Managing Stress

As I write this, I know, you know what stress is, we all feel it and we all experience it. It’s a normal adaptive response. Although it’s hard to define and definitions have evolved over time and are not set in stone.

The likes of Hans Selye is known as the modern-day founder of stress and developed ‘the general adaptation syndrome which describes the body’s short-term and long-term stressors.

When individuals are exposed to a stressor, they are first taken off guard, then attempt to maintain homeostasis by resisting the change and then eventually fall victim to exhaustion in countering the stressor.

You’ve probably heard of the ‘fight or flight' response, where the nervous system is activated to keep us safe, and provide energy to either fight the threat or flee from it.

A definition that I believe encompasses stress well is the following:

Stress is defined as excessive stimulation of the body’s resources, recognised as psychological and physiological reactivity to environmental factors that can manifest negative symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, or depression.

I think this definition works well as emphasises that stress is both psychological and physiological. In the past, there has been a lot of emphasis on emotional and mental stress, and less so on the stress that the body can experience due to poor biological functioning.

Both physiological and psychological when ongoing without resolution can drive inflammation and manifest in physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

How is stress controlled?

Stress is controlled by the nervous system, named the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts:

• A system of stress - sympathetic nervous system or activity mode.

• A system of de-stress - parasympathetic nervous system or restorative mode.

Understanding both parts helps us better learn how to control stress; in some way the term ‘autonomic’ can be miss leading as we can learn how to control our nervous system better.

The role of the nervous system is to perceive what is happening in the outside world and to mount an appropriate response to mobilise the body into action to make something happen to ultimately help us survive. The system has been built to keep us safe.

The system however does not recognise the difference between perceived stress and a real life threat and the response is the same physiologically. Stress affects us all differently.

Stress is a good thing, we just don’t want it around for long as that’s when it becomes damaging.

What causes stress?

Stressors can be mental, physical, emotional, and physiological.

When we think about stress we immediately think about mental and emotional stressors that life throws at us, and often underestimate biological stressors that can also activate our nervous system and impact functioning.

Here are a number of factors that can contribute to the amount of stress we carry:

• Poor nutritional status, inadequate nutrients

• Poor digestion

• Poor absorption of nutrients

• Poor elimination of toxins

• Overactivity of stimulants on the body, caffeine, alcohol, sugar

• Food allergies and intolerances

• Infections

• Presence of toxic chemicals

• Emotional and psychological stress

What happens to our bodies when we are stressed?

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) regulates the body’s physiological response to stress.

A stressor (physical, mental or emotional) stimulates the hypothalamus in the brain, which directs the pituitary gland (also located in the brain) to release adrenocorticotropic hormone, which regulates the production and secretion of hormones from the adrenals including cortisol.

Cortisol controls inflammation, regulates the body’s response to infection and stress, as well as maintaining blood pressure, blood sugar, and cardiovascular health.

The adrenals also produce adrenalin and noradrenaline responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response, which manifests as increased heart rate, blood pressure, rapid breathing, and greater blood flow to muscles.

During periods of stress, the main function of cortisol in this response is to generate energy from body stores for the muscle and brain to mobilise the body, and prepares us for action, and should be followed by a quick recovery.

Prolonged exposure to stressful events or stressors without recovery can lead to extended exposure to cortisol can have an impact negatively on all bodily systems including digestion, sleep, hormones, blood sugar, weight gain, fatigue, cravings, mood, anxiety, and immune function.

Learning to control stress is important for long-term health and vitality.

Can stress be good?

Small bouts of stress in low doses for a short period of time can generate a positive adaptive response and help improve our ability to handle longer term stressors.

Benefits of short-term stress include:

• Anti-inflammatory

• Fights infection and liberates immune cells

• Helps improve focus

• Helps make us feel alter

We see this with exercise and also in situations that are new, that make us feel uncomfortable for example giving a presentation or public speaking, both create this sense of achievement. It’s learning to feel comfortable, with the uncomfortable.

If we try and do something we’ve never done before it can be stressful, it can also feel good. This sensation protects us physically and mentally and is associated with neuroplasticity.

Acute stressors in short durations enhances functioning. Where it becomes problematic is when we don’t recover and continue to live in high alert

We can learn to control stress and find balance?

We live in times of constant stress. Stress for one person is different for another, it’s personal. Before we can learn to control stress we must first understand when we feel it.

