Stress. Anybody have that? Or feel that lately?
Or do you just blow it off and almost brag about how you’re handling so much stress?
But really, are you handling it?
It has been estimated that 75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.
Most people I talk to and clients I work with tell me that feeling stressed and overwhelmed is one of their biggest problems. And one of their biggest goals in working with me is to learn how to decrease stress. Is that you, too?
Let’s see. Even if you’re not sure, think about this.
Are you having any of these symptoms?
- Brain Fog
- Fatigue
- Aches and pains
- Sugar Cravings
- Increase in appetite or decrease in appetite
- Bloating, constipation, cramping
- Trouble breathing
- Hair falling out
- Insomnia
- Low motivation
If so, these can be physical symptoms of stress. It’s not just feeling anxious or depressed or having a panic attack.
These other symptoms may indicate you’ve just been ignoring the warning signs. And some people ignore the symptoms until they worsen during stressful circumstances.
Stress can affect what you eat … whether or not you exercise … and how much and how well you sleep …your weight and keeping off weight…or for some keeping on weight….blood sugar levels….emotional health…mental health….spiritual health.
And stress affects your health so much that it can contribute to and worsen chronic health issues including autoimmune and digestive disorders.
Why?
Partially due to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. These are 2 primary parts of our autonomic nervous system which controls our involuntary or automatic responses like breathing, heart beating, digestion, etc.
When you’re stressed, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in so you can escape from the stress. Your body can’t tell the difference between a real problem like a tiger you’re running away from or being cut off in traffic or someone who has ticked you off. So your heart rate and blood pressure increase and your digestion slows down (because if you’re running from a tiger, umm, you’re not going to need to take time to eat a bite, right?). Blood is dispersed into your arms and legs so you can run as fast as you can to escape. This is like the gas pedal in your car. And you obviously are not calm during all this.
But the calming nervous system is called your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the relaxed and peaceful part of your nervous system. Your breathing rate slows, heart rate slows, and digestion occurs best.
It’s like the car’s brake pedal so you can slow down. And this is where you want to live most of the time. But guess where most of us live the majority of the time?
With the sympathetic nervous system racing. It’s like your car’s gas pedal is floored and you’re at a high speed!
So do you see why you’re having those symptoms? And why they worsen during stress?
Statistics show that 33 % of Americans report extreme stress, and 77% of people experience stress that affects their physical health.
So you see, stress really does affect your health and may be a factor in why your health is deteriorating more and more. Plus, why if you already have autoimmune issues, digestive problems, or chronic health problems and you’re stressed out, you aren’t feeling better.
No amount of medicine or even eating a daily salad can help long-term if your stress level is that high all the time!
Here’s another car analogy. The RPMs (Revolutions per minute) in your car is a measure of how fast the engine is spinning and how much power it makes. A normal RPM for your car is about 1500 – 3000 RPM on the highway. What would happen to your car if the RPMs were over 7000? For a brief moment, it’d be okay. But not forever.
Your car wouldn’t run for long or optimally. So what would you do?
Take it to the mechanic to be checked out, fix the problems (s), and have it repaired so it runs at lower RPMs because you don’t want your engine to die so you have to buy a new car, right?
This is similar to our bodies. If we run our body and mind too hard by working too much, or becoming overwhelmed, and allowing stress to be our constant companion, it’s like our car being in a high RPM.
So what can you do?
* Identify where your stressors are and set boundaries for yourself. Say no or get help. (You are not “Captain Save the Planet.” You cannot do it all and still remain healthy!)
*Implement practical stress management strategies. Some are simple and some require a little more effort. But just pick one or two and be consistent.
- Gratitude journal each morning or at night
- Getting outside in sunshine 15 minutes
- Deep breathing (4-7-8 or 5-5-8 techniques: do 5 times)
- Finding joy or something to laugh at each day
- Better nutrition such as eating one extra veggie or piece of fruit each day
- Moving each day, even if it’s just 10 – 15 minutes
- Prayer and devotion each day (even just 5 minutes)
- Find another job
- Ask for help with household responsibilities. Everyone in your family should be pitching in. Or pay someone to help (high school or college student).
- Look into adding supplements – multi (including Vitamin B-6), Omega-3 (fish oil), zinc, Vitamin D and C (but check with your medical practitioner first)
We all have stress in our lives. We will never be totally stress-free. But we can learn how to manage it better which does help decrease those symptoms as well as improve our overall health and outlook. And remember you CAN do this. You don’t have to keep on like you’ve been.
But you do have to make the choice to change. One step at a time. One step if done consistently each day will show results. It will become a habit which becomes your lifestyle. Try one technique this week and see how you feel.
Would you like additional support from me? I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach and also someone who’s been in your shoes personally. I work with women who have fatigue, brain fog, pain, digestive problems, autoimmune issues, and weight struggles. Using nutrition and lifestyle modifications, they are able to decrease symptoms and make positive changes in their health. And I want that for you, too. You can schedule a free 20-minute discovery call where we will talk to see if we’d be a good fit to work together. change in your health. Just click here to schedule. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
