The 1980s celebrated the “power suit” and the pressure cooker, but today, we know the truth about the long-term consequences of chronic stress. Our bodies, originally designed to meet short-lived threats, are now drowning in a sea of constant information, leaving us perpetually overwhelmed.
Research has shown us that our stress response is an evolutionary mismatch to the stressors we face in our daily lives. Our ancestors faced acute, physical stressors: a saber-toothed tiger, a sudden storm. These threats were immediate and were met with a “fight-or-flight” response that eventually passed, allowing for the stress cycle to complete and return to a state of “rest and digest.”
While our bodies are still incredibly efficient at handling short bursts of stress, the type and frequency with which the stressors of today are delivered is different.
Stress now is constant, psychological, and intangible: looming deadlines, financial worries, relationship issues, and the neverending ping of notifications. Our brains can’t quite tell the difference between a tiger and a text message – it’s all stress.
The result? We’re constantly activating the stress response, leading to chronic stress and its associated health problems.
While acute stress can be a motivator – think of the adrenaline rush before a big presentation – chronic stress is toxic. It increases the risk of serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. It also impacts our sleep and immune system, potentially wreaking havoc on our long-term health.
Some effects of chronic stress are subtle and occur without physical symptoms:
- For example, it can elevate cortisol levels, a hormone released in response to stress.
- Persistently high cortisol can disrupt sleep, impair cognitive function, and contribute to weight gain.
- It also impacts blood sugar levels, affecting insulin sensitivity and increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
While these markers are often checked for other health concerns, recognizing their connection empowers us to take proactive steps. At Sarana Health, we understand the complexities of this unavoidable issue and its impact on your health. Our team is equipped to analyze your bloodwork and create personalized lifestyle plans to address your comprehensive wellness needs.
Breaking free from the grip of chronic stress and cultivating a healthier, more balanced life requires a holistic approach. Because our response systems haven’t quite evolved to meet the rapid succession of modern-day stressors, we must evolve the way we manage it. This means moving beyond simply reacting to stress and developing proactive strategies to mitigate its impact.
Here are some key areas to focus on:
- Cover Your Basics: Make sure you are well-fed, moved, rested, and connected. These are the simplest ways to ensure you are resourceful enough to be helpful, in the moment when stress occurs.
- Recognize Your Stressors: Understanding how your body responds to stress is the first step in management. This means paying attention to your physical signals, thought patterns, and behaviors when you are working through a stressful event. Note: It can be really hard to focus on this when you’re in an emergency situation, so try to pay attention when something like a last-minute email comes through.
- Build Your Toolbox: The book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, details ways to complete your cycle. That is, strategies to build tools that work for you to help you reconcile stressful events in your day-to-day life. This can be anything from exercise, to screaming into a pillow to a long (consensual) hug or kiss. There are an abundance of strategies to help your body return to rest and digest. The key is to find your way.
- Professional Guidance: Seeking help can be the most powerful move you make in your progress toward stress management. At Sarana, we take a holistic approach, addressing the whole person to ensure that we aren’t treating your stress in a silo.
This is just a starting point.
The key is to experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.
Remember, evolving your stress management is a journey of trial and error. It requires ongoing effort and self-reflection, and at Sarana, we’re here to help.