Acute stress is much easier to decipher, we immediately feel the effects of the ‘fight or flight’ response in the body and mind, heart bumps faster, we feel hot, agitated, dry mouth, you can literally feel the energy, the need to move or action something.

In these acute spells, it’s leaning to activate the opposite side of the nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system to control the sympathetic response. Engaging in behaviour that activates the rested state.

How? Breath is probably one of the quickest and easiest tools that can change our physiology, flip us into a rested mode. Extending the exhale (out breath) slows the heart rate as the diaphragm moves down, the heart gets bigger. Breathing with an extended out breath for 2-5 mins can help calm the body and mind to enable us to think more clearly, and therefore respond well.

Changing your perspective as well. Move rooms, go outside, and see the horizon, moving your vision from a narrow perspective to a wider view.

Chronic stress is a little more complex, and often the signs can be dismissed, or ignored, or thought of as ‘normal’, ‘oh this is just me, there’s nothing I can do about it. Symptoms are warning signs and should be listened to. Sleep and digestion are often the first symptoms experienced with chronic stress, as well as anxiety.

Typical symptoms experienced with chronic stress:

• Disrupted sleep

• Irritability

• Short tempered

• Digestive issues

• Anxiety

• Weight gain

• Feeling of overwhelm

• Fatigue

• Inability to focus

How to control stress?

Is not about eliminating stress, it's about recovering from ALL stressors well. Understanding when you are off track, listening to the warning signals, and appropriately recovering. As I always say, it’s only in rest that we can adapt and become stronger. Athletes understand this notion really well.

The aim is to grow resilience to enhance our ability to handle what life throws our way.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines resilience as:

“It’s not something people have or don’t have. It involves behaviour, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed by anyone”.

We are not born with it, we must learn new behaviours, behaviours are concrete, easy to understand and adopt, we can control behaviour whereas thoughts and feelings are hard to control and hugely emotional, unique, and personal.

Knowing this is powerful; we have the ability to modify the brain and the body through actions daily. It’s in our control. Knowing this changes everything, but takes practice.

What actions can help control stress?

It’s a holistic approach to identify and reduce stressors on the body from the environment that depletes energy whilst at the same time improving resilience.

Let's start with the getting basics right.

Sleep

If you don’t get enough restorative sleep your energy will be compromised.

Preparing for sleep starts the moment you wake up. See the sun outside safely as you rise, this helps to set the circadian rhythm and start the clock of when the sleep hormones should be produced.

A lack of sleep can elevate cortisol, disrupt blood sugars, and cause us to make poor eating choices the following day, further disrupting blood sugar.

Keep to a regular sleeping pattern, so get up and go to bed at the same time each day.

Prepare for sleep, allow an appropriate wind down time before bed, find your perfect sleep ritual that limits evening exposure to blue light, being away from all screens at least 2 hours before bed, and engage in something that soothes and calms the mind before bed, breathing, reading a book, journaling. Poor sleep is a symptom and in many cases can be put right with the right behaviour in the daytime. There are a few exceptions.

Identify your stressors

This is super important. Being constantly on the go can make it hard to recognise how stressed you are and what it is that may be stressing you.

It's worth spending some time reflecting daily, a good way to start is to make a list of the things in your day that gives you energy and what takes it away, and see if you can reduce or remove any stressors, or allow extra time to prepare and recovery from them.

Reflecting daily allows you to find your triggers and once you understand these you have much more power to do something about it, it’s a little bit of effort that will pay off.

Plan your ‘downtime’ everyday

This is not sleeping. On average in a 24-hour cycle we should be active for 12 hours and rest for 12 hours, if you are sleeping for 7, then 5 hours in your day must be made up of downtime whereby you are engaging the ‘de-stress’ system. What this is, is personal to you. Activities that bring joy, and allow you to connect with the present, live in the moment, and escape the past or the future.

Reframe your mindset

Learn to be more present and appreciate the small things. We can often be distracted by worries and thoughts that control our minds and we lose the ability to live in the present. By honing in on the small things that you love you can escape this constant noise. When you drink your favourite tea or coffee really notice what you are doing, give your attention fully, and think about how it tastes, smells, looks.

Find presence with the mundane

We all have mundane tasks we must do daily. Use these as a good way to bring you into the present. These tasks are a great way to escape worries and concerns. As above really pay attention to what you are doing, notice what you touch, how you move, the colours the temperature. Sounds silly, I promise noticing the detail provides a means of escapism from your stressors and lands you in the present moment, and it's here you can rest.

