Ice Bath Weight Loss The S Word - How Stress Affects Us and What We Can Do About It.
Stress is a normal physical response designed to protect you when you sense danger. It is also known as the "flight or fight" response; it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. Stress is not always bad. In a dangerous situation your stress response can save your life. Historically, it gave humans the strength to fight off a predatory animal or the adrenaline to run away from it. Today, it prompts you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident and gives you the strength to defend yourself when attacked.
The problems begin when stress becomes chronic. Our bodies are not meant to be under constant stress, but rather to undergo short periods of stress and then relax. But today, we are continuously under stress: running to appointments, working long hours, and under constant social and financial pressure. Your body does not distinguish between physical and mental or emotional stress - worrying about bills is the same to your body as being physically threatened. Therefore, while we are not in any more physical danger than humans were hundreds of years ago (in many ways we are safer), our bodies are under much more stress.
Some of the adverse affects from chronic stress include: increased cortisol (which leads to increased body fat), insomnia, depression, memory problems, chest pain, digestive problems, and a weakened immune system. Many people do not realize that these symptoms may be caused by stress and so live with them or take medication which merely masks the problem instead of addressing it. Additionally, many people cope with stress in ways that lead to more health problems. Many people eat "comfort foods" or really sugary foods - ice cream, fried foods, etc. - while others do not eat at all. This can lead to obesity, eating disorders, dangerous weight loss, and all the health effects that come with these issues. Some people cope by over-drinking, smoking cigarettes, or taking illegal drugs, which can lead to disease and can be life threatening. Some people sleep too much, some withdraw from friends and family, and others take their stress out on others through angry outbursts or physical violence. (Note: if a person is violent or dealing with an addiction, they should seek professional help.)
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage and reduce stress, and therefore avoid all these effects:
- Start a Stress Journal: When you are feeling stressed write about what caused your stress (guess if you don't know), how you felt physically and mentally, how you acted in response, and what you did to make yourself feel better. Looking back through your entries you may be able to identify patterns that show you what is causing your stress. If you are creating or adding to your stress unnecessarily, try to change your behavior to reduce that stress.
Break a Bad Habit by Starting a Healthy One: If you notice that whenever you have a long or hard day at work you come home and eat ice cream, it is likely that eating the ice cream is a copying mechanism for dealing with stress at work. Once you have recognized this you can then make a conscious effort to replace ice cream with a healthier coping behavior for a stressful day - such as exercising, listening to music, or taking a relaxing bath.
Learn to Say No: If you are always there for your friends and family, but never have time for yourself, you may need to learn to say no. If you are over-booked, telling your sister that you cannot pick up her children or turning down a position on a school committee may allow you to have more time to relax so that you can be less stressed and better at everything you chose to do.
Make Time for Fun and Relaxation: Taking time to relax will reduce the amount of stress your body has to handle, and makes it easier to adapt to stress at other times. Anything that takes your mind off of your stressors can be a means to relax. Taking a bath, reading, and playing with your kids are all good ways to relax. Yoga and meditation are relaxing because they bring you mind back to your breath and body. Guided meditations can lead you into a relaxed space where you can work through stressful issues.
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle: When your body has the nutrients it needs, and you exercise regularly, the body is better able to adapt to stress. Exercise is an excellent form of stress relief because it increases confidence, releases feel-good endorphins, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol.
