Are you stressed?

Do you know how stress affects your body and brain? 

I’ve addressed the idea of stress on this blog many times, but I feel it’s so important I’d like to consider it yet again.

So let’s dive into the topic of stress: what stress is, what happens in our bodies when we experience stress, how stress affects the brain, and most importantly, what we can do about it.

Are you stressed out?

How do you know if you are experiencing stress?

For some people, the signs of stress are obvious. They get frazzled, feel overwhelmed, on edge, and their muscles tense. Sometimes stress manifests as anxiety, physical tension, emotional outbursts, or an overactive mind.

But did you realize that you may also be stressed if you struggle with exhaustion, digestive problems, or unexplained body aches?

So, if you feel exhausted all day every day, even after getting a decent night’s sleep, it may be due to excess or chronic stress and adrenal issues.

If the amount of stress you experience (your stress load) is greater than what your adrenal glands can manage, you can enter a state of stress-induced adrenal overload. This is one of the most common health issues in today’s society. Yet it is the most overlooked. 

Your adrenal glands are two small, triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They are often considered our “stress glands” because they produce certain hormones (like cortisol) in response to stress. They also help regulate our metabolism, affect our immune system function, control our blood pressure, play a role in our cognitive function, and help balance our hormones.

These stress glands, or adrenals, are most commonly known for helping the body cope with stress. They constitute a significant part of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which is responsible for how we manage when things get tough. 

In other words, the HPA axis is the driving force behind the stress response.

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This is the first time ever that I have ever had a blood pressure test come back as "normal" blood pressure reading, even when I was relatively fit and working for Canadian Pacific Railway.  That was also during a stressful circumstance as well, which is quite mind boggling to think about.

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These are things I can only thank you for, and I can also give myself a touch of credit for staying strong and following the program. I've had some instances were I fell through and was unable to follow it, but after starting to not feel good, I made strong efforts to get back onto the dietary program and continue. And there are clear signs that things are still improving. 

—Jacob S. British Columbia

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The stress response

The HPA axis is our body’s central response system to stress. It’s made of three parts: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. Every time the body perceives stress, it springs to action.

Once the hypothalamus detects stress, it sends a chemical called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) to the pituitary gland, telling it to start secreting other hormones. 

One of the hormones the pituitary gland (often called the body’s “master gland”) releases is called ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). This hormone activates the adrenals, so it starts producing hormones designed to aid in the stress response. 

These hormones include cortisol, adrenaline, and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone).

Cortisol - Cortisol is one of the best-known stress chemicals. It’s our body’s “long-term” stress hormone. When cortisol is present in the blood, glucose is released and the body switches into “fight or flight” or “survival” mode. When this happens, all non-essential bodily functions are reduced to allow our main organs and large muscles to be ready to act or escape if needed. That means our immune defences and digestive functions are put on the back burner or suppressed. 

Adrenaline - Adrenaline (also called epinephrine) is one of the hormones released immediately (and in abundance) when the hypothalamus senses danger. This quick surge of adrenaline is our body’s primary rapid-response hormone. It instantly increases heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. It gives the body a rush of energy to escape if needed. Our hands and feet may become cooler as blood moves away from the extremities toward the large muscles and main organs to help us run or defend ourselves. Our pupils will also dilate in order to help us see better. All these bodily reactions happen the instant adrenaline kicks in. 

DHEA - DHEA is our “anti-aging” hormone and has many functions. It regulates immunity, helps control the inflammatory process, and keeps the immune system on high alert. But DHEA does much more than that! Our body uses it to make androgens and estrogens (our sex hormones). Higher levels of DHEA are related to improved mood, reduced fatigue, and overall improved well-being.  

Thanks to the HPA axis, our natural stress response allows us to react quickly and move to safety when faced with a threat. This system is crucial for our survival. However, when our body perceives stress for an extended time, like months or even years, our natural stress response will lose its effectiveness and become counter-productive. 

Excess cortisol and reduced levels of DEHA will contribute to anxiety, irritability, annoyance, and depression. These depleting emotions zap our energy and leave us drained, with no resources to fight back - even when faced with minimal daily stressors.

Chronic vs acute stress

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Acute or situational stress happens in the moment - when a perceived threat arises, and our nervous system springs to action to alert us to the threat. Many of these events occur in our daily lives, like when a squirrel darts across the road in front of us and we must break quickly to prevent hitting it, or we are just about to fall asleep and a dog barks, initiating our startle response. 

Other acute stressors can occur when our boss informs us of a timeline change at work and we have to rush to get the job done, when we’re caught in a thunder and lightning storm while camping, or when we touch a hot pan and react quickly to prevent further damage. 

In each situation, we instantly shift into fight or flight mode. Our heart pounds and adrenaline is released to give us a quick burst of energy to defend ourselves or react immediately. Once the danger subsides, the fear and stress chemicals released are purged from the system. Our heart rate, blood pressure, and hormone levels return to normal. 

This stress response is vital to our survival. It allows us to escape danger when it appears and alerts us to anything that threatens our comfort. Our nervous system generally bounces back from these acute stressors relatively easily.  

The problem is our body can’t differentiate between the different kinds of stress we experience. Whether it’s the physical stress at the sight of a wolf while hiking, the mental stress caused by working 60 hours a week, or the emotional stress from dealing with a breakup or aggravating relative, our body reacts the same way by pumping out loads of stress chemicals.

An even greater problem arises when we live under chronic or long-term stress. 