Move

Movement is key. In times of fight or flight by moving you can help to dispel the energy, even by jumping up and down the moment you feel the energy rise, or having a good shake, dancing of course. Movement helps to increase endorphins and relieve tension. It can be anything, a brisk walk, running, cycling, yoga, swimming, Qigong.

Heighten your senses

Stimulate your senses; it really helps to make you feel alive. Cold water is a perfect example; you really feel the sensations that energise your body and mind. You can also do this with breath work, music, massage, reflexology and experiencing new things, visiting new places, or trying new foods.

Nutrition

Nutrition is fundamental. You need the right foods to function well, and to make sure the body is efficiently removing toxins, and remove the foods that can drive dysfunction.

Reduce your exposure to stimulants particularly caffeine and alcohol. They can activate the nervous system that makes us feel good in the moment but can have lasting effects and drive imbalances.

As I write this I am just drinking a lovely alcohol free mushroom beer by a company called, Fungtn highly recommend. There are some great alternatives out there now, not only are they better for you, you can heighten your senses and try something new.

If you love coffee like me, you can turn to a great decaf or swap in a Green tea which is rich in beneficial plant compounds, also contains L-Theanine which helps to reduce cortisol and down regulate the stress response helping you to feel calm.

Balance blood sugars

This one of the most important aspects of nutrition, to provide the right fuel that helps to maintain good energy, keep you feeling full, whilst protecting your organs and reducing inflammation and the risk of chronic disease.

I believe that blood sugar balance is the key to longevity and vitality.

Start by removing sugar, processed foods, and foods made of white refined carbohydrates. These foods throw off your blood sugar and disrupt insulin, the energy storing hormone. We want our bodies to be sensitive to insulin so that we can utilise the fuel well, and make sure the fuel enters the cells. These foods can cause insulin resistance.

• Remove cakes, biscuits, white bread, pasta, bagels, cereals

• Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast:

  • Eggs

  • Porridge made with wholegrain oats with nuts and seeds

  • Protein smoothies

  • Chia puddings

  • Flaxseed porridge with berries

  • Yoghurt berries and seeds

  • Organic tofu scramble with avocado and spinach

• Eat a good quality protein source for lunch and dinner

• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids - chia, flax & hemp seeds, walnuts, fatty fish

• Include healthy fats in all of your meals – olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives

• Eat 6-10 portions of vegetables per day, choosing plenty of leafy greens at least 2 cups per day – spinach, kale, broccoli, chard, watercress, bok choy

• Choose complex carbohydrates – beans, pulses, brown rice, quinoa, jumbo oats & starchy vegetables, these foods are rich in fibre can also help to look after the gut

Avoid eating food at least 3-4 hours before bed, we are made to restore at night and having food in the digestive tract can impair this, as well as disrupt blood sugar impacting your sleep.

When you eat chew your food thoroughly.

Lastly, I would say if you are experiencing any digestive issues please contact a health professional to identify any food intolerances, sensitivities, and digestive dysfunction.

Blood sugar balance is unique to each individual I will be discussing this more in the future and how to find your perfect nutrition plan.

Key nutrients to support stress and energy?

B vitamins are important for the production of energy, for the production of neurotransmitters, and support stress control. They can be found in whole grains, leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, lentils, and fish.

Vitamin C is especially concentrated in the adrenal glands where it is required with magnesium and B5 for the production of cortisol. Vitamin C is rapidly used up in periods of stress for this reason. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant to help reduce oxidative stress, all cells are prone to oxidative damage especially in times of high stress. Good food sources include peppers, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, and citrus fruits.

Magnesium is a mineral that plays an important role in both the brain and the body. It supports energy production, blood pressure and blood sugar metabolism, mood, digestive regularity, and more. In times of stress, magnesium becomes heavily depleted. Magnesium inadequacy is very common, low levels can result in stress and anxiety. Good food sources include pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, and leafy green vegetables.

Reduce toxic load

Toxins from the environment are big stressors, which can damage cells, disrupt hormones and deplete nutrients. Along side reducing the load it’s important that the body can eliminate toxins, as well as clear excess neurotransmitters and hormones produced by the stress response. It’s important for the detoxification pathways to work really well.

• Buy organic whenever possible

• Filter your water

• Remove plastics and store food products in glass containers

• Choose natural skincare products

• Choose natural cleaning products for your home

Stress is complex, stress is personal, the starting point is aiming to reduce the environmental load and the things that impact you the most. It’s a journey of discovery and practicing behaviours that help you to calm the mind.