The Stress Response and its Effect on Mind and Body Health
Stressful situations are inevitable in life, and when we encounter them, our body reacts and triggers the stress response, which has a massive impact on our mind and body health.
What is The Stress Response?
The stress response is the ‘fight or flight’ feeling we encounter when in stressful situations and is how the body responds to an ‘emergency’. When the body feels a stressor, the hypothalamus in the brain is activated, sending signals to the pituitary gland and the adrenal medulla. [source].
The body can also trigger hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol as it responds in a way that would have been useful thousands of years ago when we may have been under attack by a wild animal. However, it is less helpful in most modern-day situations. Let’s face it; we’re not often being chased by wild animals these days!
What Are Symptoms of the Stress Response?
There are many physical symptoms triggered by the stress response, such as
Headaches
Nausea
Tightness in the chest
Stomach cramps
Sweating
Diarrhoea
Flushing
Pain in the chest
Increased blood pressure
Constipation
Weight loss or gain
Feeling lightheaded or faint
Feeling like your heart is pounding
It can also trigger emotional responses like
Intolerance
Expecting the worst
Lack of motivation
Anxiety
Stress
Nightmares
Not being able to concentrate
Guilt
Anger
Depression
And finally, it can trigger behavioural responses such as
Neglect
Smoking more
Sleeping less
Speaking aggressively
Nail biting
Increased spending
Decreased or increased eating
That’s so many things triggered by the stress response, right? And those are just some of the most common things as everyone reacts differently.
If you’re going through a stressful situation, you need to do all you can to tackle it, as stress and chronic stress can cause or worsen many serious health problems. Problems adversely affected by stress include mental and physical health, such as anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and much more.
Things you can do to reduce stress levels include
Exercise regularly - Exercise has been proven to reduce stress levels and improve mood
Eat healthy - Ultra-processed foods and foods with high sugar levels are linked to high-stress levels
Step away from your screens - Excessive use of phones, computers and tablets is often linked to increased stress levels and mental health problems
Practice self-care and get plenty of rest - When you’re well-rested, you’re less likely to be as severely affected by stress
Reduce your caffeine intake - It can worsen feelings of anxiety
Practising mindfulness - A very effective stress reduction technique that can help boost your mood and lower stress levels
Change all your stress when you change your thinking
When you feel bad in any way… Sad_ _ Angry_ _ Annoyed_ _Scared_ _Stupid _ _Not good enough _ _ Fill in the blank, you feel this way because of your way of thinking. Regardless of what you think happened, or what you think someone did, that’s not what keeps you feeling what you feel. It’s your way of thinking about it. You were born perfect, then your thoughts followed years later. You may not be able to control your thoughts, but you can control which ones you give your attention to. That is entirely your choice.
Quiet your mind and switch up your thoughts for a beautiful life.
Did you know, mental illness and chronic diseases are linked to our thoughts. So, what thoughts are you dwelling on?
You are the only one controlling your thoughts. Nothing and no one, outside of you, can make you think. You do that all by yourself.
It’s your choice to think right, regardless of your environment. What would that feel like? Having supportive loving thinking all the time. It is possible and available to all of us.
It requires practice like everything else you have become good at and you will become very good at thinking right with conscious practice and tools to remove the subconscious blocks.
If you need help with chronic stress or getting through a particularly stressful situation, I’m here to help you. Book a discovery call with Thashna Walsh Lifestyle Therapy to discuss your issues and get on the path to feeling like you again, without being weighed down by stress.
