STRESS AND ANXIETY ARE NORMAL TO EXPERIENCE AND CAN AFFECT THE MIND AND THE BODY. BOTH CAN BE TRIGGERED WHEN EXPERIENCING A CHALLENGING OR THREATENING SITUATION, AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THEM. LIKE OTHER EMOTIONAL RESPONSES, IT IS BENEFICIAL TO UNDERSTAND THEM IN ORDER TO GUIDE YOU TO A SOLUTION OR A WAY TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM.
Stress
Stress has no universal definition, but a simple way to understand it is that one believes they do not have sufficient resources to manage the problem, thus triggering the stress response. Generally, stress is a response to external, imposed pressure such as deadlines, unexpected bills, a big test, or arguing with a friend. Typically, it subsides once the situation resolves. Stress can be short-term or long-term. It can be positive or negative. For example, it may motivate you to meet a deadline or cause you to lose sleep.
Anxiety
Anxiety is generally internal. At its core, it is worrying about some potential threat and can be constant even if there is no immediate threat. It is trying to cope with a future event that you think will have an adverse reaction. When a person feels anxious, they may avoid certain things or situations, and there may be an underlying feeling of apprehension or dread that doesn't go away. Sometimes people can experience anxiety to such a level that it interferes with how they live their life.
STRESS IS THE BODY'S REACTION TO A THREAT, AND ANXIETY IS THE BODY'S REACTION TO STRESS.
Both experiences of anxiety and stress can trigger the 'fight or flight' response in our body, so they can feel similar. The 'fight or flight' response is intended to protect us, and therefore, it is essential to remember that anxiety and stress in themselves are not harmful. Stress hormone levels follow a diurnal pattern throughout the day, which helps control our stress response, metabolism, and sleep-wake cycle. In a 'fight or flight' response, our whole physical system can undergo temporary changes to enhance our ability to fight or run away.
But it is within this response that stress and anxiety can become harmful, diminishing our ability to handle day-to-day functions when they are chronic. Simple tasks may become daunting and unattainable even when no obvious stressor exists.
This is because stress is the body's reaction to a threat, and anxiety is the body's reaction to stress. In response to stress, the body increases stress hormones. Generally, the stress hormone levels decrease when the stressor is no longer present. However, in a state of chronic stress, the hormones can be maintained at increased levels and for an extended time within areas of the brain associated with fear and emotions, the limbic system. Chronic stress changes the body's response and can cause health-related complications such as anxiety.
Everyone's experience with chronic stress will be different, especially when it comes to the individual response to high and low stress hormone levels. Common symptoms of chronically elevated stress may include feeling tired but wired, irritability, increased anxiety, and trouble sleeping.
After a long period of continued chronic stress, the body's hormonal stress response can become dysregulated. Common symptoms of this dysregulation include severe fatigue, lacking motivation, increasing depression, and unstable blood sugar levels.
While our minds can adapt and cope with stressful situations to promote change and enhance performance and survival, everyone has a different capacity to rebound from stressful experiences. When the body's stress response is dysregulated or overused, it can lead to a loss of resilience and plasticity within the brain, causing psychological decline and metabolic, immune, and cardiovascular problems within the body.
Even though everyone responds uniquely to different stressors and may be in different stages of dysregulation, there are overarching strategies that can effectively reduce and regulate the stress response.
Coping & Managing
Identify your stressor or components that keep the anxiety going. Recognizing what causes your stress and anxiety can help you better understand if there is something within your control to manage better. Try identifying your triggers and strategies to help you become more resilient and better able to cope.
Make sure that you are eating well. Being chronically stressed or anxious may lead you to overeat or reach for highly processed foods. Not eating enough whole foods may increase your risk of deficiency in micronutrients that regulate stress and mood, such as magnesium and B vitamins. Focus on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts, and seeds to ensure your body is well nourished.
Make sleep and rest a priority. Sleep is often sacrificed unwillingly when you're overwhelmed with stress or anxiety. But sleep is essential because it is a time for your body and brain to recharge, especially during stressful or anxious times. Consider your sleeping environment, relaxation techniques, and supplementation to support healthy sleep.
Incorporate regular exercise into every day. If you are dealing with stress or anxiety, moving your body regularly may help. Many studies show that physical activity can improve stress levels and increase mood. Start with something low impact like walking or dancing.
Learn calming and mindfulness techniques. Deep breathing exercises can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response. Mindfulness practices bring you back to the present moment and can decrease symptoms of stress and anxiety. Try incorporating breathwork or meditation, even briefly, to experience the benefits.
Reduce primary stressors and take time out. Sometimes, the best way to reduce stress and anxiety is to reduce your time spent watching the news or on digital devices. If you're feeling overwhelmed, saying no to things that will demand a lot of your time and energy and put added stress and anxiety on you is okay. Asserting yourself and making some minor changes to your daily habits could be instrumental in helping you feel better.
No rain in the forecast for five consecutive days? It seems that we all are welcoming the blue skies. Hopefully, a chance to get outside and enjoy the outdoors will be therapeutic in itself - it can only help with the stress and anxiety that we face.
Warm regards,
Natalie & Zeneve