Survive Stress and Maintain Productivity

Despite living seemingly healthier lives: having access to better quality food, exercising more frequently and the sheer abundance of information available on a healthy lifestyle, people are still suffering from poor general health and wellbeing, and many are still experiencing chronic conditions. To understand why this might be, we have to first understand what stress is and the impact it can have on the human body.

Simply put stress can be defined as a state of mental or emotional strain due to demanding life circumstances. It is a natural reaction that is triggered when we encounter a perceived threat. Our body’s autonomic nervous system is made up of two mechanisms - the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. When we are faced with a threat, it is the sympathetic nervous system that signals to the adrenal glands to release hormones called adrenaline and cortisol, and this creates the fight-or-flight response. This response primes our body to combat the obstacle with optimal efficiency and so our senses are heightened, our heart rate increases and glucose is moved into our bloodstream. The body suppresses non-essential bodily systems such as the digestive and immune systems during that time, as resources are redirected.

Activate your parasympathetic system. We need to try and go back to living in an immediate reward environment rather than a delayed one, our physiology is much more suited to this. The key to doing this is to recognise what is worrying you and take control of it by changing it into a problem that you can act on now!

• Instead of worrying about whether you will get that promotion, focus on getting a specific task done today that will heighten your profile.
• Instead of worrying about whether you will fall sick at some point, focus on doing something good for your body today such as getting a walk in.
• Instead of worrying about losing weight for a holiday, focus on eating a healthy meal today.

A digital detox is a period of time where one refrains from using tech devices such as phones, tablets and laptops. The blue light alone from screens triggers the body, but adding in the constant need to check emails, messages, and social media accounts for a large share of the stress we incur and takes away from time that the parasympathetic system can kick in. Taking control of the need for constant connectivity can have a really positive impact on your state of mind.

How does a detox work? Be realistic, start small and try any one of the following suggestions:

• Switch off notifications
• Set a sleep/wake cycle to avoid disturbance when you are asleep
• Set limits on your apps
• Switch off your phone 90 minutes before bedtime
• Have a device-free hour during the day

Rather than cramming all your exercise into a one-hour session, try to get short bursts of moderate to intermediate movement throughout the day. If you want to do a more intense workout on top of this, get it done earlier in the day when our bodies are primed to be more physical. Generally speaking, low to moderate exercise will lower cortisol, while intense exercise will cause it to rise, so doing a HIIT workout in the evening might make it difficult to unwind from the day and get a good night's sleep. Low levels of stress followed by movement should help the fight-or-flight reaction to naturally dissipate.

Ideas on how to do this:

• Make physical activity part of your daily commute
• Run errands by walking
• Use a standing desk at work
• Take the stairs
• Do mini-workouts

Healthy stress should trigger an acute fight-or-flight response that then dissipates once the threat has been removed, with the help of the parasympathetic nervous system. Unfortunately, modern-day stressors don’t usually appear in the same way they did for our ancestors. The evolution of our lifestyles has outpaced how quickly our human “hardware and software” has been able to transition. This mismatch is one of the reasons why we experience so much chronic stress and anxiety. Over-working, financial pressures, concerns for loved ones, inadequate sleep, and excessive screen time can all trigger chronically high levels of cortisol within our body, leaving many of us in a perpetual fight-or-flight response. Continuous exposure to stress will take its toll on the mind and the body and may result in many different symptoms which can include headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, weight gain, low levels of energy, and susceptibility to colds and flu due to the impact on the immune system.

Sleep is when our bodies and brains are restored the most. But our bodies can restore themselves while we’re awake, too. Yoga is a great restorative practice, and if you prolong savasana, it’s even more restful. Take conscious breaths: You can immediately release tension and create a sense of ease in your mind and body with just five minutes of breathwork a day.

Gratitude is an incredibly powerful stress-reducing practice. Expressing gratitude with a daily affirmation or in conversation with a friend, partner, or family member can be extremely impactful to your well-being and the well-being of others around you.

Most of us experience some type of stress on a regular basis. And our minds tend to amplify and exaggerate it, making things worse. But we can learn to manage stress.

We all have unique ways of de-stressing, depending on our personality. Part of the challenge of decreasing stress is finding what works for us. Asking a few reflective questions can help determine the best strategy.