Chronic stress occurs when our nervous system turns the stress response on and keeps it on for an extended period. This can happen when we’re chronically ill, dealing with a neurodiverse child or elderly parent, are in an unhealthy relationship, or have a demanding, high-paced job. Chronic stress also tends to be cumulative - it’s not “one thing” but several things stacked onto each other - none of which are easy to deal with on their own.

When we perceive any or many of these stresses daily, we can get stuck in high adrenaline, high cortisol, and high-stress mode. Our nervous system is constantly working overtime and acting to protect us full-time, so it has no energy left to place on our long-term goals like weight loss, digesting the meal we just ate, or relaxation. 

This disrupts many of our body’s normal life processes and can eventually lead to various health problems.

Over time, the sustained, unhealthy stimulation of the adrenal glands can eventually exhaust these glands. When ongoing stress is combined with the excessive consumption of sugar, ultra-processed foods, or alcohol, the results can be even more drastic. 

How stress affects the brain

This cannot come as a surprise, but the brain is highly sensitive to the effects of stress.

The HPA axis can get stuck in overdrive when stress becomes a serious issue. The brain will continually signal the adrenal glands to continue releasing stress hormones. Eventually, the adrenal glands can become overworked and get depleted. 

Once this happens, the body can no longer manage even minor daily stressors. Everything will seem like an insurmountable problem. In this way, long-term or chronic stress impairs our short-term stress response. 

When we’re stuck in survival mode, our fight or flight hormone patterns are also stuck, delivering blood to the large muscles and starving the brain. Without adequate blood flow to the brain for an extended period, our overall brain function will decline, as will our emotional well-being.

Moreover, chronic stress will also negatively impact gut health, killing off some of its friendly bacteria. This is a problem for many reasons, but when the bacteria involved in producing GABA and serotonin are depleted, these essential neurotransmitters will also be reduced, leaving us moody, irritable, lacking focus, and unable to sleep.

So what can we do?

What can you do about it?

The first step in managing chronic stress is to recognize what is happening. 

What if you started to see stress as not a problem but a solution?

What if you considered your body’s stress response as your body’s way of alerting you to danger and only showing up in an attempt to protect you?

Would that change your reaction to stress?

The more awareness we have about what is happening, the less power it has on us. 

That statement is worth repeating and remembering… the more awareness we have about what is happening in our nervous system, the less power it has over us. 

So when we feel constantly overwhelmed, anxious, out of control, or tense, we should recognize that it’s our nervous system’s way of showing up to protect us.

In fact, this simple acknowledgement can move us from feeling disempowered (or afraid of our thoughts and experiences) to having a roadmap and practical steps to work with.

After all, a stressful event itself is not the problem. What is the problem is how we perceive the event.

So now that we understand what is happening, how can we minimize the adverse effects of chronic stress and regain balance? The answer is fourfold:

1. Understand that stress is our body’s way of trying to protect us. When we see stress for what it is - our body’s reaction to a perceived event - we can regain control and decide how much attention the situation warrants.

2. Maintain a healthy HPA axis to help alleviate adrenal overload. We can attain this through regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, regular meditation practices, practicing gratitude, laughing more, and considering adaptogenic herbals to better help us cope with stress. Some of these include Panax ginseng, Rhodiola, ashwagandha, green tea extract, and holy basil.

3. Eat well. Cut out the most damaging and inflammatory foods like white sugar, gluten-containing grains, artificial sweeteners, and deep-fried foods. Focus meals around whole, nutrient-dense foods, fresh fruits and vegetables of various colours, quality protein foods, and ample omega-3 fatty acids. Consider supplementing with vitamin C, omega-3s, probiotics, and a quality multivitamin that contains essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, and zinc. 

4. Add in a few fundamental lifestyle changes. Cut out lifestyle toxins that come from cigarette smoke and excessive alcohol. Know what other lifestyle habits contribute to stress, like fasting, intense exercise, dehydration, and excess caffeine. Honour yourself by taking time out for yourself and your needs. And consider good stress-management techniques like HeartMath.

Following these tips can help you better manage life’s stressors as they arise, increase resilience to allow your body to bounce back from acute stressors more efficiently, and improve energy, cognition, and overall well-being. 

Of course, if these suggestions or not knowing where to start create more stress, then please reach out for support! Start slowly with one suggestion and take it from there.

HeartMath

One way of helping your body combat stress, become more resilient, and bounce back from the effects of stress is using the evidence-based principles behind HeartMath.

Researchers at the Institute of HeartMath have shown when we intentionally shift to a positive emotion like appreciation, care, gratitude, or love, our heart rhythms change. This change positively benefits the entire body through a cascade of biological, hormonal, and neural chemical events. The effects are immediate as well as long-lasting. 

Depleting emotions experienced when we are stressed lead to disorderly and chaotic heart rhythms. However, harmony and rhythmic heart patterns will be created when we experience renewing emotions like joy, appreciation, kindness and care. This harmony will extend throughout the body and nervous system, improving mental clarity, focus, energy, and cognitive abilities. 

The heart-focused breathing techniques taught through HeartMath can have far-reaching effects - especially if your nervous system seems stuck in overdrive. 

How do you learn these techniques? From a Certified HeartMath Practitioner - like me! Contact me to get started today!

As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know your thoughts by dropping me a line or commenting below.

[Medical Disclaimer]

Please consult with your doctor(s) before starting any new mental or physical health improvement program. The advice I offer is not intended to replace that of your medical practitioner. I am not a medical professional, nor am I qualified to diagnose, cure treat, or prevent disease. The advice I provide on this website is intended for a broad and diverse audience, and as such, deals with general lifestyle concepts, not specific healthcare advice. This material disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the advice expressed herein.