Stress Management Part II: Protect Your Health & Wellbeing with Healthy Stress Management

Author: Erika Kawamura, Psy.D

While stress is a normal part of life, it is important to regularly check-in with yourself where your stress level lies because as discussed in the “Stress Management Part I: Where are you on the Stress Bell Curve?” too much stress, and especially when it is prolonged or chronic, can lead to serious health consequences. When a person encounters a stressful event or a modern-day “life or death situation” (e.g. deadlines, near-miss car accident, rushing to catch a train or flight, blow-up argument with loved one that remains unresolved), it can trigger mental, physical, and emotional changes in the body. For example, physical changes can include cortisol (the stress hormone) being released throughout the body, blood pressure elevating, heart rate increasing, muscles tensing up, and gastrointestinal functions slowing down. Mental and emotional impacts can include anxiety, panic, fight-flight-or freeze reaction, “adrenaline rush” feeling, easily irritated, and difficulty focusing or concentrating on anything else except the stressor. Such responses can be beneficial and effective in the short-term, and when it subsides after the stressor passes or is resolved. However, if you take a moment to really think about your body staying in that state described above for a prolonged or chronic period of time without rest, you can likely understand how it could take a toll on your health and wellbeing, such as experiencing sleep difficulties, decreased or increased appetite, gastrointestinal issues, metabolic and/or hormonal changes, headaches, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, exhaustion, or burnout…or worse, even lead to serious health consequences such as hypertension, cardiac issues, and stroke.

 

Some of you may be faced with external stressor(s) where there is no end in sight and anticipating (or already experiencing) that prolonged or chronic state of stress due to circumstances such as being a primary caregiver to a loved one, having a highly demanding job (e.g. long hours, heavy workload, frequent business trips), coping with a chronic health condition, or being a single parent while working full-time or even two jobs. Others may feel that “there’s always something” & cannot seem to be able to catch a break, where a new stressor pops up as soon as one gets resolved or subsides. Some of you may have begrudgingly accepted that life is “always” going to be “crazy” and stressful, and that it is just what modern society has become.

 

Whatever your circumstance, here are some tips to manage your stress response so you can continue to fulfill the chronic demands in a sustainable way while still thriving and reducing your risk of experiencing the above physical, mental, and emotional health consequences:

 

