Stress. A little word but a HUGE deal.
Do you know how it’s impacting your life?
Modern life can give us more stress than we’re designed to cope with long-term.
The fight/flight/freeze response was fine back when we were faced with the threat of wild animals. It still serves us well if someone runs into the road in front of our car and we have to slam on the brakes…
It’s designed for situations where we need to respond quickly. But we’re not meant to live in a constantly stressed state.
Today’s stresses are very different to caveman times but the physiological response is the same. Our bodies flood with adrenaline and cortisol.
We get a quick energy boost so we can run away or fight. Our hearts pound, our breathing is fast, and our digestion shuts down.
All fine if we’re facing an imminent attack from a predator.
Not so good if we have deadlines to meet, presentations to give, and difficult conversations to have.
The stress hormones prepare our muscles for physical action, but they divert energy from our brains. So at the very time we need to be able to think clearly, the fight/flight/freeze response makes it really difficult to do.
You might have been living with stress for so long that you don’t even realise the effect it’s having on you.
Do any of these symptoms sound familiar?
Tension headaches, raised blood pressure, shallow breathing, indecision, not thinking straight, lack of concentration, poor sleep, too much sleep, digestion problems like IBS, anxiety, depression, weight gain, aches and pains….
If you have symptoms that might be caused by stress, ask yourself what’s the root cause. Are you happy with whatever that situation is? If not, think about how you could change it. It’s also worth seeing a doctor to check that there isn’t another reason for your symptoms.
If you’re happy with the situation that’s causing your stress, you’ll need to learn strategies to manage it. Long-term stress is bad for your health. Ultimately, it can lead to overwhelm and burnout, and those can take a long time to recover from.
Strategies like deliberate slow breathing and mindfulness will help you to deal with immediate stresses, eg when a difficult situation comes up at work. One of my favourites in my career as a solicitor was my “here and now” stone. I carried a small crystal in my bag (you could have it in a pocket instead) and when I needed time out from a stressful moment, I’d feel the stone to bring me back into the present. Just handling it and noticing how it felt – smooth, jagged, cool, warm, etc – would calm my racing thoughts and help me feel better able to deal with whatever was facing me.
Longer-term, it’s important to prioritise self-care. Everyone’s different so you’ll need to find out what works for you. Gratitude journalling, daily meditation, regular exercise (of a kind you enjoy) and spending time in nature help many people.
For more ideas get your free copy of my e-book, The Self-Care Alphabet below
