Stress
Stress
Stress is not isolated to a choice few. We all experience stress, if not daily, at least on a regular basis. Stress can be a positive factor in our lives. We can get our hearts racing when something fabulous happens to us - if we are taking a vacation, given a wonderful surprise, are a grandparent for the first time- this is known as eustress. Our bodies react similarly to negative stress, but eustress gives us a euphoric feeling. Regular stress gets our hearts pumping and our brains racing, but may leave us with a feeling of panic. Stress becomes destructive if our bodies are exposed to it too frequently. What happens is the system releases cortisol (the flight or fight hormone) to assist us with dealing with the stressful situation. The problem with this is the stress is not always quickly resolved, which leaves our bodies in the flight or fight stance. As we release more cortisol, our bodies are shifted out of balance. We may have a racing heart, agitation, distractability, and any number of somatic complaints. Another side effect of ongoing stress is weight gain. This is caused by the extra cortisol pumping through our system. The cortisol signals the hunger centers of our brain that we need to replenish our lost supply of nutrients. This is based on the idea that if you are being chased by a lion (definitely flight), once the danger is done, you have burned off a significant amount of nutrients that need to be resupplied. Unfortunately, for many of us, the lion never quits chasing us, so our brain is constantly signaled that it is hungry.
What can we do to reduce stress?? Breathe. When you feel a rush of panic or tenseness coming upon you, breathe. Stop and think, "Is this a situation that I have control over?" If not, teach yourself to let go. We cannot control our past or our future. We can only control what we are doing right now - in this moment. Practice pulling yourself back to the moment. It will probably surprise you how often your mind is planning upcoming events or rehashing things that have happened in the past. If the past is a stress for you, take some time to deal with the issues that keep replaying in your mind, and then let them go. You cannot control your past.
Spend some time reading additional information on this site to assist you with becoming aware of the moment:
Spirit
Mantras
Meditation
Stress is not isolated to a choice few. We all experience stress, if not daily, at least on a regular basis. Stress can be a positive factor in our lives. We can get our hearts racing when something fabulous happens to us - if we are taking a vacation, given a wonderful surprise, are a grandparent for the first time- this is known as eustress. Our bodies react similarly to negative stress, but eustress gives us a euphoric feeling. Regular stress gets our hearts pumping and our brains racing, but may leave us with a feeling of panic. Stress becomes destructive if our bodies are exposed to it too frequently. What happens is the system releases cortisol (the flight or fight hormone) to assist us with dealing with the stressful situation. The problem with this is the stress is not always quickly resolved, which leaves our bodies in the flight or fight stance. As we release more cortisol, our bodies are shifted out of balance. We may have a racing heart, agitation, distractability, and any number of somatic complaints. Another side effect of ongoing stress is weight gain. This is caused by the extra cortisol pumping through our system. The cortisol signals the hunger centers of our brain that we need to replenish our lost supply of nutrients. This is based on the idea that if you are being chased by a lion (definitely flight), once the danger is done, you have burned off a significant amount of nutrients that need to be resupplied. Unfortunately, for many of us, the lion never quits chasing us, so our brain is constantly signaled that it is hungry.
What can we do to reduce stress?? Breathe. When you feel a rush of panic or tenseness coming upon you, breathe. Stop and think, "Is this a situation that I have control over?" If not, teach yourself to let go. We cannot control our past or our future. We can only control what we are doing right now - in this moment. Practice pulling yourself back to the moment. It will probably surprise you how often your mind is planning upcoming events or rehashing things that have happened in the past. If the past is a stress for you, take some time to deal with the issues that keep replaying in your mind, and then let them go. You cannot control your past.
Spend some time reading additional information on this site to assist you with becoming aware of the moment:
Spirit
Mantras
Meditation