• Self-awareness is the first step. Set aside 10-30 seconds to regularly check-in with your stress level by identifying where you feel that you are on that bell curve or rate your stress level on a 1-10 scale (10 being highest).
• Allow yourself to pause for 30-60 seconds to let yourself take 3-5 cycles of deep breathing every time you start to feel stressed, anxious, tense, or overwhelmed. Deep, diaphragmic breathing activates the vagus nerve, and in turn, the parasympathetic nervous system, which “shuts off” that fight-flight physiological reaction; this physiological change allows for the heart rate and blood pressure to decrease and return to baseline, muscles to loosen up the tension, and other functions to return to baseline. Emotionally and mentally, it can help one to feel calmer, less overwhelmed, and take a pause and regroup to figure out how one wants to respond instead of reacting.
• Give yourself 10-30 minutes to incorporate physical relaxation practices, such as yoga, stretching, or progressive muscle relaxation to further gain self-awareness of areas of tension and learn how to physically relax.
• Pick one thing you already do in your day (bonus points if it is a simple pleasure you enjoy) to practice informal mindfulness and pay attention to your five senses to take a break from your mental chattering of thoughts. Alternatively, practice mindfulness or meditation exercises or one from an app, whether it be for 5, 10, 15, or even 30 minutes. Regular practice can even start to rewire your brain!
• Identify at least 1 thing daily to look forward to or a simple pleasure to experience positive emotions amidst the stress.
• Be intentional about connecting with loved ones or friends, even if it is a quick text, but prioritize phone or in- person whenever you can. Social connections & support are protective factors for not just emotional but also physical health! According to the World Health Organization, social connections can help decrease inflammation in the body, reduce risk of developing serious health conditions (e.g. cardiac issues, stroke, cognitive decline), foster mental health, and even prevent early death.
• Don’t forget to laugh! There is some truth to that saying, “laughter is the best medicine,” because it helps alleviate physical tension and stress by releasing endorphins and serotonin while decreasing stress hormones (e.g. cortisol), and a moment of positive emotion is experienced.
• Incorporate at least 30 minutes of physical activity, 5 days a week to shake off your stress, help improve sleep and energy level, and reduce risk of serious health conditions (e.g. diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension); bonus points to get moving with your loved ones or friends so you can also take advantage of that social connection! It can be anything from walking, hiking, biking, parking farther or walking (if safe & practical) to do your errands, taking two 15-minute walks per day with your dog (your furbaby will thank you too!), etc.
• Feed your body and brain for optimal performance! Working toward a whole food plant based eating pattern or even the Mediterranean diet that is filled with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, Omega-3’s, and fiber from its natural food sources (i.e. not in a vitamin pill or added into processed “food”) can fuel your body and brain with the proper nutrition to function effectively for both the short- and long-term. If this feels foreign to you, start with 1 small step such as adding 1 piece of fruit and/or a salad or vegetable each day, swapping 1 meal a day or week that is vegetarian, or decreasing the amount of red or processed meat by swapping it with a lean meat, fish, or plant-based protein (e.g. beans, tofu, tempeh). When you’re stressed, it is human nature to grab the “comfort foods” or “junk foods,” such as a dessert, fast food, or anything processed, both for reasons of limited time and physiologically, these types of food trigger our brain to release dopamine (reward center) and tend to be highly palatable & desirable, resulting in feeling “good” temporarily. However, once that short-lived positive rush passes, it can actually increase stress, the spike and crash of the blood sugar can lead to fatigue, and the chemicals in the food can trigger headaches or migraines or gastrointestinal issues in some people; in the long-term, eating patterns that predominantly consist of processed foods and animal products can lead to chronic inflammation, cardiac issues, hypertension, diabetes, weight concerns, cognitive issues, some cancers, and premature death.
• Reframe sleep as part of a basic human necessity instead of a “luxury”! Aiming to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night not only allows you to feel well-rested, have enough energy to get through the day, feel less easily irritable or stressed, and feel mentally sharp and focused, it also allows the body to reset and recharge at the physiological level. Chronic sleep deprivation or poor quality sleep can lead to metabolic or hormonal changes (e.g. changes in the hormones responsible for hunger and fullness signals where one feels more easily hungry while feeling less satiated; cravings for junk food), changes in insulin sensitivity or blood sugar that can lead to diabetes, increase in cortisol (stress hormone), weakened immunity, elevated blood pressure, cardiac issues, and weight gain.
• Try 1 or more of these above strategies instead of reaching for that alcoholic beverage or cigarette or other substance of choice! Similar to the above mechanism of “junk food,” these substances may provide a sense of temporary relief and have their own physiological impacts in how it does so (e.g. nicotine triggers a rush of dopamine to be released), but it can reinforce or exacerbate your stress experience and lead to increased risk of emotional, cognitive, and physical health consequences.

 

When you are faced with chronic or prolonged sources of stress, it is easy to neglect your self-care, health, and wellbeing due to various reasons such as feeling there is not enough time, feeling too tired for these practices or activities, or feeling guilty or not deserving of it. However, the hope is that the next time these reasons or thoughts of “I’ll do it tomorrow” come up, you will remind yourself that these few seconds, minutes, or moments you give to yourself are crucial to sustain yourself at the optimal level to meet the demands of these chronic stressors. Think of yourself as a car driving cross-country or a person running a marathon…you wouldn’t expect the car to go cross country without stopping for gas or charging it, nor would you expect the person to run 26.2 miles and achieve a personal record without pausing at the water station.

 

Equilibria is a group of licensed mental health professionals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with multiple specialties to serve all aspects of our diverse community’s mental, emotional, and behavioral needs. We provide in person and telehealth services to individuals of all ages, families, and those in relationships. Click here to schedule an appointment today.