Stress: What is it and what do we do about it?
It is interesting that we are all fairly comfortable talking about stress and it crops up in everyday language and conversations, much more so than mental ill health. And yet the two are intrinsically linked.
Is this because stress is a normalised and integrated part of our busy modern lives? For some it is almost a badge of honour. If you aren’t stressed, perhaps you aren’t working hard enough? But while we may talk about it a lot, how much do we really understand about what’s going on inside our bodies when we are stressed? We can’t remove stress completely from our lives, and nor should we, but we can understand the factors surrounding it.
This article will provide a little bit of knowledge, encourage you to do a little bit of self-reflection and then give you some actions to take away.
What is stress?
First and foremost; stress is a natural response. It’s normal, necessary and keeps you alive.
Consider the human body as a connection of levers and pulleys and chemicals and hormones. These chemicals and hormones make us feel things and feelings are the labels we apply to our emotions based on our experiences. Imagine queueing for a roller coaster – one person may be feeling excitement, the person standing next to them maybe feels fear. These emotional feelings are generated by the same chemicals in your body and brain but in this example, different labels have been used to express feelings.
When you find yourself in a stress inducing situation, it all starts with the amygdala which is a group of cells in your brain which performs a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making and emotional responses (including fear, anxiety, and excitement). After the amygdala sends a distress signal, the hypothalamus activates the nervous system by sending signals to the adrenal glands on top of each kidney. These glands respond by pumping adrenaline (and norepinephrine) into the bloodstream. As adrenaline circulates through the body, it brings on a number of physiological changes:
The heart beats faster than normal – blood pressure increases, pushing blood to the muscles and other vital organs.
You start to breathe more rapidly. Small airways in the lungs open wide. This means the lungs can take in as much oxygen as possible with each breath.
Extra oxygen is sent to the brain, increasing alertness.
Sight, hearing, and other senses become sharper and more focussed.
Meanwhile, adrenaline triggers the release of blood sugar and fats and these nutrients flood into the bloodstream, supplying an energy boost to all parts of the body. It is amazing when you look at all of these systems working together - and you don’t even know that you are doing it!
That’s the initial surge – the thrill of it. The adrenaline rush. The old Freeze, Fight or Flight response. This is your body preparing for and taking the most appropriate action.
As the initial surge of adrenaline subsides, if the brain continues to perceive something as dangerous then the hypothalamus activates the second component of the stress response system and the adrenal glands will start releasing cortisol. When cortisol is flowing, the body stays revved up and on high alert. You may well have heard of cortisol and it’s often referred to as the stress hormone.
Usually, after a stressful situation passes your cortisol and adrenaline levels will go back to normal and you will feel calm and at ease. And by the way, Cortisol actually has a lot of benefits – nearly every cell in the human body has receptors for cortisol - you need cortisol in your life to function as it controls the body’s blood sugar levels and regulates metabolism… it does a lot of good things when it is at normal levels.
Acute (short-term) stress can be okay (as longs as its not happening too frequently). However, chronic stress (which is long-term) which is rife in today’s society is not okay and when you continue to be in a stressed state - and if left unchecked - it can have a detrimental effect, because cortisol also suppresses bodily functions, eg. digestion and bone formation, your immune system.
Too much stress = too much cortisol = detrimental for your whole body as it increases wear and tear everywhere, throughout your entire body. Remember - every cell has a cortisol receptor.
Stress V. Performance
The graph above demonstrates the link between stress and performance.
Stress comes in many different forms that push us from left to right, from low to higher levels of stress. this stress can come in many different forms:
Physical Stress - such as too many late nights
Environmental Stress – such as unemployment or housing
Emotional Stress - such as dealing with uncertainty
Acute Life Events - such as bereavements
Chronic Stress - any long lasting stresses
Our individual ability to cope with the stresses of life is based on our vulnerability. Your graph curve will be unique to you – you may be able to cope with higher levels of stress, or you might be at peak performance with lower/ medium stress. Your vulnerability to stress and your unique curve depends on your unique protective and risk factors and your frame of reference on the world.
Two different people will cope with the same situation differently.
Time for some self-reflection. Where are you at today? This whole thing is fluid and changes all the time but be honest with yourself. Where you at?
Think about how your graph looks and how far along the stress axis you are.
When you apply your label of feeling stressed today where are you? Red zone, yellow zone? Peaking?
How do we deal with or help with stress?
1 in 4 of us will experience mental ill health this year. Excessive stress leads to mental ill health, such as anxiety or depression so what can we do about it? Well, going back to the graph, this is why it is important for you to take stock periodically and see whereabouts you are. We are all unique individuals and there is a fine line between stretching and straining or stretching and comfort.
If you are in the green zone, take a look at this TEDtalk by Kelly McGonigal. You may see stress slightly differently!
If you are in the yellow zone, see if you can change your body to change your mind by reverse engineering your stress. You can look to reduce the cortisol levels and increase serotonin, (which a mood stabilising hormone). Using good coping strategies and techniques will help you manage your stress levels. Have a look at the GREAT DREAM from Action for Happiness for some good ideas on coping strategies.
If you find yourself in the red zone, it’s time to take action. Reach out for help from your GP or visit Mind who have some great resources and information.