the modern world with so much to process that our minds are not able to keep up leaving us feeling drained, overstimulated, behind, constantly comparing and you guessed it - stressed.
presence & mindfulness
Presence & mindfulness go together - focusing on the present moment and slowing down to stop thinking and just be where you are is both one of the hardest things to do and one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. If you do not pause and take a moment to rest when your body is needing it - your body will force you to eventually! We charge our phones daily but do we ever recharge ourselves?
Movement
Movement is something else that we have grown to be disconnected from. From the time we are 5 years old we are told to sit at a desk and be still for hours everyday which conditions us to sit at a desk at work everyday until we retire. That is not a way to live! Adding movement into your day is huge. From working out to walking, stretching, yoga, dancing - whatever feels good to you is a great place to start. Movement also helps us to get in touch with our body and to release pent up emotions. Our body remembers and retains things that even our mind does not and it will keep score unless we heal that stress cycle.
Cycle Syncing
Cycle syncing is something that is new and often times foreign to women. It is something that I stumbled across when I was learning about trying to heal my body from adrenal fatigue naturally. Cycle syncing is all about getting back in touch with your natural rhythm. Women have a 28 day hormone cycle vs. men having a 24 hour hormone cycle. When we force ourselves to fit into a society that is made solely structured around male hormones, we are fighting against our true nature which creates turmoil and imbalance. By becoming aware of your energy levels, where you are at in your cycle naturally and really tapping into listening to your body - you are able to become more aligned, in touch and resilient to the external things happening around you.
Stress is something we all “deal with” but often times we don’t actually step back to deal with it or to see the effects it has on us. I challenge you to identify areas that you are feeling resistance in in your life. See what is working, what isn’t working and actually acknowledge what needs to change. Don’t let stress win and break you down - you deserve to feel joy and by releasing and processing the things causing stress in your life, you will be that much closer.
Looking for help on “decluttering” and spring cleaning the stresses in your life?! I am all about connecting with women to help them add self care back into their lives! Ready to make self care the strategy in your life and business ?! Let’s connect over a FREE strategy session to see how I can help you cycle sync your life.