The Evolution Journey Weekly Words: Big Rock #4 - Stress

I'm writing today's post with a feeling of irony. I've recently returned from a lovely relaxing holiday to Greece for which I am very grateful. It was a really relaxing, stress-busting time and I came home feeling refreshed and energised. On my return I threw myself back into my work and for the past couple of weeks I've intermittently experienced feelings of anxiety and stress. These feelings have physically manifested in an increased heart rate, dry mouth, restlessness and an 'empty' feeling in my stomach. Thankfully, I have a good understanding of the physiological process that my body is going through when this happens and I am also fully aware of the triggers so I have strategies in place to manage it. So what is really going on when I feel like this?

What exactly is stress?   

I'll try not to get too 'sciency'! In a nutshell, stress is our body's response to dealing with a perceived threat or pressure. Stress is often thought of in a negative context but it's important to note that stress isn't always a bad thing. Broadly speaking there are two types of stress - physical and psychological.

Physical stress includes things such as training/exercise stress (i.e. in the gym!), trauma (injury, infection, surgery), illness, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, dietary stress, substance abuse etc.

Psychological stress can be emotional - for example resentments, fears, frustration, sadness, anger, grief/bereavement; and cognitive - information overload, accelerated sense of time, worry, guilt, shame, jealousy, self-criticism, self-loathing, unrealistic perfectionism, anxiety, overwhelm etc.

The Stress Response

Whatever the stressor, our body's stress response is the same. Whenever a perceived threat is identified (such as being chased by a grizzly bear!), the body goes into a state of alarm and a series of hormones (chemical messengers) are released into the bloodstream which cause a number of physical responses. Epineprhine (a.k.a. adrenaline) starts the process and this, combined with the release of glucose and cortisol results in high blood pressure, quick and shallow breathing and elevated heart rate. Digestion and other activities are put on pause which is why you might get a feeling of butterflies in your tummy, or need to unexpectedly rush to the loo! This the 'fight or flight' response which is controlled by the Sympathetic Nervous System. If the threat goes away, the body goes into a recovery and repair phase to return to it's normal state. 

Good stress

Training stress is a good thing! The state of alarm and recovery is actually essential when it comes to progressing your training in the gym. If you want to get stronger, fitter or build muscle, the body needs to be given a training stress or stimulus to adapt to. Without it we would miss out on those much sought after gains! (If you want to geek out and read more into this, look up the General Adaptation Syndrome Model by Hans Selye).

Feelings of stress, anxiety or apprehension before an exam, competition or big event are natural and can actually enhance our performance. The boost of adrenalin increases energy and our heightened state can actually help us to be more focussed. 

The release of cortisol can also be a good thing for the body, as it helps to regulate immune function and repair tendons/ligaments, hence why it's release during physical exercise is a crucial part of the recovery process. 

Bad Stress

As mentioned earlier stress can be both physical and psychological and in short bursts the effects on the body aren't harmful. Stress becomes a problem when it isn't resolved and is extended for long periods of time. The body then remains on high alert and it's these constantly elevated levels of cortisol that can wreak havoc with the body. It makes us more vulnerable to illnesses and diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and depression. Some symptoms of long-term stress include:

• Disturbed sleep and difficult falling asleep

• Low energy 

• Low mood, feeling emotional

• Increased blood sugar levels (leading to storing more body fat)

• Suppressed pituitary function (low testosterone)

• Poor immune function - falling ill frequently

• Increased inflammation

• Learning and memory issues

Managing stress

Most of us go experience feeling stressed or anxious at some point in our lives. But everyone's perception of stress is different and is valid for them. Two people may have totally opposing feelings towards a particular event based on their previous experiences or beliefs about the event. It's the stories that we tell ourselves that shape our own reality. 

What I've found to be really useful is to acknowledge these feelings and put in strategies to deal with them, rather than to suppress or ignore them. In my experience, this leads to a much worse feeling of overwhelm. I ask myself 3 questions:

1. Is the cause of the stress something that I can control?

2. Have I experienced this stress before? 

3. Will anything change if I worry about it?

Here are my top lifestyle tips to help alleviate stress:

• Eat a balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats from whole foods

• Eat lots of fruit and veg

• Don't fast or drastically restrict calories

• Exercise regularly 

• Get some sun daily

• Reduce caffeine, alcohol, sugar and nicotine

• Get enough sleep (7-9 hours)

• Introduce relaxing techniques (meditation, deep breathing)

• Do things you enjoy

• Listen to music you like

• Laugh a lot

Focus on controlling the controllables!

Two questions for you:

1. How often do you feel stressed or anxious about something that isn't within your control? 

2. How often do you spend time doing something you enjoy? 

Until next week! 

Charlotte 

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